Unit Five- Agriculture
Unit 5 Topics-
1. Introduction to Agriculture
2. Settlement Patterns and Survey Methods
3. Agricultural Origins and Diffusions
4. The Second Agricultural Revolution
5. The Green Revolution
6. Agricultural Production Regions
7. Spatial Organization of Agriculture
8. Von Thunen Model
9. The Global System of Agriculture
10. Consequences of Agricultural Practices
11. Challenges of Contemporary Agriculture
12. Women in Agriculture
1. Introduction to Agriculture
2. Settlement Patterns and Survey Methods
3. Agricultural Origins and Diffusions
4. The Second Agricultural Revolution
5. The Green Revolution
6. Agricultural Production Regions
7. Spatial Organization of Agriculture
8. Von Thunen Model
9. The Global System of Agriculture
10. Consequences of Agricultural Practices
11. Challenges of Contemporary Agriculture
12. Women in Agriculture
Unit 5 Vocabulary- Agricultural Use of Space
Agriculture- the purposeful cultivation of plants or raising of animals to produce goods for survival
Climate- is based on four key factors- 1- Distance from the equator 2- wind and ocean currents 3. Proximity to large bodies of water 4. Topography (mountains etc…)
Climate regions- have similar climate patterns generally based on their latitude and their location on coasts or continental interiors.
Mediterranean agriculture- consists of growing hardy trees (such as olive, fruit and nut trees) and shrubs (like grape vines) and raising sheep and goats.
Subsistence agriculture- is when farmers consume the crops and livestock they grow and raise usually using simple tools and manual labor
Commercial agriculture- farmers focus on raising crops and livestock to sell for profit (sometimes a single crop or a single type of animal)
Bid-rent theory- explains how land value determines how a farmer will use the land- for example dairy farmers are willing to pay higher rents than those growing grains and cereal crops (which are easily stored and transported)
Intensive agriculture- farmers expand a great effort to produce as much yield as possible from an area of land- to achieve high productivity they rely on high levels of “inputs” and energy. (High human or animal labor/ or chemical fertilizers, pesticides). Example - rice paddies
Extensive agriculture- typically have lower outputs than farmers who employ intensive practices, relatively few inputs and little investment in labor and capital
Shifting cultivation- the practice of growing crops or grazing animals on a piece of land for a year or two then abandoning that land when the nutrients have been depleted from the soil
Slash and burn- a type of shifting cultivation- farmers clear the land by cutting down the trees and brush, and after the vegetation dries burins this “slash” resulting in nutrient rich as fertilizer.
Nomadic herding / pastoral nomadism- People who practice this type of agriculture move their animals seasonally or. as needed to allow the best grazing
Transhumance. The movement of herds between pastures at roller, higher elevations during the summer and lower elevations during the winter.
Monocropping. The cultivation of one or two crops that are rotated seasonally (corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton)
Monoculture- refers to the agricultural system of planting one crop or raising one type of animal annually
Crop rotation- the varying of crops from year to year or season to season to allow for restoration of valuable nutrients and and the continuing productivity of the soil
Plantation Agriculture- involves large scale commercial farming of one particular crop grown for markets often distant from the plantation (intensive commercial)
Market gardening- is farming that produces fruits, vegetables and flowers and typically serves a specific market, or urban area where farmers can conveniently sell to local grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets and road stands.
Mixed crop and livestock systems- an intensive commercial agriculture practice in which both crops and livestock are raised for profit.
Domestication- the deliberate effort to grow plants and raise animals, making the plants and animals adapt to human demands
Foragers- small nomadic groups who had primarily plant based diets and ate small animals or fish for protein.
Fertile Crescent- an area where domestication first took place forms an arc from the eastern Mediterranean coast up into what is now Turkey- The Tigris and Euphrates rivers are found here- sometimes this area is referred to as Mesopotamia
Columbian Exchange- the exchange of good and ideas between the Americas, Europe, and Africa that began after Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas in 1492
First Agricultural Revolution- occurred about 11,000 years ago and lasted for several thousand more, it was the shift from foraging- or searching for food- to farming which marked the beginning of agriculture- * the revolution occurred in different hearths at different times
*some advancements were independent while others were borrowed (diffused) from other hearths * impacts on society were huge as communities could have more settled lives and the start of more leisure time.
