Food Systems Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for review.

Subsistence Economics

The earliest form of food economics, where small groups produce and barter for goods and services.

Pleistocene Overkill Hypothesis

The hypothesis that early humans hunted large species to extinction.

Feudalism

A system where agriculture surplus leads to social stratification and control by a Lord/Master.

Fertile Crescent

The Middle East region where barley and wheat were first domesticated.

Vegeculture

Cultivation of root crops.

Population Pressures

Agriculture adoption reason: promoted stability.

Promote Stability

Agriculture adoption reason: demanded lifestyle adjustments.

Arable Lands

Land suitable for agriculture.

Subsistence Agriculture

Agriculture that supports only the farmer and family.

Commercial Agriculture

Agriculture that supports the farmer for cash.

Extensive Subsistence Agriculture

Nomadic herding and shifting cultivation.

Intensive Subsistence Agriculture

High-yield agriculture with concentrated effort, like rice farming.

Carrying Capacity

The number of people per unit area that can be supported.

Great Columbian Exchange

The exchange of goods between the Old and New Worlds, starting in 1492.

Comparative Advantage

An economic model where some areas are better suited for specific crops based on soil, climate, and terrain.

Land Rent

The profit from land use, considering output, price, production costs, transport costs, and distance from market.

Rural Land Use Theory

Theory explaining how rural lands are used based on economic principles, distance, and market location.

Commercial Crop and Livestock Agriculture

Commercial agriculture involving grain crops or livestock.

Intensive Subsistence Crop and Livestock Agriculture

Farmers cultivate small plots of land and grow staples crops, like rice, and rely on manual animal labor.

Green Revolution

Attempt to spread Western Ag to everywhere else.

Imperial Economies

Economic system with an Ag surplus and flow of resources.

Commercial Economy

Economic system focused on selling products for profit.

Industrial Economy

Economic system focused on mass production and distribution.

Capitalism

Free enterprise, economic autonomy, and consumer demand.

Planned Economies

An economic system with Government Control.

Mixed Economies

An economic system with a mixture of free capitalism and government control.

Recession

Decline in economy.

Depression

Severe downturn in economy.

Private sector

Privately owned business.

Public sector

Government owned business.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

All goods and services produce in a country

Gross National Product (GNP)

Total goods and services produced by citizens of a country, includes international goods

Gross National Income (GNI)

Similar to GNP except it does not include, taxes, depreciation, and subsidies.

Primary Sector

Raw materials Mining Forestry, Fishing, Hunting Ag (primitive)

Secondary Sector

Adding value to Raw Materials Processing/Manufacturing Construction Production of actual goods

Tertiary Sector

Service based People that fix your stuff Mechanic Clerk Lawyer Teacher Plumber

Quaternary Sector

Intellectual products Info gathering Data Collection and Analysis R and D Expert Consulting