aphg ch5

agribusiness

set of economic & political relationships organizing food production for commercial purposes (ie. seed production, retailing, consumption of agricultural products)

agriculture

art & science of producing food from land & tending livestock for purpose of human consumption

animal husbandry

agricultural activity associated with raising of domesticated animals (eg. cattle, horses, sheep, goats)

aquaculture

cultivation or farming of aquatic species (NOT commercial/wild fishing)

biotechnology

living organisms (usually genes) to modify products, make/modify plants/animals, or develop other microorganisms for specific purposes

capital-intensive farming

form of agriculture using mechanical goods (machinery, tools vehicles, facilities) to produce large amts of agricultural goods. process requiring little human labour

commercial agricultural economy

all agricultural activity generated for purpose of selling, not local consumption

commodity chains

linked system of processes that gather resources, convert into goods, package for distribution, disperse, and sell on market

desertification

formerly fertile lands becoming arid, unproductive, and desert-like

domestication

conscious manipulation of plant & animal species by humans in order to sustain selves

extensive agriculture

low inputs of labour per unit of land area

feedlots

place where livestock are concentrated in a vv small area & raised on hormones & hearty grains that prepare for slaughter at a more rapid rate than grazing (aka factory farms)

fertile crescent

area located in crescent shaped zone near southeastern mediterranean coast (iraq, syria, lebanon, turkey), once lush environment & one of 1st hearths of domestication & cultural activity

green revolution

development of higher-yield and fast-growing crops through increased technology, pesticides, & fertilizers transferred from developed to developing world to alleviate food supply issues

horizontal integration

form of corporate organization where branches of company/several commonly owned companies work tgther to sell products in diff markets

intensive cultivation

agricultural activity involving effective & efficient use of labour on small plots of land to maximize crop yield

livestock ranching

extensive commercial agricultural activity involving raising livestock over vast geographic spaces typically in semiarid climates like american west

mechanization

replacement of human labour w/ technology/machines

mediterranean agriculture

agricultural system practiced in mediterranean-style climates of western europe, california, portions of chile & australia; diverse specialty crops (eg. avocados, olives, grapes) & lots of nuts, fruits, & vegetables make up profitable agricultural operations

organic agriculture

crop rotation, natural fertilizers (manure, biological pest control) > artificial fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, additives, & gmos to promote healthy crops

pastoralism

type of agricultural activity based on nomadic animal husbandry or raising of livestock to provide food & shelter & clothing

planned agricultural ecnomy

communist, gov controls agricultural production and distribution

plantation

large, often foreign-owned piece of land devoted to production of singular export crop

salinization

soil in arid areas are brought under cultivation through irrigation. (water evaporates quickly off ground surface, leaving salty residues that leave soil infertile)

shifting cultivation

use of tropical forest clearings for crop production until fertility is lost. plots are abandoned, farmers move on to new sites

slash-and-burn agriculture

only exists in tropical areas. vegetation is cut close to ground then ignited; fire introduces nutrients into soil, making productive for short period of time. only exists in tribal amazon basically

specialty crops

crops (eg. peanuts, pineapples) produces (usually in developing countries) for export

swidden

land prepared for agriculture by using slash-and-burn method

topsoil loss

top fertile layer of soil depleted through erosion, problem in areas with fragile soils, steep slopes, torrential seasonal rains

transhumance

movements of livestock according to seasonal patterns, generally lowland areas in winter & highland areas in summer

urban sprawl

urban areas expanding outward, usually in form of suburbs, developing over fertile agricultural land (eg. richmond)

vertical integration

form of corporate organization where 1 firm controls multiple aspects/phases of commodity chain

von thunen model

agricultural model spatially describing agricultural activity in terms of rent. activities retiring intensive cultivation & cannot be transported over great distances pay higher rent to be close to market. extensive activities w/ easily transportable goods located farther from market