Unit 5: Agriculture, Food Production & Rural Land Use
shifting cultivation importance
Left to regenerate to their natural vegetation while the farmer moves on to another area, practiced by indigenous groups
Pastoral Nomadism
A form of subsistence agriculture based on herding domesticated animals. Importance Most groups have focal sites that they occupy for considerable periods of the year. Shepards, hunting and gathering.
slash-and-burn agriculture importance
Any remaining vegetation burned. The resulting layer of ash provides the newly-cleared land with a nutrient-rich layer to help fertilize crops. Little technology, helps farmers.
Biotechnology
Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use Importance Biotechnology has helped improve food quality, quantity and processing. Health and medicine.
plant domestication
genetic modification of a plant such that its reproductive success depends on human intervention
animal domestication
genetic modification of an animal such that it is rendered more amenable to human control
slash-and-burn agriculture
see shifting cultivation; cultivation of crops in tropical forest clearings in which the forest vegetation has been removed by cutting and burning
agriculture
the purposeful tending of crops and livestock in order to produce food
Erosion
The process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents. Importance Erosion of soil and such ruins a agriculture and the environment as it could lead to run off and loose plants
Agribusiness
(part of 3rd Agricultural Revolution) general term for businesses that provide goods and services that support agriculture; many are vertically integrated. Importance Scope of the agriculture industry, sell items to farmers, provide services, marketing, transportation, processing, and distribution.
shifting cultivation
A form of subsistence agriculture in which people shift activity from one field to the other; each field is used for crops for a relatively few years and left fallow for a relatively long period.
Job Specialization
A job composed of a small part of a larger task or process Importance Potential to increase worker productivity and output.
von Thunen model
A model that explains the location of agricultural activities in a commercial, profit-making economy. Importance A process of spatial competition allocates various farming activities into rings around a central market city, with profit-earning capability the determining force in how far a crop locates from the market
township and range system
A rectangular land division scheme Importance Designed by Thomas Jefferson to disperse settlers evenly across farmlands of the U.S. interior.
Dispersed settlement pattern
A rural settlement pattern characterized by isolated farms rather than clustered villages Importance Used by landscape historians to classify rural settlements found in England and other parts of the world
metes and bounds system
A system of land surveying east of the Appalachian Mountains. It is a system that relies on descriptions of land ownership and natural features such as streams or trees. Importance Because of the imprecise nature of metes and bounds surveying, the U.S. Land Office Survey abandoned the technique in favor of the rectangular survey system.
quaternary economic activity importance
Actives that are concerned with information, money, and goods that relate to teaching, tourism, and any other endeavors having to do with generating or exchanging knowledge
quinary economic activity importance
Activities and are those that involve high-level decision making and scientific research
animal domestication importance
Adapting animals for human use, domestic species are raised for food, work, clothing, medicine, and many other uses.
plant domestication importance
Adapting wild plants for human use, clothes, medicine, food, etc.
2. Explain how agricultural practices change and are influenced by the natural environment and the population (ex. Climate, soils, terraces, irrigation, etc)
Agricultural practices are influenced by said things such as specialized farming and the Koppen climatic classification system. Physical traits that influence population include climate, land forms, water bodies Human, cultural, economic, historical political As well as natural environment, for example climate, soils, landforms.
rectangular survey system
Also called the Public Land Survey, The system divides land into a series of rectangular parcels. Importance The system was used by the US Land Office Survey to parcel land west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Agricultural Hearths
Areas of settlement during the neolithic period, especially along major rivers, from where farming and cultivation of livestock Importance Fertile Crescent (SW Asia), Ancient Egypt, N. China, Indus Valley (S. Asia), Ethiopia
climatic regions
Areas of the world with similar climatic characteristics Importance Has a central role in global economic and social sectors. Global and Local.
