Unit 5: Land and Water Use Vocabulary

Vocabulary connected to AP Environmental Science Unit 5 Topics

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)

An agricultural facility that keeps a large number of animals confined to a small, densely populated space.

Agroforestry

Planting trees and crops together or combining trees with livestock.

Alley cropping

Planting of crops in strips with rows of trees or shrubs on each side.

Aquifer

An underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials (like gravel and sand).

Fertilizers

Substances added to the soil to enhance plant growth.

Organic fertilizers

Made from natural materials like compost, manure, blood meal, fish meal, or bone meal. Usually contain all three nutrients (N, P, and K).

Inorganic fertilizers (synthetic)

Made from chemical compounds and can contain all three primary nutrients (N, P, and K) or just one. They can also contain micronutrients like sulfur, magnesium, or calcium.

Waterlogging

The oversaturation of soil with water, often due to excessive irrigation or poor drainage.

Salinization

The buildup of salts in the soil, often caused by excessive irrigation, especially in arid regions.

Pesticides

Substances used to control or kill pests that damage crops or livestock.

Herbicides

Pesticides specifically designed to kill weeds.

Fungicides

Pesticides used to control or kill fungi that can cause plant diseases.

Rodenticides

Pesticides that kill rodents, such as mice and rats.

Insecticides

Pesticides used to kill insects that harm crops, livestock, or humans.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Organisms whose genetic material has been altered using modern biotechnology techniques.

Feedlots

Large, confined areas where livestock are raised for meat production.

Free-Range Grazing

Allowing livestock to roam freely over a large area to graze on natural vegetation.

Overgrazing

When too many animals graze in a particular area, exceeding the land's capacity to regenerate vegetation.

Desertification

The process of fertile land becoming desert, typically due to climate change and human activities.

Antibiotic Resistance

When bacteria evolve and become resistant to the antibiotics designed to kill them.

Growth Hormones

Substances that stimulate the growth and development of animals.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

A sustainable approach to pest control that combines various methods to minimize environmental impact.

Biocontrol

Using natural enemies (predators and parasites) to control pests.

Pesticide resistance

Occurs when a pest population evolves where a particular pesticide no longer effectively controls it.

Pesticide treadmill

Cycle of farmers needing to develop and use new pesticides to combat pests that have become resistant to older ones.

Windbreaks

Rows of trees or shrubs planted to reduce wind speed and protect crops from wind damage.

Perennial Crops

Plants that live for more than two years and produce crops year after year.

Annual Crops

Plants that complete their life cycle within one year, producing crops only once before dying.

Rotational Grazing

Moving livestock between different pastures to allow vegetation in each pasture to recover.

Strip cropping

Growing different crops in alternating strips across a field.

Terracing

Planting crops on a long, steep slope that has been converted into a series of broad, nearly level terraces.

Shifting agriculture

Clearing a plot of ground in a forest and planting crops on it for a few years, then moving to a new plot.

Slash-and-burn agriculture

Cutting down trees and vegetation, burning it, and planting crops among the tree stumps.

Intercropping

Growing two or more different crops at the same time on a plot.

Contour plowing

Plowing and planting across the changing slope of land to retain water and reduce soil erosion.

Conservation-tillage agriculture

Crop cultivation in which the soil is disturbed little or not at all to reduce soil erosion, lower labor costs, and save energy.

Monoculture

Cultivation of a single crop, usually on a large area of land.

Polyculture

Complex form of intercropping in which a large number of different plants maturing at different times are planted together.

Crop Rotation

Planting a field with different crops yearly to reduce soil nutrient depletion.

Plantation Agriculture

Growing specialized crops in tropical developing countries primarily for sale to developed countries.

Vertical farming

Farming on vertical surfaces rather than traditional, horizontal farming.

Cover crop

Plants planted to cover the soil rather than for harvest, managing soil erosion, fertility, and more.

Surface irrigation

Water is distributed over and across the land by gravity.

Furrow irrigation

Surface irrigation in which water flows down trenches or furrows between crop rows.

Flood irrigation

Surface irrigation where the entire field is flooded with water.

Localized irrigation

Water is distributed under low pressure through a piped network and applied to each plant.

Drip (drop) irrigation

Localized irrigation in which drops of water are delivered at or near the root of plants.

Surface drip

Emitter lines or tubing lie on the soil surface, directly watering plant roots.

Subsurface drip

Drip lines or tubing are buried beneath the soil surface, delivering water directly to the root zone.

Sprinkler irrigation

Water is distributed by overhead high-pressure sprinklers or guns.

Overhead sprinklers

Spray water from above, mimicking natural rainfall.

Center pivot irrigation

Sprinklers move on wheeled towers in a circular pattern.

Lateral move irrigation

A series of pipes, each with a wheel and sprinklers, which are rotated.

Subsurface irrigation

Water is distributed across the land by raising the water table through a system of pumping stations, canals, gates, and ditches.

Porous pipes

Water seeps out of perforated pipes buried beneath the soil surface, directly reaching plant roots.

Ditches and tile drains

Water slowly fills underground ditches or drains, then seeps upward to plant roots.

Manual irrigation

Water is distributed across land through manual labor and watering cans.

Regenerative Agriculture

A holistic approach to farming focusing on soil health and ecosystem resilience.

Organic Agriculture

Food grown and processed using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.

Animal husbandry

Breeding, raising, and care of domesticated animals.

Urban farming

Cultivation of food and raising of small livestock within the bounds of a city.

Subsistence Agriculture

Farming in which nearly all crops or livestock raised are used to maintain the farmer's family.

Hydroponics

Plants are grown using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil.

Community Supported Agriculture

A farm operation supported by shareholders within the community.