Week 3- History, Agriculture, & Animal Production Flashcards
economies of scale
the gain in efficiency that comes with doing something on a larger scale, such as mass production or buying in bulk
externality
a side effect of providing a product or service that is not reflected in its price (example- the negative effects of raising cattle on the environment
feedlot
confined outdoor facilities where cattle and other animals are housed and fed before slaughter
(large feedlots are a type of CAFO)
fertilizer
materials spread on soil to increase its capacity to promote plant growth
industry concentration
the extent to which a small number of corporations control most of the sales in an industry (the greater concentration, the fewer corporations controlling majority of the sales)
industry consolidation
shift toward fewer and larger facilities
irrigation
human-made means of delivering freshwater to agricultural fields (includes use of flooding, canals, sprinklers, and drip tape)
manure
animal excrement used as fertilizer
mechanization
replacement of animal & human labor with machinery
monoculture
fields planted with a single crop species over a given season, typically over a very large area
plow
tool used by farmers to turn over the top layer of soil- it buries seeds and residues from prior crops, brings nutrients to the surface, and loosens soil for planting
soil
top layer of earth’s surface
soil erosion
removal of soil from ground by wind, water, and other forces
-contributes to the loss of soil’s fertility
vertical integration
extent to which a single company controls multiple successive stages along the supply chain of a product
algal bloom
a rapid increase in the population of algae, often the result of excess nutrients in the water
-some algal blooms are toxic to humans and marine life
compost
dark, crumbly, soil-like material made from decomposed/decomposing organic matter, such as manure, food waste, leaves, and grass clippings
-is applied to soil as a nutrient-rich fertilizer for plants
composting
a form of waste treatment that uses fungi, bacteria, and other microbes to decompose organic matter
-can reduce or eliminate pathogens, harmful chemicals, plant diseases, odors and air pollution
dead zone
an area of the ocean where most aquatic life cannot survive because the water is depleted of oxygen
dust bowl
period of severe dust storms that caused massive crop failure, hunger, and poverty across the Midwest in the ’30s
-rapid mechanized agriculture pulverized the top layer of soil & stripped the grasses that held it in place, leaving it dry & exposed t being blown away by wind
organic matter
anything that was once part of a living organism, such as decaying leaves and animal waste
-is among the most important ingredients of fertile soil
rotational grazing
moving animals to new areas of pasture on a regular basis
-helps prevent soil erosion, promotes pasture growth, and spreads manure evenly over land
runoff
water from rain, snow, and other natural or human sources that flows over land and washes into waterways
-often carries pollutants it encounters along the way, such as excess nutrients and agriculture chemicals
soil food web
interactions between living organisms and nonliving organic matter in the soil
- every organism becomes food for another
- promotes an abundant food supply and human health
waste treatment
processes to make water less of a threat to health and the environment by reducing pathogens, toxic chemicals, & other harmful substances
