Carl Sauer
Theorized plant domestication began in a biologically diverse environment. People had more opportunity to experiment with plants in diverse environments. This most likely started in Southeast Asia.
2nd Agricultural Revolution
Coincided with the Industrial Revolution, and saw an increase in soil fertility, better technology, advances in breeding and livestock increaed production of mear and dairy.
3rd Agricultural Revolution
Called the Green Revolution, started in the 1930's and came about during concern of global hunger. Hybrid crops were introduced to increase yields but has been criticized for reducing genetic diversity increasing pollution.
1st Agricultural Revolution aka Neolithic Revolution
Dating back 10,000 years, it achieved plant domestication and animal domestication
Agribusiness
System of commercial farming found in the United States and other relatively developed countries
Transhumance
The seasonal migration of livestock between mountains and lowland pastures.
von Thunen model
A model that explains the location of agricultureal activities in a commercial, profit-making economy. Various farming activities are in rings around a central market/city, with profit-earning capability being the determining force in how far a crop locates from the market
shifting cultivation (slash and burn)
Slash (Clear) vegetation. Burn debris from slashing. Ash from burnt vegetation fertilizes the soil. A swidden is a cleared and burnt field.
Primary Economic Activity
Economic activity concerned with the direct extraction of natural resources from the environment; such as mining, fishing, lumbering, and especially agriculture
Pastoral Nomadism
Animals (cows, camels, goats, sheep, llamas) are moved from one grazing pasture to another. Animal movement from highlands to lowlands is transhumance. Pastoral nomads trade animal products (milk, skins, meat) in exchange for grain.
Intensive Subsistence Agriculture
Subsistence farming in LDCs where many people need to be fed. Land must be intensively worked (almost no scrap of land wasted). Work is done by hands or animals with plow (eg. wet rice from rice paddies).
Plantation Farming
Large farms specializing in 1 or 2 crops. Usually found in LDCs but often under control of MDCs with crops sold in N. America and Europe. Often highly labor intensive and require import of workers, who are often mistreated/underpaid.
Mixed Crop Farming and Livestock
Most crops fed to animals. Most land devoted to crops but ¾ of income from animal products.
Livestock Ranching
Commercial grazing of livestock over extensive area. Highly integrated into meat processing industry and CAFOs
Dairy Farming
Most important type of commercial agriculture in MDCs in rings around large cities. Area surrounding dairying is milk shed
CAFO
Concentrated animal feeding operation which is a large feedlot to fatten animals before slaughter
Grain Farming
Grain grown for human consumption (unlike Mixed Crop and Livestock). Unlike in LDCs, grain farmers product is sold as processed foods (bread, cereal, snacks).
Mediterranean Farming
Farming of fruits and vegetables (horticulture) that grow well in rare "Mediterranean" climates (west coast of most continents). Horticulture is growing of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
Illegal Drug Farming
Marijuana
Poppy (used for Opium or Heroine)
Coca (used for Cocaine)
What two factors influenced Von Thunen model?
Perish-ability and Transport Costs
What allows drug agriculture to continue?
The demand from the core (mostly US and Europe)
IR8
A hybrid rice created with Chinese and Indonesian rice in the 1960's. IR8 got innovated to IR36 which became most widely grown seed in the world IN 1992
What is the main reason for famines today?
Political Instability
What are the current goals for scientists in terms of agriculture?
Create a super rice that yield twice the amount of rice per acre
Find traits to fight off diseases
Fatten livestock
Make food's appearance better
What are the problems people have with technologic adaption to crops?
Create super-pests
Health Risks in foods
Make farms more vulnerable because if one farm is affected all farms with similar crops are affected
Loss of organic matter
Water shortages
Eliminates small-scale farming because can't afford GMO's
Soil erosion
Dependent on chemicals for production
Loss of control of production
Commercial Gardening and Fruit Farming (truck farming)
Predominant type of agriculture in the U.S. Southeast; grows many fruits and vegetables that consumers demand in MDCs such as apples, asparagus, cherries, lettuce, mushrooms, and tomatoes
About how many major crops in the US are genetically modified?
90%
von Thunen's model will be on the quiz.
pg 337