Studied by 2 Peopleagriculture
the purposeful tending of crops and livestock in order to produce food and fiber
subsistence agriculture
level of farming in which a person raises only enough food to feed his or her family
plant domestication
altering the behaviors, size and genetics of plants to benefit humans
First Agricultural Revolution
The period roughly 10,000 years ago during which humans first began domesticating crops and animals
terrace farming
cutting of "steps" into the mountains that allowed for more agriculture
irrigation
a system that supplies dry land with water through ditches, pipes, or streams
carrying capacity
the largest population that an environment can support at any given time
slash-and-burn
a farming technique in which trees are cut down and burned to clear and fertilize the land
swidden
Land that is prepared for agriculture by using the slash-and-burn method.
deforestation
the loss or destruction of forests, mainly for logging or farming
desertification
lower land productivity caused by overfarming, overgrazing, seasonal drought, and climate change
Enclosure Act
Laws passed by Parliament "closing off" common lands to small farmers
barbed wire
used for fencing and invented to keep cattle from trampling crops
Third Agricultural Revolution
20th century; tractor; monoculture; irrigation; petroleum; Agro-Biotechnology; GMOs
Green Revolution
Rapid diffusion of new agricultural technology, especially new high-yield seeds and fertilizers.
GMOs
Crops that carry new traits that have been inserted through advanced genetic engineering methods
pastoral nomadism
A form of subsistence agriculture based on herding domesticated animals.
ranching
a form of commercial agriculture in which livestock graze over an extensive area
shifting cultivation
farmers aim to maintain soil fertility by rotating the fields they cultivate
plantation
an estate where cash crops are grown on a large scale (especially in tropical areas)
truck farming
Commercial gardening and fruit farming in the United States
milk shed
the circle around a dairy farm in which its products can be sold without spoiling
winter wheat
Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, a crop planted in fall and develops strong roots to survive the winter
spring wheat
a wheat crop that is planted in the spring and harvested in late summer
Mediterranean Agriculture
Specialized farming that occurs only in areas where the dry-summer Mediterranean climate prevails
dairy
relating to milk or products made using milk
extensive farming
Where small amounts of capital and labour are used in relation to the amount of land being farmed
double-cropping
to plant and harvest on the same parcel of land twice per year
intercropping
also known as multicropping, farmers grow two or more crops simultaneously on the same field
supply chain
a sequence of activities and organizations involved in producing and delivering a good or service
commodity chain
the hands an item passes through between producer and consumer
monoculture
farming strategy of planting a single, highly productive crop year after year
suitcase farm
when someone owns and operates a farm, but lives somewhere else; usually a crops only farm
cool chains
the refrigeration and transport technologies that allow for the distribution of perishables
luxury crops
Non-subsistence crops such as tea, cacao, coffee, and tobacco
neocolonialism
the continuation, in a former colony, of colonial exploitation without formal political control
fair trade movement
trade in which fair prices are paid to producers in developing countries
subsidy
a government payment that supports a business or market
infrastructure
the basic facilities that are necessary for a society to function and grow - roads, government buildings, electricity lines, railroads
clustered settlement
houses are grouped together in tiny clusters or hamlets
dispersed settlements
A rural settlement pattern characterized by isolated farms rather than clustered villages.
metes and bounds
natural features are used to mark irregular parcels of land
township
a subdivision of a county that has its own government
section
a square normally 1 mile on a side
French long-lot system
Linear settlements stretched out along a road or river.
von Thunen model
an agricultural model that spatially describes agricultural activities in terms of rent
isotropic
Having the same physical properties in all directions. - usually a flat, featureless plain
horticulture
Gardening - cultivation of crops carried out with simple hand tools such as digging sticks or hoes
the cultivation of plants for subsistence through non-intensive use of land and labor
bid rent theory
refers to how the price and demand on land changes as the distance towards the CBD/Market increase
comparative advantage
the ability to produce a good at a lower opportunity cost than another producer
greenbelt
a belt of parks or rural land surrounding a town or city
organic food
a type of food that is produced without pesticides, bioengineering, or high-energy radiation
aquaculture
Raising marine and freshwater fish in ponds and underwater cages
Blue Revolution
modern aquaculture, producing fish, shellfish, and other products
biodiversity
the diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat (or in the world as a whole)
overgrazing
the depletion of vegetation due to the continuous feeding of too many animals
economies of scale
the property whereby long-run average total cost falls as the quantity of output increases
Adaptive strategies
the unique way in which each culture uses its particular physical environment; those aspects of culture that serve to provide the necessities of life--- food, clothing, shelter, and defense.
Agrarian
characteristic of farmers or their way of life
Agribusiness
highly mechanized, large-scale farming, usually under corporate ownership
Agricultural industrialization
use of machinery in agriculture, like tractors
Agricultural landscape
the cultural landscape of agricultural areas
Agricultural origins
Fertile crescent - originated in the hearths of humanity
Animal domestication
animals kept for some utilitarian purpose whose breeding is controlled by humans and whose survival is dependent on humans; differ genetically and behaviorally from wild animals
Aquaculture
the cultivation of aquatic organisms (as fish or shellfish) especially for food
Bio-revolution
the rapid transformation, or evolution, into post-humanism
Biotechnology
means any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use
Collective farm
regards a system of agricultural organization whereas farm laborers are not compensated via wages. Rather, the workers receive a share of the farm's net productivity
Commercial agriculture
term used to describe large scale farming and ranching operations that employ vast land bases, large mechanized equipment, factory-type labor forces, and the latest technology
Intensive
expenditure of much labor and capital on a piece of land to increase its productivity
Core/Periphery
As one region or state expands in economic prosperity, it must engulf regions nearby to ensure ongoing economic and political success
Crop rotation
the practice of rotating use of different fields from crop to crop each year, to avoid exhausting the soil
Cultivation regions
the regions in which large amounts of agriculture take place
Dairying
raising female cattle, goats, or certain other lactating livestock for long-term production of milk
Debt-for-nature swap
In a debt for nature swap, creditors agree to forgive debts in return for the promise of environmental protection; attempt to solve two problems with one agreement: 1) minimize the negative effect debt has on developing nations 2) minimize the environmental destruction that developing nations frequently cause
Diffusion
the spread of an idea from one area to another
Double cropping
a second crop is planted after the first has been harvested
Primary activity
the extraction of natural resources, such as agriculture, lumbering, and mining
Secondary activity
the processing of raw materials into finished products; manufacturing
Tertiary activity
transportation, banking, retailing, education, and routine office-based jobs
Quarternary Activity
collection, processing, and manipulation of information and capital
Quinary Activity
high level of specialized knowledge or technical skill
Environmental modification
changes made to the environment