Chapter 14 | Agricultural Sustainability in a Global Market

Agricultural landscapes

A landscape resulting from the interactions between farming activities and a location's natural environment

Agroecosystem

An ecosystem modified for agricultural use

Deforestation

Loss of forest lands

Terracing

The process of carving parts of a hill or mountainside into small, level growing plots

Reservoir

Artificial lake used to store water

Aquifer

Layers of sand, gravel, and rocks that contain and can release a usable amount of water

Wetland

Area of land that is covered by water or saturated with water

Desertification

A form of land degradation that occurs when soil deteriorates to a desert-like condition

Biodiversity

The variety of organisms living in a location

Salinization

The process by which water-soluble salts build up in the soil, which limits the ability of crops to absorb water

Debt-for-nature swap

Agreement between a bank and a peripheral country in which the bank forgives a portion of the country’s debt in exchange for local investment in conservation measures

Biotechnology

The science of altering living organisms, often through genetic manipulation, to create new products for specific purposes, such as crops that resist certain pests

Agricultural biodiversity

The variety and variability of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are used directly or indirectly for food and agriculture

Food security

Reliable access to safe and nutritious food that can support an active and healthy lifestyle

Food insecurity

The disruption of food intake or eating patterns because of poor access to food

Suburbanization

The shifting of population away from cities into surrounding suburbs

Economy of scale

The reduced cost of producing food items as the quantity of production increases