Agriculture Flashcards
what is Agriculture?
Agriculture is the practice of farming and raising animals for food
what is Aquaculture
Aquaculture is the practice of raising animals in water environments, for example farming fish.
Why do we need Agriculture and Aquaculture?
To grow enough food for survival and create jobs that help the economy.
what is Topography
Topography = the physical features of the land (mountains, rivers, water-bodies etc.).
The landscape impacts what can be grown for example, Flat areas are perfect for growing crops, while hilly areas are better suited for raising animals.
what are the 2 Types of Agriculture
Subsistence
Intensive
Subsistence Agriculture (Extensive)
Subsistence agriculture uses large land areas for small-scale farming to meet personal
The two types of subsistence farming
Nomadic herding = farmers move animals to fresh areas as needed.
Slash & Burn = Farmers clear land by burning trees to grow crops for a few seasons
Problems of Subsistence Agriculture
Deforestation: Cutting down trees faster than they can regrow.
Soil erosion: Losing important nutrients from the soil.
Biodiversity loss: Plants and animals disappear from the area.
what is Double cropping
Double cropping = Growing two crops in one season to get more food.
Intensive Agriculture
Uses small areas of land but grows lots of food. Common in places with high populations (like Southeast Asia).
Example:
Rice paddies and terraced fields.
Problems of Intensive Agriculture
Factory farming: Many animals are kept in small spaces, leading to pollution and health risks.
Disease: Viruses can spread easily in crowded farms.
what is Conventional Farming
Focuses on growing as much as possible using fertilizers and pesticides.
Often grows just one type of crop at a time (monoculture).
Problems with Conventional farming
Soil depletion: Overuse of land causes soil to lose its nutrients.
Erosion: Turning over soil leads to it being washed away.
pesticides: Harmful chemicals that can damage the environment.
What is Monoculture
Often grows just one type of crop at a time, over and over again.
While it can be efficient, monoculture can lead to problems like soil depletion (because the same nutrients are used up each time) and Pests and diseases
Crop rotation
Crop rotation is when farmers plant different crops in a field each year. This helps the soil stay healthy and not get tired from growing the same crop all the time. For example, they might grow corn one year and beans the next. Beans help put nutrients back into the soil that corn uses up.
