IB Environmental systems and societies 5.2 Agriculture and Food Key Definitions

Agricultural system refers to the combination of crops, livestock, technologies, and management methods used by farmers under specific environmental and socio-economic conditions.

Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) and storing it in solid or liquid form.

Compost is partially decomposed organic matter produced from kitchen, garden, and farm waste.

Eutrophication is a process where excess nutrients, primarily nitrates and phosphates, enter aquatic ecosystems, triggering a cascade of ecological changes.

A lack of reliable access to enough safe, nutritious food to meet dietary needs, caused by problems of availability, affordability, or distribution rather than by a global shortage of calories.

Food miles are a proxy for the carbon emissions associated with the movement of food through the supply chain.

Food security is defined as the physical and economic availability of food, ensuring all individuals can access the balanced diet necessary for a healthy and active life.

Greenhouse gases are atmospheric gases that absorb infrared radiation emitted from the Earth’s surface and re-radiate it back, contributing to atmospheric warming.

Habitable land is land not covered by glaciers or classified as barren, and that can support ecosystems and human use.

A keystone species is an organism that has a disproportionately large impact on its ecosystem relative to its population size.

Low-productivity food systems are farming methods that maintain high environmental sustainability but generate relatively small amounts of food.

Malnutrition is the condition of having an inadequate or unbalanced diet, including both insufficient intake (undernourishment) and excessive intake (overnourishment).

Marginalized groups are communities with limited political power, limited resources, or restricted legal rights.

Mollisols are deep, nutrient-rich soils formed under temperate grasslands, known as some of the most agriculturally productive soils in the world.

Nomadic pastoralism is a traditional agricultural system where people move their livestock, such as sheep, goats, or camels, seasonally to find pasture and water

Nutrient cycling is the movement of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon through the soil, plants, and atmosphere.

Omnivores consume both plants and animals, allowing them to occupy multiple trophic levels.

Oxisols are ancient, deeply weathered tropical soils with low natural fertility and strong nutrient leaching.

pH measures hydrogen ion concentration, influencing chemical reactions in water.

The Planetary Health Diet (PHD) is a scientifically grounded dietary pattern that supports both human health and the planet’s ecological limits.

Soil conservation is the sustainable management of soil to prevent degradation, maintain fertility, and support long-term agricultural productivity.

Sustainable diet refers to eating patterns that support human health while maintaining the planet’s capacity to provide food for future generations.

Synthetic (inorganic) fertilizers are industrially manufactured chemical compounds that supply essential plant nutrients, typically nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Traditional harvesting refers to methods used by Indigenous and local communities that maintain long-term ecosystem productivity without permanent land conversion.