Unit 5: Agriculture and Rural Land Use – Study Guide

A compilation of flashcards based on the key concepts from the lecture notes for Unit 5: Agriculture and Rural Land Use, intended for exam preparation.

Agriculture

Deliberate modification of Earth’s surface through cultivation and rearing of animals for sustenance or economic gain.

Subsistence Agriculture

Type of agriculture focused on personal use rather than for profit.

Commercial Agriculture

Type of agriculture aimed at profit and market sale.

Primary Economic Activity

Extraction of natural resources directly from the earth.

Clustered Settlement Patterns

Homes and buildings are close together.

Dispersed Settlement Patterns

Spread out farms and houses.

Linear Settlement Patterns

Settlements located along a road or river.

Metes and Bounds

Survey system using landmarks and angles, common in colonial America.

Township and Range

Grid system used in the U.S. Midwest for land surveys.

Long Lot

Narrow lots stretching back from rivers, seen in French areas like Louisiana.

First Agricultural Revolution

Period when agriculture began (~10,000 years ago).

Agricultural Hearths

Regions where agriculture first developed: Fertile Crescent, Sub-Saharan Africa, SE Asia, Mesoamerica.

Diffusion of Agriculture

Spread of agricultural practices through relocation and contagious diffusion.

Second Agricultural Revolution

Occurred alongside the Industrial Revolution, introducing new machinery and practices.

Seed Drill

New machinery introduced during the Second Agricultural Revolution for planting seeds.

Selective Breeding

Breeding organisms for specific traits, significant during the Second Agricultural Revolution.

Green Revolution

Agricultural transformation in the mid-20th century aimed at increasing food production.

High-Yield Seeds

Seeds developed to produce more harvest, examples include IR8 rice and dwarf wheat.

Challenges of the Green Revolution

Environmental issues, inequality, and limited benefits to Africa.

Dairy Production Regions

Areas in the NE U.S. and Europe known for dairy farming.

Pastoral Nomadism

Raising livestock and moving according to seasonal patterns, commonly in drylands.

Shifting Cultivation

Agricultural practice in tropics involving rotating fields after soil exhaustion.

Intensive Agriculture

Agriculture that requires a lot of labor on small plots.

Extensive Agriculture

Agriculture that uses less labor and more land area.

Von Thünen Model

A model explaining agricultural land use based on proximity to market.

Bid-Rent Theory

Economic theory stating that land value decreases as distance from the Central Business District increases.

Agribusiness

Large-scale, industrial agriculture systems that dominate global supply.

Sustainable Practices in Agriculture

Agricultural methods that maintain ecological balance, like organic farming and crop rotation.

Urbanization

The growth and development of cities, influenced by agricultural surplus and social stratification.

Site Factors

Absolute locations, such as rivers and fertile land, that affect urban development.

Situation Factors

Relative locations, including connections to trade routes that influence urban growth.

Global Cities

Cities that drive globalization, e.g., New York, Tokyo, London.

Urban Hierarchy

Ranking of cities based on size and economic functions, from hamlets to megacities.

Primate City

A city that is disproportionately large and dominates its country.

Christaller’s Central Place Theory

Theory explaining the distribution of services in urban areas via market areas.

Concentric Zone Model

Urban model depicting city structure with rings from the Central Business District outward.

Sector Model

Urban model showing city development in sectors based around transportation routes.

Multiple Nuclei Model

Urban model suggesting cities have multiple centers of activity.

Smart Growth

Development approach focusing on sustainable urban planning and land use.

Urban Sustainability

Balancing economic growth with environmental protection and social equity.

Greenbelts

Protected open spaces surrounding cities to prevent urban sprawl.

Census Data

Quantitative data used for urban planning and assessing community needs.

Suburbanization

The movement of people from cities to suburbs, often seen in developed countries.

Gentrification

Reinvestment in urban neighborhoods that increases property values and displaces lower-income residents.

Redlining

Historical practice that denied services in specific areas, often affecting marginalized communities.

Deindustrialization

The decline of industrial activity in a region, leading to job losses.

Comparative Advantage

Economic principle that suggests countries should specialize in producing what they can do efficiently.

Free Trade Zones

Areas within countries where goods may be landed, handled, manufactured, or reconfigured without the intervention of customs authorities.

Outsourcing

Shifting jobs and production to countries where labor is cheaper.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

UN goals aimed at addressing global challenges like poverty, inequality, and climate change.

Microloans

Small loans made to entrepreneurs in developing countries to promote economic activity.

Gender Inequality Index (GII)

Measurement of disparities in reproductive health, empowerment, and economic participation between genders.

Human Development Index (HDI)

Composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators used to rank countries.

Urban Farming

Growing food in urban areas to enhance local food systems and sustainability.

Environmental pollution

The introduction of harmful contaminants into the environment.

Soil Degradation

The decline in soil quality caused by improper use, agriculture, and deforestation.

Water Shortages

Lack of sufficient water resources to meet the demands of water usage.

Biodiversity Loss

Decline in the variety of life, often due to habitat destruction and environmental change.