Unit 5 review for AP Exam

Agriculture

The deliberate modification of Earth's surface through cultivation of plants and rearing of animals to obtain sustenance or economic gain.​

Subsistence Agriculture

Agriculture designed to provide food for direct consumption by the farmer and the farmer's family.​

Commercial Agriculture

Agriculture undertaken primarily to generate products for sale off the farm.​

Shifting Cultivation

A form of subsistence agriculture in which people shift activity from one field to another; each field is used for crops for a few years and left fallow for a relatively long period.​

Pastoral Nomadism

A form of subsistence agriculture based on the herding of domesticated animals.​

Intensive Subsistence Agriculture

A form of subsistence agriculture in which farmers must expend a relatively large amount of effort to produce the maximum feasible yield from a parcel of land.​

Plantation Farming

A large-scale estate typically found in tropical or subtropical areas that specializes in the production of one or two crops for sale, often to a more developed country.​

Double Cropping

Harvesting twice a year from the same field.​

Crop Rotation

The practice of rotating use of different fields from crop to crop each year, to avoid exhausting the soil.​

Terracing

Creating stepped levels on mountain slopes to facilitate farming.​

Irrigation

The artificial application of water to land to assist in the growing of crops.​

Hydroponics

The method of growing plants in a water-based, nutrient-rich solution without soil.​

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Organisms whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.​

Biotechnology

The exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes, especially the genetic manipulation of microorganisms for the production of antibiotics, hormones, etc.​

Agribusiness

Commercial agriculture characterized by the integration of different steps in the food-processing industry, usually through ownership by large corporations.​

Vertical Integration

An arrangement in which the supply chain of a company is owned by that company.​

Commodity Chain

The series of links connecting the many places of production and distribution and resulting in a commodity that is then exchanged on the world market.​

Food Desert

An area where it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food.​

Rural Settlement

A sparsely settled place away from the influence of large cities.​

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas.​

Exurbanization

The movement of people from urban areas to rural areas, resulting in the growth of rural areas.​

Von Thünen Model

A model that explains the location of agricultural activities in a commercial, profit-making economy. It shows how market processes could determine land use in different locations.​

Commercial Gardening

The intensive production of fruits, vegetables, and flowers for sale off the farm. Also called market gardening.

Dairying

The business of producing and selling milk and its products. Dairying tends to be concentrated near urban areas.

Livestock Ranching

The raising of animals, such as cattle and sheep, for meat or other animal products in large, expansive areas of land.

Mediterranean Agriculture

Specialized farming that occurs in the Mediterranean climates of Southern Europe, parts of California, and parts of Australia, focusing on crops like olives, grapes, and figs.

Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming

A farming system that includes both crops and livestock, where the crops provide food for the livestock and the livestock provide manure to fertilize the crops.

First Agricultural Revolution (Neolithic Revolution)

The shift from hunting and gathering to the establishment of farming, including the domestication of plants and animals.

Second Agricultural Revolution

A period of significant technological improvement and increased crop productivity, which coincided with the Industrial Revolution (18th–19th century).

Third Agricultural Revolution (Green Revolution)

The rapid diffusion of new agricultural technologies, including high-yield seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, starting in the 1940s and leading to greater food production globally.

Indigenous Agricultural Practices

Agricultural techniques developed by indigenous peoples that are well-suited to local environments and sustainable over time.

Sustainable Agriculture

Farming methods that aim to meet current food and textile needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Agroforestry

A land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland to provide multiple benefits, including improved biodiversity and soil quality.

Organic Farming

Farming without the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms, emphasizing ecological balance and biodiversity.

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes desert, often due to drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agricultural practices.

Soil Erosion

The removal of the topsoil layer by water, wind, or human activity, which reduces the land’s fertility.

Clustered Rural Settlement

A rural settlement pattern where buildings and homes are close together, typically around a central area such as a village green or market square.

Dispersed Rural Settlement

A rural settlement pattern where farmhouses and buildings are spread out over a large area, often seen in the U.S. Midwest.

Linear Rural Settlement

A rural settlement pattern where buildings are arranged along a road or river, forming a line.

Globalization of Agriculture

The increased interconnectedness of global food systems through international trade, multinational corporations, and modern supply chains.

Fair Trade

A movement aimed at ensuring that farmers in developing countries are paid a fair price for their products, particularly in agriculture, and that the workers have decent working conditions.

Food Security

The condition in which all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

Food Insecurity

The lack of access to enough food for an active, healthy life, which can result from poverty, natural disasters, or political instability.

World Agricultural Regions

The classification of agriculture by region, including areas like the U.S. Corn Belt, the Sahel for pastoral nomadism, and Southeast Asia for rice cultivation.

Land Tenure

The legal regime in which land is owned or leased, and the rights and responsibilities attached to the land.

Urban Agriculture

The practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around urban areas.

Rural-Urban Fringe

The transition zone between the built-up area of a city and its rural surroundings.

Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces in Rural Areas

Forces that either pull people toward or push them away from rural areas. For example, economic opportunities in urban areas can be centrifugal, while a desire for a quieter lifestyle can be centripetal.