agriculture importance
Basic food source of food supply of all countries in the world. both developed and un-developed, as well as adding to economic growth
12. What factors affect the location of food-processing facilities
Close to the city (customers) Good infrastructure Lots of energy
8. Describe clustered, dispersed, and linear rural settlement patterns.
Clustered rural: place where a number of families live in close proximity to each other, with fields surrounding the collection of houses and farm buildings; dispersed rural: type of North American rural landscape, is characterized by farmers living on individual farms isolated from neighbors rather than alongside of other farmers in settlements. Linear rural settlement, a settlement or group of buildings that is formed in a long line.
secondary economic activity importance
Creating value goods and is crucial for all developed countries, as well as large scale manufacturing Toys, ships, processed foods, chemicals, and buildings.
Cash crops
Crops grown for money; more specifically refers to more specialized crops located mainly in or near the tropics (e.g., sugar, cotton, rubber, bananas, oranges, ...) Importance An agricultural crop which is grown for sale to return a profit
Genetically modified organisms
Crops that carry new traits that have been inserted through advanced genetic engineering methods Importance Produce sufficient food for the total population while at the same time not using up or degrading the capacity to continue to produce that amount of food in the future.
Third Agricultural Revolution
Currently in progress, the Third Agricultural Revolution has as its principal orientation the development of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) Importance Significant agricultural development marked by new farming techniques and inventions that led to a massive increase in food production. Great Britain in the early 18th century and spread throughout Europe and America by the 19th century.
First Agricultural Revolution
Dating back 10,000 years, the First Agricultural Revolution achieved plant domestication and animal domestication
Desertification
Degradation of land, especially in semiarid areas Importance Human actions like excessive crop planting, animal grazing, and tree cutting.
Koppen climatic classification system
Developed by Wladimir Koppen, a system for classifying the world's climates on the basis of temperature and precipitation Importance Studying health-related effects as climate determines many facets of season.
long-lot survey system
Distinct regional approach to land surveying Importance Found in the Canadian Maritimes, parts of Quebec, Louisiana, and Texas Whereby land is divided into narrow parcels stretching back from rivers, roads, or canals
Sustainable Agriculture
Farming methods that preserve long-term productivity of land and minimize pollution, typically by rotating soil- restoring crops with cash crops and reducing in-puts of fertilizer and pesticides. Importance Protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare.
13.Explain the changing role of women in food production and consumption
In hunter gathering societies, the role between men and women wasn't very apparent. Changing to hard labor in agricultural, women began cooking and staying indoors. Then a new revolution and women began working again. Women are growing more food. More families are eating fast food as now women are working outside of the house
7. Compare and contrast: Intensive and extensive farming AND commercial and subsistence agriculture.
Intensive small amount of land, lots of labor (wet rice) in comparison to extensive farming which requires lots of land, little labor (livestock ranching) Subsistence: FOR FAMILY 1. Smallholder crop and livestock 2. Wet rice 3. Shifting cultivation 4.pastoralism Commercial: FOR PROFIT 1. Dairy- milk 2. Grain- wheat, rice, corn 3. Truck farming/ commercial gardening 4. Plantation- cash crops. Ex: tea, chocolate, coffee 5. Livestock ranching (cattle) 6. Mediterranean- Wine 7. Mixed livestock: crops
Industrial agriculture
Involves state control of land, technology, and goods produced. Importance Most food in the US is now produced on large-scale industrial crop and livestock operations. This section describes the environmental, socioeconomic and public health problems created by industrial agriculture, underscoring the importance of transitioning to a sustainable food future.
10. Explain the environmental consequences of agricultural practices- irrigation, desertification, deforestation, etc.
Irrigation could lead to runoff which results in contamination of both the land, the water, and the animals that come into contact with it. Desertification, excessive crop planting, animal grazing, and tree cutting, could lead to unusable land. Deforestation as well as loss of biodiversity and soil erosion are also harmed and effected.
11. Explain the issues related to contemporary agriculture- biotechnology, GMO's, organic farming, etc.
Issues relating these are reduced biodiversity, increased cost in both the production and the materials/seeds/mechanisms needed to grow such organisms, as well as things like organic agriculture limiting how much they can actually produce.