Second Agricultural Revolution- new practices and tools saw and ushered in dramatic improvements in crop yields, innovations like more effective yokes for oxen and later were replaced by horses as well as advancements in fertilizers and field drainage systems- it began in Britain, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands (Holland)- it helped to trigger the Industrial revolution.
Third Agricultural Revolution- began in the early 20th century and continues to the present day- it featured mechanization and new technologies breaking away from the reliance of animal power (beasts of burden) , it saw the development synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and manipulation of genetic makeup of plants and animals
Green Revolution- an offshoot of the 3rd agricultural revolution, increased knowledge of genetics to develop new high yield strains of grain crops- drought resistant strains- but also comes with possible hidden costs and risk
Agribusiness- refers to large scale systems that includes the production, processing and distribution of agricultural products and equipment.* farmers have become more dependent of food manufactures, distributors, and marketers.
Dual agricultural economy- refers to two agricultural sectors in the same country or region that have different levels of technology and different patterns of demand.
Hybrid- intentional creation of different varieties of plants are bred to enhance desired characteristics and improve disease resistance. (Allowed corn to be grown in Kansas more predictably)
Vertical integration- occurs when a company controls more than one stage of the production process. Example- McDonalds has complete control over its agricultural sources, its processing facilities, distribution centers, transportation system and the land that restaurants occupy
Commodity chain- a complex network that connects places of production with distribution to consumers
Farm subsidies- government helps farmers with low cost loans, insurance, and payments to deal with rising costs of production
Tariffs- is a tax or duty to be paid on a particular import or export
Von Thunen Model- hypothesizes that perishability of the product and the costs getting the product to market each factor into a farmers decisions regarding agricultural practices. Dairy and market gardening are closest to a central business district because of perishability and ranching and livestock the furthest as these animals can be transported or walked more easily
Global supply chains- like a commodity chain but on a global scale
Cash Crop- a crop that is produced for its commercial value.
Fair Trade- a global movement/campaign to fix unfair wage practices and to protect the ability of farmers to earn a living
Agricultural landscape- landscapes resulting from interactions between farming activities and a location’s natural environment.
Agroecosystem- an ecosystem modified for agricultural use
Deforestation- loss of forest lands and soil erosion
Soil erosion- the wearing away of topsoil by wind, rain and other phenomena
Terracing- is the process of carving parts of a hill or mountainside into small, level growing plots. This method is used in mountainous areas in various climates including tropical wet climates
Reservoirs- artificial lakes that are created by building dams across streams and rivers
Aquifers- layers of underground sand, gravel, and rocks that contain and can release a usable amount of water
Wetlands- areas of land that are covered by or saturated with water- such as swamps, marches, and bogs.
Desertification- a form of land degradation that occurs when soil deteriorates to a desert-like condition.
Biodiversity- the variety of organisms living in a location
Salinization- the process by which water-soluble salts build up in the soil
Debt-for-nature swaps- in exchange for local investment in conservation measures the banks agree to forge a portion of a country’s debt
Biotechnology- is the science of altering living organisms, often through genetic manipulation, to create new products for specific purposes, such as crops that resist certain pests
Agricultural biodiversity- describes the variety and variability of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are used directly of indirectly for food and agriculture
Aquaculture- an alternative to natural fisheries supplementing wild fish harvest by artificially raised salmon and oyster stocks
Food insecurity- is the disruption of a households food intake or eating patterns because of poor access to food
Food security- reliable access to safe, nutritious food that can support a healthy and active lifestyle
Suburbanization- the shifting of population from cities into surrounding suburbs
Food deserts- areas where residents lack access to healthy, nutritious foods because stores selling these foods are too far away.
Economy of scale- is the reduced cost of producing food items as the quantity of production increases
Truck farming- a type of fruit farming where products were traditionally driven to urban markets and sold
Climate- is based on four key factors- 1- Distance from the equator 2- wind and ocean currents 3. Proximity to large bodies of water 4. Topography (mountains etc…)
Climate regions- have similar climate patterns generally based on their latitude and their location on coasts or continental interiors.
Mediterranean agriculture- consists of growing hardy trees (such as olive, fruit and nut trees) and shrubs (like grape vines) and raising sheep and goats.
