Unit 5: 14.1 - 14.2 Flashcards
Agricultural Landscapes
a landscape resulting from the interactions between farming activities and a location’s natural environment
How farming effects the environment around them
Agroecosystem
an ecosystem modified for agricultural use
Deforestation
loss of forest lands
Terracing
the process of carving parts of a hill or mountainside into small, level growing plots
A tactic to take up less land space
Reservoirs
artificial lake used to store water
Aquifers
layers of sand, gravel, and rocks that contain and can release a usable amount of water
Wetlands
area of land that is covered by water or saturated with water
Desertification
a form of land degradation that occurs when soil deteriorates to a desertlike condition
More desert
Biodiversity
the variety of organisms living in a location
Bio = life Diversity = Different
Salinization
the process by which water-soluble salts build up in the soil, which limits the ability of crops to absorb water
SALinization = SALt
Debt-for-nature swaps
agreement between a bank and a peripheral country in which the bank forgives a portion of the country’s debt in exchange for local investment in conservation measures
(pardon)
Biotechnology
the science of altering living organisms, often through genetic manipulation, to create new products for specific purposes, such as crops that resist certain pests
using TECHNOLOGY to manipulate BIO (life)
Agricultural Biodiversity
the variety and variability of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are used directly or indirectly for food and agriculture
Precision Agriculture
a farming management concept that uses technology to apply inputs with pinpoint accuracy to specific parts of fields to maximize crop yields, reduce waste, and preserve the environment
(Precise)