World Trade Organization (WTO)

An international body that regulates trade between nations, including agricultural products.

Subsidies

Government payments to farmers or agricultural producers to support their income and stabilize food prices, often used in developed countries.

Commodity Pricing

The pricing system for agricultural products on the global market, which fluctuates based on supply and demand.

Agricultural Density

The ratio of the number of farmers to the amount of arable land in a region. A higher agricultural density suggests intensive farming practices.

Agricultural Revolution (Fourth Agricultural Revolution)

Refers to the rapid changes in agriculture, primarily due to biotechnology, precision farming, and the rise of artificial intelligence in farming.

Precision Agriculture

A modern farming method that uses technology such as GPS, drones, and sensors to monitor and optimize field-level crop management.

Global Food System

Refers to the complex web of activities, organizations, and supply chains that deliver food from producers to consumers worldwide.

Supply Chain

The sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of agricultural products, from the farm to the consumer.

Food Miles

The distance food travels from its source to the consumer, often linked to the environmental impact of food transportation.

Commodity Exporting

The export of raw agricultural products (e.g., coffee, sugar, bananas) from developing countries to developed countries, often leading to economic dependency.

Food Sovereignty

The right of people and communities to control their own food systems, including the production, distribution, and consumption of food.

Agricultural Subsidies

financial aid provided by a government to encourage farmers to produce specific crops or livestock

Agri-Environmental Policies

Policies aimed at protecting the environment through sustainable agricultural practices, including incentives for organic farming and wildlife conservation.

Monoculture

The agricultural practice of growing one type of crop on a large scale, often leading to the depletion of soil nutrients and increased vulnerability to pests.

Local Food Movement

A movement encouraging the consumption of locally produced food to reduce food miles, support local economies, and promote sustainability.

Bid-Rent Theory

A model that explains how land prices and land use patterns change as you move away from the central business district (CBD). Agricultural land use tends to decrease in value as distance from the urban center increases.

Satellite Agriculture

The use of satellite technology in agriculture, such as GPS for field mapping, to optimize land use and crop yields.

Rural-Urban Continuum

The gradual transition from rural areas to urban areas, where the characteristics of both rural and urban environments can be found, depending on proximity to the city.

Planned Communities

Communities that are purposefully laid out and designed for specific agricultural or residential needs, often planned by governments or large corporations.

Agroecology

The study of ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems, promoting sustainability by combining the principles of ecology with agricultural practices.

Permaculture

An agricultural system that works with nature to create sustainable and self-sufficient farming environments.

Conservation Tillage

A farming method that minimizes soil disruption, often by leaving crop residue on the soil surface, helping to retain moisture, reduce erosion, and improve soil health.

Sustainable Intensification

Increasing agricultural production while minimizing environmental impacts, often through innovative farming practices like precision agriculture.

Food Waste

The amount of food discarded or lost in the food system, from farm to table, which has significant environmental and economic consequences.

Losch’s Model of Economic Location

A model that identifies the best location for various industries and agricultural activities, considering market size and transportation costs.

Concentric Zone Model

A model of urban growth that describes the structure of a city as a series of concentric rings, which can also be applied to agricultural land use.

Green Revolution

A period of rapid agricultural growth in the mid-20th century that introduced high-yield crops, chemical fertilizers, and irrigation techniques, but also raised environmental and social concerns.

Agricultural Land Use in the Sahel

A region in Africa where pastoralism and shifting cultivation are common due to the harsh environmental conditions.

Rice Paddy Farming

The intensive cultivation of rice in flooded fields, particularly in regions of Southeast Asia, such as China, India, and Vietnam.

Cocoa and Coffee Production

Cash crop agriculture found in tropical countries, often linked to the global trade and economic systems of the Global South.

Rural to Urban Migration

The movement of people from rural areas to cities, often driven by economic opportunities, technological changes, and educational advancements.

Land Reform

The redistribution of land from large estates or corporations to smaller farmers or communities, often to improve equity and agricultural productivity.

Agricultural Cooperatives

Organizations where farmers pool resources to achieve better economies of scale, access to markets, and distribution networks.

Organic Food

Organic food is grown naturally, without chemicals

Genetically Modified Food

Genetically modified food is changed by scientists to grow better or faster.

Fair Trade Movements

Fair trade helps farmers in poor countries get fair pay.

Local Food Movements

Local food means buying from nearby farms to support your own area.

Horticulture

Horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants. It focuses on high-value, perishable crops that are often grown close to markets. (Often practiced in intensive agriculture systems. Found in Mediterranean agriculture regions (e.g., southern Europe, parts of California). Involves market gardening and truck farming, where crops are sold directly to consumers or transported to urban markets.)

Global Supply Chains

Global supply chains refer to the worldwide systems that produce, transport, process, and sell agricultural goods from one region to another. (Ties into topics like globalization, commodity chains, fair trade, and agribusiness. Shows the economic interdependence between regions and the uneven development between core and periphery countries. )

Intercropping

The practice of growing two or more crops in close proximity to each other to maximize land use and increase biodiversity.