Unit 5 Agriculture and Rural Land-Use Patterns and Processes

agribusiness

highly mechanized, large-scale farming, usually under corporate ownership

agriculture

the cultivation of domesticated crops and the raising of domesticated animals

aquaculture

the cultivation of aquatic organisms (as fish or shellfish) especially for food

bid-rent theory

theory that different users are prepared to pay different amounts (bid-rent or land-rent) for locations at various distances from the city center. The result is often a concentric pattern of land uses.

biodiversity

term used to describe the enormous variety of life on Earth. It can be used more specifically to refer to all of the species in one region or ecosystem

biotechnology

means any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use

carrying capacity

the number of people, other living organisms, or crops that a region can support without environmental degradation.

Columbian Exchange

the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries

commercial agriculture

Term used to describe large-scale farming and ranching operations that employ vast land bases, large mechanized equipment, factory-type labor forces, and the latest technology.

commodity chain

series of links connecting the many places of production and distribution and resulting in a commodity that is then exchanged on the world market

community-supported agriculture

a system that connects the producer and consumers within the food system more closely by allowing the consumer to subscribe to the harvest of a certain farm or group of farms

conservation

a careful preservation and protection of something; especially planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction or neglect

deforestation

the clearing of trees, transforming a forest into cleared land done by humans

desertification

the process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture.

domestication

the process of taming an animal and keeping it as a pet or on a farm; the cultivation of a plant for food

economies of scale

the cost advantages that enterprises obtain due to size, output, or scale of operation, with cost per unit of output generally decreasing with increasing scale as fixed costs are spread out over more units of output.

extensive agriculture

an agricultural production system that uses small inputs of labor, fertilizers, and capital, relative to the land area being farmed.

fair trade

trade between companies in developed countries and producers in developing countries in which fair prices are paid to the producers.

Fertile Crescent

A geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

First Agricultural Revolution (Neolithic Revolution)

the transformation of human societies from hunting and gathering to farming. The transition occurred worldwide between 10,00 BCE and 2000 BCE with the earliest known developments taking place in the Middle East

food desert

An area characterized by a lack of affordable, fresh and nutritious food.

food insecurity

a measure of the availability of food and individuals' ability to access it.

genetically modified organisms

An organism whose genetic material has been altered through some genetic engineering technology or technique.

global supply chain

a dynamic worldwide network when a company purchases or uses goods or services from overseas. It involves people, information, processes and resources involved in the production, handling and distribution of materials and finished products or providing a service to the customer.

Green Revolution

a large increase in crop production in developing countries achieved by the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and high-yield crop varieties.

intensive agriculture

expenditure of much labor and capital on a piece of land to increase its productivity

irrigation

the application of controlled amounts of water to plants at needed intervals

local-food movement

a collaborative effort designed to connect food producers and consumers in the same geographic area to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies

long lots

distinct regional approach to land surveying whereby land is divided into narrow parcels stretching back from rivers, roads, and canals. Found mainly in Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Louisiana and Texas.

market gardening

the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. Grown on a small area of land or in greenhouses.

mechanized farming

process of using agricultural machinery in agriculture, greatly increasing farm worker productivity.

Mediterranean agriculture

An agricultural system practiced in the Mediterranean style climates of Western Europe, California, and portions of Chile and Australia, in which diverse specialty crops such as grapes, avocados, olives, and a host of nuts, fruits, and vegetables comprise profitable agricultural operations.

metes and bounds

A British method of land description which involves identifying distances and directions and makes use of both the physical boundaries and measurements of the land. No longer in use in the United States today.

mixed crop/livestock systems

a type of agriculture where both plants and animals are grown for their produce and often the leftover plants are used to feed the animals, who in turn produce dung that is used as fertilizer for the plants

monocropping/monoculture

An agricultural method that utilizes large plantings of a single species or variety year after year on the same plot of land. Corn, soybeans and wheat are three common examples.

nomadic pastoralism

a form of pastoralism in which the whole social group (men, women, children) and their animals move in search of pasture. True nomads follow an irregular pattern of movement while with transhumance seasonal patterns are followed.

plantation agriculture

Growing specialized crops such as bananas, coffee, and cacao in tropical developing countries, primarily for sale to developed countries.

ranching

A form of commercial agriculture in which livestock (horses, cattle or sheep) graze over an extensive area.

Second Agricultural Revolution

also known as the British Agricultural Revolution, took place first in England in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. From there it spread to Europe, North America, and around the world. It involved the introduction of new crop rotation techniques and selective breeding of livestock, and led to a marked increase in agricultural production. It was a necessary prerequisite to the Industrial Revolution and the massive population growth of the last few centuries.

shifting cultivation

A form of subsistence agriculture in which people shift activity from one field to another; each field is used for crops for relatively few years and left fallow for a relatively long period.

slash and burn agriculture

System of cultivation that usually exists in tropical areas where vegetation is cut close to the ground and then ignited. The fire introduces nutrients into the soil, thereby making it productive for a relatively short period of time.

soil salinization

a major process of land degradation that decreases soil fertility and is a significant component of desertification processes in the world's drylands; often caused by inappropriate irrigation practices.

subsistence agriculture

Farmer produces just enough to support himself and his family with none to little left to sell in order to purchase manufactured goods

sustainability

meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Concept of sustainability is composed of three pillars: economic, environmental, and social - also known informally as profits, planet and people

terrace Farming

The cutting out of flat areas (terraces) into near vertical slopes to allow farming. Terrace farms appears as steps cut into a mountainside. This adaptation allowed both the early Chinese, and the Inca of Mesoamerica to grow enough food for their large populations.

township and range

rigid 6 x 6 grid-like pattern used to facilitate the dispersal of settlers evenly across farmlands

transhumance

A seasonal periodic movement of pastoralists and their livestock between highland and lowland pastures

urban farming

The practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around a village, town, or city. Urban farming can include animal husbandry, aquaculture, agroforest, urban beekeeping and horticulture.

value-added specialty crops

increasing the economic value of a commodity through particular production processes, e.g., organic produce, or through regionally branded products that increase consumer appeal and willingness to pay a premium over similar but undifferentiated products. i.e. free-range chickens, hormone-free beef

Von Thunen Model

An agricultural model that spatially describes agricultural activity in terms of rent. Activities that require intensive cultivation and cannot be transported over great distances pay higher rent to be close to the market. Conversely, activities that are more extensive , with goods that are easy to transport, are located farther from the market where rent is less.