Agricultural practices, soil conservation, and land-use concepts as tested on AP Environmental Science. Front: the term or concept. Back: a plain-language definition.
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- Subsistence farming
- Agriculture where farmers grow food primarily for their own consumption, with little surplus to sell
- Commercial agriculture
- Large-scale farming focused on producing crops or livestock for sale and profit rather than family consumption
- Slash-and-burn agriculture
- A farming method where vegetation is cut down and burned to clear and fertilize land, usually for temporary cultivation
- Monoculture
- The practice of growing a single crop repeatedly on the same land over many years
- Crop rotation
- The practice of planting different crops in the same field over successive years to maintain soil fertility
- Soil erosion
- The removal and transport of topsoil by wind or water, reducing soil fertility and exposing subsoil
- Desertification
- The conversion of productive land into desert, typically caused by drought, overgrazing, or poor farming practices
- Deforestation
- The permanent removal of forest to convert land to non-forest use such as agriculture, pasture, or urban development
- Topsoil
- The uppermost layer of soil, rich in organic matter and nutrients, essential for plant growth
- Soil horizons
- Distinct horizontal layers within a soil profile, each with different characteristics, composition, and origin
- Soil compaction
- The compression of soil by heavy machinery or livestock, which reduces pore space and harms plant growth
- Contour plowing
- A conservation practice of plowing along the contours of a slope rather than straight up and down
- Terracing
- A soil conservation technique where sloped land is cut into level steps to slow water runoff and reduce erosion
- Windbreaks
- Rows of trees or shrubs planted to reduce wind speed and protect soil from wind erosion
- No-till agriculture
- A farming method where soil is not plowed, minimizing disturbance to preserve soil structure and reduce erosion