AP Human Geo Chapter 9

Agriculture

The practice of cultivating land and raising crops and livestock for food and other products

Domestication

The process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use.

Crop

A plant grown and harvested for food, fiber, or other uses.

Cultivation

The preparation and use of land to grow crops.

Bioclimatic region

An area defined by similar climate conditions that influence vegetation and agricultural practices.

Intensive Agriculture

Farming that uses high labor and inputs per unit of land.

Market gardening (commercial gardening, fruit farming, truck farming)

The production of fruits, vegetables, and flowers for sale, often near urban markets.

Plantation agriculture

Large-scale commercial farming that specializes in a single crop, usually grown in tropical or subtropical regions.

Mixed crop/livestock system

A farming system that combines crop production with raising animals.

Wet-rice dominant

An agricultural system where rice is the primary crop, grown in flooded fields.

Wet-rice not dominant

An agricultural system where rice is grown but is not the main crop.

Dairy Farming

The raising of cattle for milk and dairy products.

Milkshed

The area surrounding a city from which milk is supplied.

Mediterranean agriculture

Farming adapted to dry summers and mild, wet winters, commonly producing olives, grapes, and wheat.

Extensive Agriculture

Farming that uses large areas of land with relatively low inputs per unit of land.

Shifting cultivation (slash-and-burn agriculture)

A farming method where land is cleared, farmed temporarily, and then abandoned to restore fertility.

Nomadic herding (pastoral nomadism)

The movement of livestock from place to place in search of pasture and water.

Ranching

The commercial raising of livestock on large tracts of land.

Grain farming

Large-scale cultivation of cereal crops such as wheat, corn, or barley.

Clustered

Homes and buildings are grouped closely together, often around a central point like a village, church, or market, with farmland surrounding the settlement

Dispersed

Individual farmhouses are spread out over large areas, with each household surrounded by its own farmland.

Linear

Buildings are arranged in a line, typically along a road, river, or coastline.

Metes and Bounds

Uses natural features (trees, rivers) and human-made landmarks to define irregularly shaped land parcels.

Township and Range

Divides land into a uniform grid of squares based on lines of latitude and longitude, creating regular, rectangular parcels.

Long Lot

Divides land into long, narrow parcels that extend back from a river or road so each landowner has equal access to transportation.

Fertile Crescent

An early center of agriculture in Southwest Asia where wheat, barley, and animals like sheep and goats were first domesticated.

Indus River Valley

A hearth of domestication in South Asia where crops such as wheat, barley, and cotton were developed.

Southeast Asia

A domestication hearth where rice was first cultivated, along with root crops like taro and yams.

Central America (Mesoamerica)

A major hearth of domestication where maize (corn), beans, and squash were first grown.

First Agricultural Revolution (Neolithic Revolution)

The transition from hunting and gathering to settled farming, leading to permanent settlements and population growth.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, people, and diseases between the Americas and the Old World following European contact in the late 1400s.

Second Agricultural Revolution

A period (1700s–1800s) of agricultural innovation that introduced new farming techniques and technologies, increasing food production and supporting population growth and urbanization.

Crop Rotation

The practice of alternating different crops on the same field to maintain soil fertility, reduce pests, and improve yields.

Green Revolution (Third Agricultural Revolution)

A mid-20th-century movement that increased food production worldwide through new technologies, especially in developing countries.

High-yield seeds

Genetically improved crop varieties designed to produce more food per plant, often requiring fertilizers and irrigation.

Pesticides

Chemicals used to kill insects and other pests that damage crops.

Herbicides

Chemicals used to eliminate weeds that compete with crops for nutrients, water, and sunlight.

Fertilizers

Natural or synthetic substances added to soil to increase nutrients and improve crop growth.

Mechanized farming

The use of machinery, such as tractors and harvesters, to increase efficiency and reduce the need for human labor.

Subsistence agriculture

Farming in which food is grown primarily to feed the farmer and their family, with little or no surplus for sale.

Commercial agriculture

Farming focused on producing crops or livestock for sale in local, national, or global markets.

Monocropping / Monoculture

The practice of growing a single crop species over a large area, often used in commercial farming.

Cash crop

A crop grown mainly for profit rather than for local consumption.

Bid-rent theory

A model that explains how land use patterns are determined by how much different users are willing to pay for land based on distance from a central market.

Commodity chain

The sequence of processes involved in producing, processing, transporting, and selling a product from raw material to consumer.

Von Thünen rural land-use model

A model explaining how agricultural land uses are arranged in concentric rings around a central market based on transportation costs and land value.

Commodity

A basic good, often an agricultural product, that is produced in large quantities and traded globally.

Commodity dependence

A situation in which a country or region relies heavily on the export of one or a few commodities for income.

Interdependence

The mutual reliance between countries or regions for goods, services, and resources in the global economy.

Agribusiness

Large-scale, industrialized agriculture operated by corporations that control production, processing, and distribution of food.

Land cover change

The transformation of Earth’s surface (such as forests, grasslands, or wetlands) due to human activities like agriculture or urbanization.

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes dry and unproductive, often caused by overgrazing, deforestation, or poor farming practices.

Soil salinization

The buildup of salt in soil, usually from excessive irrigation, which reduces soil fertility and crop yields.

Conservation

The careful management and protection of natural resources to prevent environmental damage and ensure long-term sustainability.

Terrace farming

A farming method that cuts steps into hillsides to reduce erosion and allow crops to be grown on steep slopes.

Irrigation

The artificial watering of land to support crop growth, especially in dry regions.

Deforestation

The large-scale removal of trees, often to clear land for agriculture or development.

Draining wetlands

The removal of water from wetlands to create usable land, which often disrupts ecosystems.

Overgrazing

Allowing livestock to graze too much vegetation, leading to soil erosion and land degradation.

Soil degradation

The decline in soil quality caused by erosion, nutrient loss, or chemical damage.

Biodiversity reduction

The decrease in the variety of plant and animal species in an area, often due to human activity.

Sustainable agriculture

Farming practices that meet current food needs while conserving resources and minimizing environmental harm for future generations.

Biotechnology

The use of scientific techniques, including genetic engineering, to improve plants, animals, or agricultural productivity.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Plants or animals whose genetic material has been altered to enhance traits such as yield, pest resistance, or drought tolerance.

Aquaculture

The farming of fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants in controlled environments.

Urban farming

The cultivation of food within cities, such as in community gardens, rooftops, or vacant lots.

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) and local-food movements

Systems where consumers buy directly from local farmers, increasing access to fresh food and supporting local economies.

Organic farming

Agriculture that avoids synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified seeds.

Fair trade

A trading system that ensures producers, especially in developing countries, receive fair wages and work under safe conditions.

Value-added specialty crops

Crops that gain increased value through processing, branding, or unique qualities (such as organic or artisan products).

Food insecurity

The lack of reliable access to sufficient, affordable, and nutritious food.

Food deserts

Areas with limited access to affordable, healthy food, often found in low-income or urban communities.

Suburbanization

The movement of people and development from urban centers to surrounding suburban areas.

Intercropping

The practice of growing multiple crops together in the same field to improve soil health and reduce pests.