APHG Unit 5: Agricultural & Rural Land Use

Agribusiness

The business sector encompassing farming and farming-related commercial activities.

1st Agricultural/Neolithic Revolution

The transition from nomadic hunting and gathering to settled agricultural communities.

2nd Agricultural Revolution

A period of agricultural development characterized by improved farming methods and greater crop yields.

Agriculture

The practice of cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising animals for food, fiber, and other products.

Aquaculture (aquafarming)

The cultivation of aquatic organisms in controlled environments.

Biotechnology

The use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products, often applied in agriculture to improve crop yields.

Cereal grain

Edible seeds from specific grasses that provide a staple food source.

Commercial agriculture

Large-scale farming aimed at producing crops for sale rather than for consumption by the farmers.

Crop rotation

The practice of alternating the species of crops grown in a particular area to improve soil health.

Debt for nature swap

An arrangement in which a portion of a country's debt is forgiven in exchange for commitments to environmental conservation.

Desertification

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

Deforestation

The clearing or thinning of forests by humans for agriculture or other land use.

Double cropping

The practice of growing two or more crops in the same space during a single growing season.

Genetically modified organism (GMO)

An organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.

3rd Agricultural/Green Revolution

A period of agricultural transformation characterized by the introduction of high-yielding varieties and advanced technologies.

Horticulture

The cultivation of garden crops, generally fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants.

Intensive subsistence agriculture

A form of farming characterized by high inputs of labor and capital relative to land area.

Mediterranean agriculture

Agricultural practices typical of regions around the Mediterranean Sea, characterized by certain climate and crop types.

Milkshed

The region surrounding a city from which milk is supplied.

Monoculture/Monocropping

The agricultural practice of growing a single crop species in a given area.

Organic agriculture

Farming without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, focusing on environmentally friendlier methods.

Pastoral nomadism

A form of subsistence agriculture based on the herding of domesticated animals.

Pasture

Land covered with grass and other low plants suitable for grazing animals.

Ridge tillage

A tillage practice which promotes soil health while reducing erosion.

Seed agriculture

The practice of planting seeds to produce crops.

Subsistence agriculture

Farming where the crops produced are primarily for the farmer's own consumption.

Sustainable agriculture

Farming practices that meet current food needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Transhumance

The seasonal movement of livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures.

Truck farming

Commercial gardening and fruit farming, typically involving the production of vegetables for sale in nearby markets.

Vegetative planting

The reproduction of plants by direct cloning from existing plants.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, population, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World.

Bid-rent theory

An economic theory that explains how the price and demand for land change as distance from the central business district increases.

Commodity chain

The interconnected stages of production and distribution of a commodity from raw materials to consumer.

Intensive Farming

A type of agriculture that aims to maximize production through high input of labor and capital.

Market gardening

The small-scale production of fruits, vegetables, and flowers as cash crops sold directly to consumers.

Plantation agriculture

A large-scale farming system in tropical or subtropical regions, specializing in the production of one or two crops for sale.

Mixed crop/livestock agriculture

A farming system that integrates the cultivation of crops and the rearing of livestock.

Extensive Farming

Agricultural practice characterized by low input of labor and capital per unit land area.

Shifting cultivation (slash-and-burn agriculture)

An agricultural system where land is cleared and then cultivated for a few years before being left fallow.

Nomadic herding

A form of subsistence agriculture that involves the moving of livestock to find fresh pastures.

Ranching

The practice of raising animals on large tracts of land.

Metes and bounds (rural surveying)

A system of land surveying using natural landmarks to define property boundaries.

Township and range (rural surveying)

A system of land surveying that uses a grid pattern based on latitude and longitude.

Long Lot (rural surveying)

A land division where properties are long and narrow, typically oriented toward a river or road.

Fertile Crescent

The region in the Middle East known for its rich soils and the birthplace of agriculture.

Large-scale commercial agriculture

Farming conducted on a large scale with significant investment and technology.

Commodity

A basic good used in commerce that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type.

Commodity chain

The series of processes involved in the production and distribution of a commodity.

Subsidies

Financial assistance granted by the government to assist an industry or business.

Von Thünen Model

A model explaining agricultural land use based on distance from a central market.

Soil Salinization

The accumulation of salts in the soil which can harm plant growth.

Terrace

A method of farming in which flat areas are created on slopes to improve agriculture.

Value-added specialty crops

Crops that have been processed or altered to increase their value.

Community-supported agriculture

A food production and distribution system that connects growers and consumers directly.

Fair trade

Trade in which fair prices are paid to producers in developing countries.

Local-food movement

A social movement that promotes the consumption of food locally produced.

Urban farming

The practice of cultivating food in urban areas.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.