APHUG - Unit 5: Quiz

linear settlement

houses and buildings form in a long line that usually follows a land feature or aligns a long transportation

dispersed settlement

the spread of individual farms or houses over a large area rather than being clustered together

clustered settlement

a community where homes and farms are grouped closely together

township and range survey method

• (grid & dispersed)

• a US land surveying method established by the Land Ordinance of 1785. It organizes land into a grid of 6-mile by 6-mile square townships, subdivided into 36 one-square-mile sections.

Long Lot

• (narrow parcels & linear)

• a land division method, primarily used by French settlers in North America (e.g., Quebec, Louisiana), that divides land into long, narrow, ribbon-like parcels stretching back from a river, road, or canal.

Metes & Bounds

• metes = straight lines

• bounds = key features

• (use physical features & clustered)

a traditional, non-rectangular land surveying method that defines property boundaries based on local, physical landmarks (bounds)—such as trees, rivers, or boulders—along with compass directions and distances (metes)

Intensive farming

• uses a small amount of land

• many workers

• grows a lot of food on each part of the land

• farms are close together

extensive farming

• uses larger areas of land

• fewer workers (more machines)

• grows less food on each part of the land

• farms are spread out

agribusiness

the large-scale system that includes the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products and equipment

aquaculture

the farming of aquatic organisms (fish, shellfish, plants, algae) in controlled freshwater or marine environments

aquifer

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

carrying capacity of land

the maximum population size an environment can sustain

center-pivot irrigation

a mechanized system where a long, sprinkler-equipped pipeline rotates around a central pivot point, watering a large circular area of crops; typically powered by electric motors today

Colombian exchange

the exchange of goods and ideas between the Americas, Europe, and Africa that began after Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas

commercial agriculture

an agricultural practice that focuses on producing crops and raising animals for the market for others to purchase

commodity

a basic raw material or agricultural product bought and sold on the global market

commodity chain (supply chain/value chain)

a network of people, information, processes, and resources that work together to produce, handle and distribute a commodity or product

community supported agriculture chain (CSA)

a particular network or association of individuals who have pledged to support one or more local farms, with growers and consumers sharing the risks and benefits of food production

crop rotation

the varying of crops from year to year allows for the restoration of valuable nutrients and the continuing productivity of the soil

deforestation

less of forest land

desertification

a form of land degradation that occurs when soil deteriorates to a desertlike condition

domestication

the deliberate effort to grow plants and raise animals, making plants and animals adapt to human demands and using selective breeding to develop desirable characteristics

economies of scale

cost reductions that occur when production rises

factory farming

An industrialized for of agriculture that focuses on maximizing production by using intensive methods and technology to raise livestock in confined spaces

Fair Trade Movement

a movement that tries to provide farmers and workers in peripheral and semi-peripheral countries with a fair price for their products by providing more equitable trading conditions

fallow

land that is intentionally left uncultivated for a period to allow the soil to regain nutrients and fertility

family farm

agricultural operation owned and operated by families, where the family members are directly involved in the production and management of the farm

farm subsidy

a form of aid and insurance given by the federal government to certain farmers and agribusiness

food desert

area whee residents lack access to healthy, nutritious foods because stores selling these foods are too far away

food insecurity

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

Green Revolution

movement beginning in the 1950s and 1960s which scientists used knowledge of genetics to develop new high yield strains of gain crops

hybridization

the process of blending elements from different cultures, leading to the creation of new cultural forms and practices

local food movement (locavore)

advocates for the consumption of food produced close to where it is consumed, emphasizing sustainability, community engagement, and support for local economies

market gardening

a type of farming that produces fruits, vegetables, and flowers ad typically serves a specific market or urban area

milkshed (urban milkshed)

the geographical area surrounding a city from which fresh milk can be supplied and sold without spoiling

Neolithic Revolution

the significant transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to settled agricultural communities, which began around 10,000 BCE

nomadic herding

a type of agriculture based on people moving their domesticated animals seasonally or as needed to allow the best grazing

organic food production

an agricultural practice that focuses on growing crops and raising livestock without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms

overgrazing

The practice of grazing livestock on land for too long or at too high densities, leading to the degradation of vegetation and soil quality

plantation

a type of large-scale commercial farming of one particular crop grown for markets often distant from the plantation

polder

low-lying areas of land that have been reclaimed from the sea of river and are protected by dikes/long walls

ranching

a form of agriculture focused on the raising of livestock for meat, wool milk and other animal products, typically on large tracts of land

Second Agricultural Revolution

a change in farming practices, marked by new tools and techniques, that diffused from Britain and the low countries staring in the early 18th century

selective breeding

the process of choosing specific plants or animals with desirable traits to reproduce, aiming to enhance those traits in future generations

shifting cultivation

the agricultural practice of growing crops or grazing animals on a piece of land for a year or two, then abandoning that land when nutrients have been depleted from the soil and moving to a new piece of land, where the process is repeated

single-crop economy

an economy heavily reliant on growing and selling just one main crop, leading to economic specialization but vulnerability but also vulnerability to market changes and environmental issues

soil salinization

the accumulation of soluble salts in soil, which hinder plant growth and reduce agricultural productivity

specialty farming

a type of farming focusing on the production of high-value crops, often grown for niche markets and requiring more labor and careful management

subsistence agriculture

an agricultural practice that provides crops or livestock to feed one’s family and close community using fewer mechanical resources and more people to care for the crops and livestock

supply chain

the interconnected network of organizations, people, activities, information and resources involved moving a product from raw materials to the final consumer

terracing

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

top soil

the uppermost layer of soil, typically ranking from a few inches to a foot in depth, and is crucial for plant growth

transhumance

the movement of herds between pastures at cooler, higher elevations during the summer months and lower elevations during the winter

vertical integration

the combining of a company’s ownership of and control over more than one stage of the production process of goods

von Thunen model

a model that suggests that perishability of the product and transport costs to the market each factor into the location of agricultural land use and activity

waterlogging (of soil)

a process that occurs when soil becomes oversaturated with water, reducing oxygen available. to plant roots and limiting crop growth

wetland removal (draining)

the practice of eliminating wetlands to convert the land for agricultural or development (often disrupting ecosystem and increasing flooding)