Chapter 11-12

agriculture

the process by which humans alter the landscape in order to raise crops and livestock for consumption and trade

climate

the long term weather patterns in a region

subsistence agriculture

to grow enough food or raise enough livestock to meet the immediate needs of the farmer and his or her family

commercial agriculture

to grow enough crops or raise enough livestock to sell for profit

intensive agriculture

practices in which farmers or ranchers use large amounts of inputs, such as energy, fertilizers, labor, or machines to maximize yields

extensive agriculture

practices that use fewer amounts of the inputs and typically result in less yields

Intensive commercial agriculture

heavy investments in labor and capital are used in this type of agriculture which often results in high yields and profits

Intensive subsistence agriculture

this form of agriculture is often labor and animal intensive

Extensive commercial agriculture

this type of farming uses low inputs of resources but has the goal of selling the product for profit. typically, the human labor required for this type of agricultural activity is extremely low

capital

the money invested in land, equipment, and machines

Extensive subsistence agriculture

few inputs are used in this type of agricultural activity. it is often practice in areas that have climatic extremes such as tropical, semi-arid, or arid regions

Pastoral nomadism

this type of subsistent extensive agriculture is practiced in arid and semi-arid climates throughout the world

Shifting cultivation

in this type of subsistent extensive farming, farmers grow crops on a piece of land for a year or two

plantation

a large commercial farm that specializes in one crop

Mixed crop and livestock farming

this is an intensive commercial integrated system that demonstrates an interdependence between crops and animals

Grain farming

in regions too dry for mixed crop agriculture, farmers often raise wheat

Commercial gardening

this type of intensive farming is also referred to as truck farming because the products were traditionally driven to local urban markets and sold. Today, however, most trucks are refrigerated which allows farmers to sell their products to distant markets

Market gardening

when fruits and vegetables are grown near an urban market and sold to local suppliers, stores, restaurants

Dairy farming

traditionally, dairies were local farms that supplied products to customers in a small geographic area. This pattern still exists in many less-developed regions of the world

Milk shed

the geographic distance that milk is delivered

Mediterranean agriculture

this is practiced in regions with hot, dry summers, mild winters, narrow valleys, and often some irrigation

transhumance

the seasonal herding of animals from higher elevations in the summer to lower elevations and valleys in the winter

Livestock ranching

the commercial grazing of animals confined to a specific area

Clustered settlements

these settlements had groups of homes located near each other in a village and fostered a strong sense of place and often shared of services, such as schools

Dispersed settlements

patterns in which farmers lived in homes spread throughout the countryside

Linear settlements

buildings and human activities are organized close to a body of water or along a transportation route

Metes and bounds

In England, fields often had irregular shapes that reflected the location of physical features and traditional patterns of use. Plot boundaries were described using the ______ system.

Publican land survey system (Township and Range)

this system created rectangular plots of consistent size

Townships

areas six miles long and six miles wide

Section

consisted of 640 acres, and it could be divided into smaller lots...

French long-lot system

a system in which farms were long, thing sections of land that ran perpendicular to a river

First (neolithic) Agricultural Revolution

This was the origin of farming. It was marked by the domestication of plants and animals

Animal Domestication

When animals are tamed and used for food and profit.

Plant domestication

deliberately planted and tended by humans that is genetically distinct from its wild ancestors as a result of selective breeding.

Fertile Crescent

the first major hearth of agriculture was in Southwest Asia

Independent innovation

In some cases, crops and animals were domesticated in multiple regions with seemingly no interaction among the people

Columbian Exchange

the global movement of plants and animals between Afro-Eurasia and the Americas

Second agricultural revolution

this began in the 1700s, used the advances of the Industrial Revolution to increase food supplies and support population growth

Enclosure Acts

a series of laws enacted by the British government that enabled landowners to purchase and enclose land for their own use.

Crop Rotation

a technique of planting different crops in a specific sequence on the same plot of land in order to restore nutrients back into the soil

Irrigation

the process of applying controlled amounts of water to crops using canals, pipes, sprinkler systems, or other human-made devices, rather than to rely on just rainfall

Third Agricultural Revolution

this revolution was born in the mid-20th century, starting out of science, research, and technology, and continues today

Green Revolution

the advances in plant biology of the mid-20th century are known as this

Hybridization

the process of breeding two plants that have desirable characteristics to produce a single seed with both characteristics

Agribusiness

Large-scale, commercial agriculture operations that include food production, processing, distribution, and marketing, often controlled by corporations.

Crop

A plant grown and harvested for food, clothing, livestock feed, biofuel, or other economic purposes.

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes increasingly dry and unproductive due to over-farming, deforestation, overgrazing, or climate change.

Double cropping

The practice of harvesting two crops from the same field in one year, common in regions with long growing seasons.

Horticulture

The cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants, often for sale in markets.

Prime agricultural land

Land with the best combination of soil quality, climate, and terrain for farming, making it highly productive.

Ranching

The commercial raising of livestock such as cattle or sheep on large areas of land.

Reaper

A mechanical device that cuts grain during harvest, increasing efficiency compared to manual labor.

Ridge Tillage

A farming technique where crops are planted on raised ridges to reduce soil erosion and improve water management.

Seed Agriculture

A form of agriculture that grows crops from seeds rather than from plant cuttings.

Slash-and-burn agriculture

A farming method in which vegetation is cut and burned to clear land and temporarily enrich the soil.

Sustainable agriculture

Farming practices that meet current food needs while preserving environmental resources for future generations.

Threshed

The process of separating grain from the stalk and husk after harvesting.

Transnational corporations

Companies that operate agricultural production or food processing in multiple countries.

Truck Farming

The commercial growing of fruits and vegetables for sale in distant markets, often transported by truck.

Vegetative planting

A farming technique that grows crops from plant parts such as roots, stems, or cuttings rather than seeds.

Wet Rice

Rice grown in flooded fields (paddies), common in East, South, and Southeast Asia.

Winter wheat

Wheat planted in the fall, dormant during winter, and harvested in early summer.

Spring Wheat

Wheat planted in the spring and harvested in late summer, common in colder climates.

Value-Added crops

Crops that gain increased economic value through processing, packaging, or branding.

Value-added farming

Agricultural practices that increase profit by transforming raw products into processed or specialized goods.

Vertical farms

Farming systems that grow crops in stacked layers, often indoors, using controlled environments.

Vertical integration

A business strategy in which a company controls multiple stages of production, processing, and distribution.

Von-Thunen Model

A model explaining agricultural land use patterns based on distance from a central market, transportation costs, and land value.

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)

a process by which humans use engineering techniques to change the DNA of a seed