Subsistence agriculture- is when farmers consume the crops and livestock they grow and raise usually using simple tools and manual labor
Commercial agriculture- farmers focus on raising crops and livestock to sell for profit (sometimes a single crop or a single type of animal)
Bid-rent theory- explains how land value determines how a farmer will use the land- for example dairy farmers are willing to pay higher rents than those growing grains and cereal crops (which are easily stored and transported)
Intensive agriculture- farmers expand a great effort to produce as much yield as possible from an area of land- to achieve high productivity they rely on high levels of “inputs” and energy. (High human or animal labor/ or chemical fertilizers, pesticides). Example - rice paddies
Extensive agriculture- typically have lower outputs than farmers who employ intensive practices, relatively few inputs and little investment in labor and capital
Shifting cultivation- the practice of growing crops or grazing animals on a piece of land for a year or two then abandoning that land when the nutrients have been depleted from the soil
Slash and burn- a type of shifting cultivation- farmers clear the land by cutting down the trees and brush, and after the vegetation dries burins this “slash” resulting in nutrient rich as fertilizer.
Nomadic herding / pastoral nomadism- People who practice this type of agriculture move their animals seasonally or. as needed to allow the best grazing
Transhumance. The movement of herds between pastures at roller, higher elevations during the summer and lower elevations during the winter.
Monocropping. The cultivation of one or two crops that are rotated seasonally (corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton)
Monoculture- refers to the agricultural system of planting one crop or raising one type of animal annually
Crop rotation- the varying of crops from year to year or season to season to allow for restoration of valuable nutrients and and the continuing productivity of the soil
Plantation Agriculture- involves large scale commercial farming of one particular crop grown for markets often distant from the plantation (intensive commercial)
Market gardening- is farming that produces fruits, vegetables and flowers and typically serves a specific market, or urban area where farmers can conveniently sell to local grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets and road stands.
Mixed crop and livestock systems- an intensive commercial agriculture practice in which both crops and livestock are raised for profit.
Domestication- the deliberate effort to grow plants and raise animals, making the plants and animals adapt to human demands
Foragers- small nomadic groups who had primarily plant based diets and ate small animals or fish for protein.
Fertile Crescent- an area where domestication first took place forms an arc from the eastern Mediterranean coast up into what is now Turkey- The Tigris and Euphrates rivers are found here- sometimes this area is referred to as Mesopotamia
Columbian Exchange- the exchange of good and ideas between the Americas, Europe, and Africa that began after Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas in 1492
First Agricultural Revolution- occurred about 11,000 years ago and lasted for several thousand more, it was the shift from foraging- or searching for food- to farming which marked the beginning of agriculture- * the revolution occurred in different hearths at different times
*some advancements were independent while others were borrowed (diffused) from other hearths * impacts on society were huge as communities could have more settled lives and the start of more leisure time.
Second Agricultural Revolution- new practices and tools saw and ushered in dramatic improvements in crop yields, innovations like more effective yokes for oxen and later were replaced by horses as well as advancements in fertilizers and field drainage systems- it began in Britain, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands (Holland)- it helped to trigger the Industrial revolution.
Third Agricultural Revolution- began in the early 20th century and continues to the present day- it featured mechanization and new technologies breaking away from the reliance of animal power (beasts of burden) , it saw the development synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and manipulation of genetic makeup of plants and animals
Green Revolution- an offshoot of the 3rd agricultural revolution, increased knowledge of genetics to develop new high yield strains of grain crops- drought resistant strains- but also comes with possible hidden costs and risk
Agribusiness- refers to large scale systems that includes the production, processing and distribution of agricultural products and equipment.* farmers have become more dependent of food manufactures, distributors, and marketers.
Dual agricultural economy- refers to two agricultural sectors in the same country or region that have different levels of technology and different patterns of demand.
Hybrid- intentional creation of different varieties of plants are bred to enhance desired characteristics and improve disease resistance. (Allowed corn to be grown in Kansas more predictably)
Vertical integration- occurs when a company controls more than one stage of the production process. Example- McDonalds has complete control over its agricultural sources, its processing facilities, distribution centers, transportation system and the land that restaurants occupy
Commodity chain- a complex network that connects places of production with distribution to consumers
Farm subsidies- government helps farmers with low cost loans, insurance, and payments to deal with rising costs of production
Tariffs- is a tax or duty to be paid on a particular import or export
Von Thunen Model- hypothesizes that perishability of the product and the costs getting the product to market each factor into a farmers decisions regarding agricultural practices. Dairy and market gardening are closest to a central business district because of perishability and ranching and livestock the furthest as these animals can be transported or walked more easily
Global supply chains- like a commodity chain but on a global scale
Cash Crop- a crop that is produced for its commercial value.
