APHG Unit 5

Desertification

The transition of land from fertile to desert

Carrying capacity

The number of crops or people that an area can support

Columbian Exchange

The dramatic shift in agriculture that came after Christopher Columbus's voyage in 1492

Commodity chain

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

Turkey

Example of a domesticated animal in North America

Food desert

An area that has limited access to affordable and nutritious food

Food security

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

Green Revolution

Advances in plant biology that began in the mid-20th century

Aquaculture

The cultivation (farming) of aquatic organisms—such as fish

Subsistence agriculture

Farming that provides food primarily for the farmer and their family

Commercial agriculture

Large-scale farming focused on producing crops and livestock for sale in markets for profit