Ap human geo - unit 5

Bid-rent theory – A theory that explains how land value and rent decrease as distance from the central business district (CBD) increases.

Bounds – Natural or artificial features used to define property lines or territorial limits.

Carrying capacity – The maximum population size that an environment can sustain based on available resources.

Commercial agriculture – Large-scale farming focused on producing crops and livestock for sale rather than local consumption.

Commodity chains – The sequence of steps in the production and distribution of a good, from raw materials to final consumers.

Community-supported agriculture – A system where consumers buy shares of a farm’s harvest in advance to support local food production.

Desertification – The process where fertile land becomes desert due to drought, deforestation, or unsustainable farming.

Extensive farming – Agricultural practices that use large areas of land with minimal labor input, such as ranching or shifting cultivation.

Fair trade – A movement that promotes ethical labor and environmental standards while ensuring fair wages for producers.

Fallow – Farmland left unplanted for a period to restore soil fertility.

GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) – Crops or animals altered through genetic engineering to improve yield, resistance, or nutrition.

Intensive farming – Agriculture that uses high inputs of labor, capital, or technology per unit of land, such as rice farming or greenhouse production.

Long lot – A land division system where narrow plots extend from a river or road, commonly used in French colonial areas.

Metes – A land survey method using physical features and measurements to define property boundaries.

Monocropping/monoculture – The practice of growing a single crop over a large area, which can deplete soil nutrients and increase pest risks.

Organic – Food produced without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Range – A measure of land based on meridians, used in the Public Land Survey System for township and section divisions.

Soil salinization – The buildup of salts in soil due to irrigation, which reduces fertility and crop growth.

Subsistence agriculture – Farming primarily for local consumption rather than for sale, often practiced in developing countries.

Supply chain – The network of people, businesses, and processes involved in producing and delivering agricultural products.

Swidden – A form of slash-and-burn agriculture where land is cleared, farmed for a short time, and then left fallow.

Terrace farming – A method of farming on steep slopes by creating steps to prevent erosion and manage water efficiently.

Township – A land division of six-mile squares used in the U.S. Public Land Survey System.

Transhumance – The seasonal movement of livestock between highland and lowland pastures for grazing.

Value-added specialty crops – Crops that have increased economic value through processing or unique qualities, such as organic coffee or artisanal cheese.