agriculture

Agriculture

The practice of cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising animals for food, fiber, medicinal plants, and other products used to sustain and enhance human life.

Agricultural Hearths

Areas where agriculture and early crop domestication first began.

Agricultural Regions

Geographic areas defined by the type of agriculture practiced.

Agribusiness

Commercial agriculture that is highly mechanized and often controlled by large corporations.

Agricultural Revolutions

Key periods of agricultural development that led to major advancements in farming techniques and productivity.

Agricultural Yield

The amount of crop produced per unit of land.

Aquaculture

The farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and plants.

Animal Waste

Manure or other waste products from animals that can be used as fertilizer but can also contribute to pollution.

Biotechnology

The use of technology and biological processes to modify organisms for agricultural purposes.

Carl Sauer

A geographer who focused on the cultural landscape and how human activities, particularly agriculture, shape the environment.

Cash Crop

Crops grown for sale to return a profit, rather than for personal consumption.

Chemical Farming

The use of synthetic chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to enhance crop production.

Concentrated Animal Feed Operation (CAFO)

Large-scale industrial farming operations that house a large number of animals in confined spaces for intensive production.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of goods, crops, livestock, and diseases between the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia following Columbus' voyages.

Commercial Agriculture

Farming for profit, where crops and livestock are produced for sale in the market rather than for personal use.

Crop Rotation

The practice of growing different crops in a specific order on the same land to improve soil fertility and reduce pest buildup.

Deforestation

The clearing or removal of forests to make land available for agriculture or urban development.

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes desert, often due to overuse, deforestation, or climate change.

Domestication

The process by which humans selectively breed wild plants and animals for specific traits that are useful for human needs.

Double Cropping

Growing two different crops on the same plot of land within one year.

Drug Agriculture

The cultivation of crops for the production of illegal drugs or narcotics.

Economic Sectors

Categories of economic activities, which are divided into four main sectors: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary.

Primary Sector

Economic activities that involve natural resource extraction or agriculture.

Secondary Sector

The economic sector that involves manufacturing, processing, and construction.

Tertiary Sector

The economic sector that provides services rather than goods.

Quaternary Sector

The economic sector focused on knowledge-based activities.

Enclosure Movement

The legal process in England during the 16th–19th centuries that consolidated small farms into larger, more efficient agricultural units.

Extensive Agriculture

A type of agriculture that uses large areas of land with low input of labor, capital, or technology.

Extensive Subsistence Agriculture

A type of subsistence farming where farmers cultivate large areas of land with minimal inputs.

Fair Trade

A movement that promotes fair wages and ethical practices in the trade of agricultural goods.

Fertile Crescent

A region in the Middle East known as the cradle of early agriculture.

Fertilizers

Chemical or organic substances added to soil to increase crop yield.

Food Deserts

Areas where access to affordable, healthy food is limited or nonexistent.

GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)

Organisms whose genetic material has been altered using biotechnology.

Green Revolution

A set of agricultural innovations in the 1940s-1960s that dramatically increased food production.

Herbicides

Chemicals used to control or kill unwanted plants (weeds) in agricultural fields.

High-Yield Seeds

Seeds that are genetically or chemically enhanced to produce higher quantities of crop output.

Horticulture

The practice of growing fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants.

Hunters and Gatherers

Societies that rely on hunting animals and gathering wild plants for subsistence.

Hybrid Crops

Crops produced by crossbreeding two different plant varieties.

Intensive Farming

A farming system that uses high inputs of labor, capital, and technology to maximize production.

Industrial Agriculture

A modern farming method characterized by large-scale production and the use of machinery.

Irrigation

The artificial application of water to soil or land to assist in the growth of crops.

Large Scale Commercial Agriculture Operation (Factory Farms)

Agricultural operations that focus on large-scale production for commercial profit.

Land Survey Systems

Methods of measuring and dividing land for ownership, use, or management.

Location of Crops Grown in the U.S.

The geographic distribution of crops across the United States.

Local Food Movements

A social and economic movement advocating for local food consumption and production.

Luxury Crops

Crops produced for export and are often high-value non-essential products.

Market Gardening

The small-scale production of vegetables, fruits, and flowers for sale.

Mechanized Farming

The use of machinery and technology in farming to increase productivity.

Mediterranean Agriculture

A type of agriculture that develops in regions with a Mediterranean climate.

Mercantilism

An economic policy that emphasizes maximizing exports and accumulating precious metals.

Milkshed

The region around a city from which milk can be supplied without spoiling.

Mixed Crop/Livestock Farming

A farming system that integrates both crops and livestock.

Monoculture

The agricultural practice of growing one type of crop over a large area of land.

Neolithic Revolution

The transition from hunting and gathering to settled farming.

Organic Farming

Farming that avoids synthetic chemicals and focuses on sustainable practices.

Overgrazing

The excessive grazing of livestock on land, leading to vegetation loss.

Pastoral Nomadism

A form of subsistence farming where people move with their livestock.

Pesticides

Chemicals used to kill or control pests that damage crops.

Plantation Agriculture

A type of commercial agriculture focused on growing cash crops.

Primogeniture

A system of inheritance where the eldest son inherits the family estate.

Role of Women in Agriculture

The involvement of women in agricultural labor, management, and decision-making processes.

Salinization

The accumulation of salts in the soil due to improper irrigation practices.

Seed Planting

The process of placing seeds in the ground for crop cultivation.

Shifting Cultivation (Swidden)

A traditional method where land is cleared for cultivation and then abandoned.

Settlement Patterns

The spatial distribution of people and their settlements in an area.

Walled, Linear, Grid, Round Settlement Patterns

Types of settlement layouts based on geography and purpose.

Cluster Villages

A settlement pattern where homes are grouped together near central resources.

Slash and Burn Agriculture

A method of farming where forests are cleared by cutting and burning trees.

Small Family Farms

Farms owned and operated by families, relying on family labor and local markets.

Soil Degradation

The decline in soil quality due to overuse and industrial practices.

Specialization

Focusing on the production of a specific crop or product for efficiency.

Subsidy

Financial assistance provided by governments to support certain economic activities.

Von Thunen Model

Explains the relationship between the cost of transportation of crops and the cost of land.