5.Using the world map, identify where the following agricultural regions can be found: Mediterranean, Shifting, agriculture, Pastoral nomadism, Livestock ranching, and Dairying.
Mediterranean, California, Spain, Italy, Turkey. Shifting Northern part of South America, Middle region of Africa,. Agriculture, rarely every an non agricultural places. Some might include a middle west area of Australia and the coldest, mountainous area of Northern Russia. Pastoral nomadism ,Asia and regions West Africa. Livestock ranching, South America, the western United States, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand's South Island, and South Africa. and Dairying. North east United states, Northern Europe as well.
Nomadism
Movement among a definite set of places Importance To global trade and developing nations' economies as well as un-developed countries
primary economic activity importance
Natural and raw materials from nature for agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining,
organic agriculture importance
Producing food while maintaining ecological balance to prevent soil nutrient loss or pest problems
plantation agriculture
Production system based on a large estate owned by an individual, family, or corporation and organized to produce a cash crop. Almost all plantations were established within the tropics; in recent decades, many have been divided into smaller holdings or reorganized as cooperatives Importance These plantation crops are high value commercial crops of greater economic importance and play a vital role in our Indian economy.
subsistence agriculture importance
Role as a safety net in rural areas and provide a substantial share of the food needs of poor agricultural households
1. Using the world map, identify the major centers of domestication of plants and animals in the first (Neolithic) agricultural revolution AND identify patterns of diffusion resulting in the globalization of various plants and animals (ex. Columbian Exchange)
Southwest Asia was an early center of crop domestication the earliest crop was wheat and barley around 10,000 years ago. Including lentil and olives. from this hearth it diffused west to Europe and east to Central Asia. Rice 10,000 years ago in East Asia, Yangtze River eastern china Sorghum in central Africa 8,000 years ago Millet at an early date along the Yellow River, and Millet and rice domesticated independently from its hearth in East Asia, and was domesticated in sub- Saharan Africa Crops from central Africa probably diffused further south in Africa Patterns of diffusion (Colombian Exchange- widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas) resulted in the globalization of various plants and animals. Geographical concepts include location, place, scale, space, pattern, nature and society, networks, flows, regionalization, and globalization
Luxury crops
Specialized crops typically not essential to human survival; (e.g., tea, coffee, tobacco, cocoa (or cacao), ...). Importance Historically grown on plantations by European colonial powers
Mediterranean agriculture
Specialized farming that occurs only in areas where the dry summer Mediterranean climate prevails (grapes, olives, figs, citrus, fruits, dates, ect Importance Major source of income through exports
Irrigation
Supplying dry land with water by means of ditches etc Importance Allows farmers and gardeners to efficiently use water to guarantee plant growth
4. What was the Green Revolution? What were the positive consequences and negative consequences of the Green Revolution?
The Green Revolution is the development of higher-yield and fast-growing crops through increased technology, pesticides, and fertilizers with the intent of alleviating world hunger/famine. A positive consequence would be that It increased significantly the production, to almost 2.5 times in wheat between 1960 and 2010. Saving millions. As well as the usage of GMO's to create more nutrient rich foods that can be specified for those who need those specific vitamins. In India there was a drought during 1979 and 1987, which raised question about whether the Green Revolution was really a long term achievement The revolution increased the use of fertilizers. Which not all, if not most, farmers could not afford. It decreases the "biodiversity" of crops in the world today. As a result, if climate change, disease, or a rise in pestilence attacked the crops, the system would be weakened.
9. Compare and contrast the land use zones of von Thunen's model. How is the model applied to agricultural production in the world.
The closer the von Thunen ring is to the center then it should use the smallest amount of land. Larger land needs such as cattle are pushed back farther. The agricultural production is based off this as it shows where to grow or breed certain organisms.
