Land Vocabulary
Genetic Engineering The technology in which genetic material in a living cell is modified for medical or industrial use
Biological Pest Control The use of living organisms to control pests
Chemicals used to kill insects, weeds, Pesticide Chemicals used to kill insects, weeds, and other crop pests
The accumulation of salts in the soil Salinization The accumulation of salts in the soil
Partly decomposed organic material Compost Partly decomposed organic material
Desertification Process by which land in arid or semiarid areas becomes more desert-like because of human activity or climatic changes
The wearing away of rock or soil Erosion The wearing away of rock or soil by wind and water
Land that can be used to grow crops Arable Land Land that can be used to grow crops
Malnutrition A condition that occurs when people do not consume enough Calories or do not eat a sufficient variety of foods to fulfill all of the body’s needs
Widespread starvation caused by Famine Widespread starvation caused by a shortage of food
Wilderness An area in which the land and the ecosystems it supports are protected from all exploitation
Reforestation The process by which trees are planted to re-establish trees that have been cut down on forest land
The clearing of trees from an area without replacing them Deforestation The clearing of trees from an area without replacing them
Allowing more animals to graze in an area than the range can support Overgrazing Allowing more animals to graze in an area than the range can support
Determining in advance how Land-Use Planning Determining in advance how land will be used
Heat Island Area in which the air temperature is generally higher than the temperature of the surrounding rural areas
Rapid expansion of a city into the countryside around the city Urban Sprawl Rapid expansion of a city into the countryside around the city
All of the things that a society builds for public use Infrastructure All of the things that a society builds for public use
Movement of people from Urbanization Movement of people from rural areas to cities
Ecosystem Services Resources that are produced by natural and artificial ecosystems
Rural Land that contains relatively few people and have large areas of open space
Urban Land that is covered mainly with buildings and roads