Agricultural Systems and Environmental Sustainability
Foundations of Global Agriculture
What is the essential question regarding agriculture? How does agriculture shape and reflect spatial patterns?
Define subsistence agriculture: Agriculture focused on growing enough food to feed oneself and one’s family.
Define commercial agriculture: Agriculture aimed at producing crops for sale in the market.
What is agribusiness? The business sector encompassing farming and farming-related commercial activities.
The Three Agricultural Revolutions
What was the First
Read MoreIndustrial Revolution: History, Impact, and Social Change
- 1769: James Watt’s steam engine
- 1785: Edmund Cartwright’s power loom
- 1807: Robert Fulton’s steamboat
- 1825: Legalization of Trade Unions in Great Britain
- 1829: George Stephenson’s locomotive
- 1838: The People’s Charter
- 1864: International Workingmen’s Association (IWA)
Key Definitions of the Industrial Era
- Industrial Revolution: A process of fast socio-economic change from a predominantly agrarian economy to an industrial one that started in Great Britain in the 18th century.
- Crop rotation: Growing
Mining, Energy Resources, and Industrial Evolution
Mining Activity
A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic substance found in the rocks in the Earth’s crust. A high concentration of a mineral in a particular place is called a mineral deposit. Mining is the activity of extracting rocks and minerals from deposits. The place where these resources are extracted is called a mine or quarry.
The Industrial Revolution began in the last third of the 18th century. Industries needed coal and metals, so mining experienced great growth. Since the middle of
Read MoreInternational Trade Dynamics and Global Conflicts
International Trade Fundamentals
International trade is the exchange of goods and services between two or more countries based on trade relationships and agreements.
- Trade surplus: Exports exceed imports (active balance).
- Trade deficit: Imports exceed exports (passive balance).
- Commodity: Raw materials, agricultural products, or industrial goods that can be bought or sold.
- Tariffs: Extra taxes on imports.
- Embargo: An official ban on trade with a specific country.
- Liberal trade: Trade between countries
Biodiversity and Environmental Pollution: Key Concepts
1. Understanding Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms, including plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms, found in a particular habitat or ecosystem. It encompasses genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
2. Bioprospecting and Biopiracy
Bioprospecting is the process of searching for, collecting, and studying biological resources to discover new compounds, genes, or properties for pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and biotechnology. Conversely, biopiracy
Read MoreExpedite the economic, cultural and social development of ACP States
Define urbanization. The process that concentrates people in urban areas.11 What is an urban system? An interdependent set of urban settlements within a given region.11 Distinguish between urban form and urban ecology. Urban form refers to the physical structure and layout of cities, while urban ecology refers to the social and demographic composition of city districts.11 What is urbanism? The way of life fostered by urban settings, characterized by distinctive attitudes, values, and behaviors resulting
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