Horticulture
The cultivation of plants Importance Socially important because it improves how we use plants, for food and other human purposes
Colombian Exchange
The exchange of goods and ideas between Native Americans and Europeans. Importance The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the rest of the world following Columbus's voyages.
livestock ranching
The raising of domesticated animals for the production of meat and byproducts (leather, wool) Importance Ranching regions and production of food and materials
tertiary economic activity importance
The service industry, GDP, as well as farm and factory activities
Neolithic Revolution
The shift from hunting of animals and gathering of food to the keeping of animals and the growing of food on a regular basis around 8,000 BC Importance Human cultures from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering to one of agriculture and settlement, making an increasingly larger population possible.
6. Explain the spatial organization of the agricultural regions.
The von thunen model explaining the location of agricultural activities in a commercial, profit-making economy in comparison to the cost and transportation. The closer the ring is to the center, the more perishable and less space it takes, it is.
First Agricultural Revolution importance
Transformation of human societies from hunting and gathering to farming.
Nucleated Settlement Pattern
Villages located quite close together with relatively small surrounding fields Importance It is one of the terms used by geographers and landscape historians to classify settlements. clustered settlement
3. Explain the advances and impacts of the second agricultural revolution.
agricultural benefited from the Industrial revolution, causing the Second Agricultural Revolution. the 2 revolutions occurred from 1700 to 1900 in developed countries. used technology provided by the Industrial Revolution to increase production and distribution of products. fields were now doubled or tripled in size but still the same amount of labor. this increased in productivity and allowed population to increase on both a local and a global scale. many less developed countries are still in the Second Agricultural Revolution.
organic agriculture
approach to farming and ranching that avoids the use of herbicides, pesticides, growth hormones, and other similar synthetic inputs
monoculture
dependence on a single agricultural commodity importance Rotation of monocultures (including cover crops) disrupts pests, helps recycle nutrients, adds nitrogen (if legumes are used), shifts soil biology, and benefits yields of all the crops in the rotation. Producing or growing a single crop, plant, or livestock species, variety, or breed in a field or farming system at a time.
Second Agricultural Revolution
dovetailing with and benefiting from the Industrial Revolution, improved methods of cultivation, harvesting, and storage of farm produce Importance By the 1830s, farmers were using new fertilizers on crops and feeding artificial feeds to livestock, technological improvement and increased crop productivity. 18th and early 19th centuries in Europe.
tertiary economic activity
economic activity associated with the provision fo services (transportation, banking, retailing, education, routine, office-based jobs)
primary economic activity
economic activity concerned with the direct extraction of (natural resources from the environment; such as mining, fishing, lumbering, and especially agriculture)
secondary economic activity
economic activity involving the processing of raw materials and their transformation into finished industrial products; the manufacturing sector
food desert
limited access to fresh nutritious foods Importance low income neighborhoods where consumers have little access to medium and large grocery stores.
subsistence agriculture
self sufficient agriculture that is small scale and low technology & emphasizes food production for local consumption, not trade
quaternary economic activity
service sector industries concerned with the collection, processing, and manipulation of information and capital (finance, administration, insurance, legal services)
quinary economic activity
service sector industries that require a high level of specialized knowledge skill (scientific research, high-level management)
primogeniture
system where the eldest son in a family, or in exceptional cases, a daughter inherits all of the parent's land Importance A principle of seniority exists in a wide range of societies
commercial agriculture
term used to describe large scale farming and ranching operations that employ vast land bases, large mechanized equipment, factory-type labor fores, and the latest technology Importance Agricultural production, not relying on farm size, and market production increase
Green Revolution
the development of higher-yield and fast-growing crops through increased technology, pesticides, and fertilizers transferred from the developed to developing world to alleviate the problem of food supply in those regions of the globe. Chemical fertilizers, synthetic herbicides and pesticides, high-yield crops, and the method of multiple cropping, Importance The agricultural industry was able to produce much larger quantities of food.