Fair Trade- a global movement/campaign to fix unfair wage practices and to protect the ability of farmers to earn a living
Agricultural landscape- landscapes resulting from interactions between farming activities and a location’s natural environment.
Agroecosystem- an ecosystem modified for agricultural use
Deforestation- loss of forest lands and soil erosion
Soil erosion- the wearing away of topsoil by wind, rain and other phenomena
Terracing- is the process of carving parts of a hill or mountainside into small, level growing plots. This method is used in mountainous areas in various climates including tropical wet climates
Reservoirs- artificial lakes that are created by building dams across streams and rivers
Aquifers- layers of underground sand, gravel, and rocks that contain and can release a usable amount of water
Wetlands- areas of land that are covered by or saturated with water- such as swamps, marches, and bogs.
Desertification- a form of land degradation that occurs when soil deteriorates to a desert-like condition.
Biodiversity- the variety of organisms living in a location
Salinization- the process by which water-soluble salts build up in the soil
Debt-for-nature swaps- in exchange for local investment in conservation measures the banks agree to forge a portion of a country’s debt
Biotechnology- is the science of altering living organisms, often through genetic manipulation, to create new products for specific purposes, such as crops that resist certain pests
Agricultural biodiversity- describes the variety and variability of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are used directly of indirectly for food and agriculture
Aquaculture- an alternative to natural fisheries supplementing wild fish harvest by artificially raised salmon and oyster stocks
Food insecurity- is the disruption of a households food intake or eating patterns because of poor access to food
Food security- reliable access to safe, nutritious food that can support a healthy and active lifestyle
Suburbanization- the shifting of population from cities into surrounding suburbs
Food deserts- areas where residents lack access to healthy, nutritious foods because stores selling these foods are too far away.
Economy of scale- is the reduced cost of producing food items as the quantity of production increases
Truck farming- a type of fruit farming where products were traditionally driven to urban markets and sold
Questions to Ponder:
aquaculture
bid-rent theory
biodiversity
biotechnology
carrying capacity
Central America
clustered settlement pattern
Columbian Exchange
commercial agriculture
commodity chain
community-supported agriculture
conservation
deforestation
desertification
dispersed settlement pattern
domestication
economies of scale
export commodity
extensive agriculture
fair trade
Fertile Crescent
fertilizer
bid-rent theory
biodiversity
biotechnology
carrying capacity
Central America
clustered settlement pattern
Columbian Exchange
commercial agriculture
commodity chain
community-supported agriculture
conservation
deforestation
desertification
dispersed settlement pattern
domestication
economies of scale
export commodity
extensive agriculture
fair trade
Fertile Crescent
fertilizer
- Mediterranean climate
- tropical climate
- intensive agriculture
- market gardening
- plantation agriculture
- mixed crop/livestock system
- extensive agriculture
- shifting cultivation
- nomadic herding
- ranching
- rural settlement pattern
- clustered settlement pattern
- dispersed settlement pattern
- linear settlement pattern
- rural survey method
- metes and bounds
- township and range
- long lot
- domestication
- Fertile Crescent
- Indus River Valley
- Southeast Asia
- Central America
- Columbian Exchange
- First Agricultural Revolution
- Second Agricultural Revolution
- Green Revolution
- high-yield seed
- mechanized farming
- subsistence agriculture
- commercial agriculture
- monocropping/monoculture
- bid-rent theory
- commodity chain
- economies of scale
- carrying capacity
- Von Thünen’s model
- global supply chain
- export commodity
- pollution
- land cover change
- desertification
- soil salinization
- conservation
- slash and burn agriculture
- terrace farming
- irrigation
- deforestation
- pastoral nomadism
- biotechnology
- genetically modified organisms
- aquaculture
- sustainability
- biodiversity
- fertilizer
- pesticide
- urban farming
- community-supported agriculture
- value-added specialty crops
- fair trade
- local-food movement
- food insecurity
- food desert
- suburbanization