Unit 5 Agriculture

Climate

The long-term weather patterns in a particular area, including temperature, precipitation, and seasonal changes.

Mediterranean Climate

A climate characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, typically found along the Mediterranean coast and in areas with similar latitudes.

Tropical Climate

A climate zone found near the equator, characterized by consistently high temperatures and significant rainfall throughout the year.

Intensive Agriculture (Farming)

A type of farming that requires a large amount of labor and capital to produce a high yield per unit of land.

Extensive Agriculture (Farming)

A farming system that uses large areas of land with minimal labor input and lower crop yields per unit of land.

Subsistence Agriculture

Farming practiced primarily for the farmer's own consumption, with little or no surplus for trade or sale.

Commercial Agriculture

Farming done with the primary goal of selling the produce in the market for profit.

Pastoral Nomadism (Nomadic Herding)

A form of agriculture where livestock are raised and moved in search of grazing land.

Shifting Cultivation

A form of agriculture where land is cleared for farming, used for a period, then abandoned when soil fertility declines.

Plantation (Agriculture)

Large-scale commercial farming that specializes in the production of one or two crops for export.

Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming

A type of farming where both crops and livestock are raised.

Market Gardening

Small-scale farming that produces vegetables, fruits, and flowers for local markets.

Ranching

A type of extensive agriculture focused on the raising of livestock for commercial purposes.

Clustered (Nucleated) Settlements

Settlements where buildings are grouped together, often around a central feature.

Dispersed Settlements

Settlements where houses or farms are spread out over a large area.

Linear Settlement

A settlement pattern where buildings are arranged along a linear feature such as a road, river, or coast.

Metes and Bounds

A system of land surveying that uses natural landmarks and descriptive terms to define boundaries.

Township and Range

A system of land division used in the United States based on a grid of townships and ranges.

Long-Lot System

A system of land division in which parcels of land are long and narrow, typically oriented perpendicular to a river.

Agricultural Hearth

The geographic origin of an agricultural practice or crop.

Fertile Crescent

A region in the Middle East where early civilizations and agriculture developed.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, and diseases between the Americas and the Old World.

Second Agricultural Revolution

A period of agricultural improvements and innovations in the 17th-19th centuries.

Irrigation

The process of supplying water to crops to enhance their growth.

Green Revolution

A series of technological innovations in agriculture in the 20th century.

Genetically Modified Organism (GMOs)

Organisms whose genetic material has been altered using biotechnology.

Bid-Rent Theory

A theory in urban economics that explains how the price and demand for land decreases with distance from the city center.

Monoculture

The agricultural practice of growing a single crop or species over a large area.

Monocropping

The practice of growing the same crop on the same land year after year.

Economies of Scale

The cost advantages that enterprises experience as they expand their scale of production.

Commodity Chain

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

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size an environment can support sustainably.

Von Thunen Model

A model explaining the location of agricultural activities based on transportation cost and perishability.

(Global) Supply Chain

A network of companies involved in the production and distribution of goods worldwide.

Fair Trade Movement

A movement focused on equitable trading relationships ensuring fair wages.

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes desert, often due to human activity.

Soil Salinization

The accumulation of salts in the soil that degrades soil quality.

Terrace Farming

A farming method where flat surfaces are cut into the side of a mountain to prevent soil erosion.

(Draining) Wetlands

The process of draining wetlands for agriculture or urban development.

Deforestation

The large-scale removal of forests for agriculture or urban development.

Slash-and-Burn Agriculture

A farming method where trees and vegetation are cut down and burned to clear land.

Organic Foods (Farming)

Farming methods that avoid synthetic chemicals, focusing on natural processes.

Value-Added Speciality Crops

Crops processed to increase value before reaching the market.

Local-Food Movement

A movement promoting the consumption of locally grown food.

Urban Farming

The practice of growing food in urban areas using innovative techniques.

Food Insecurity

The state of being without reliable access to sufficient, nutritious food.

Food Desert

An area where access to affordable and nutritious food is limited.

Suburbanization

The process by which people move from urban areas to suburban areas.

Food Processing

The transformation of raw food ingredients into packaged food products.