Glossary

Agriculture Subsistence system characterized by large-scale field systems and reliance on a small number of productive domesticated plants. Agriculture leads to population growth, landscape modifications, and vegetation alteration, resulting in creation of an agro-ecology.

Crop Plant under cultivation, regardless of its genetic status.

Cultivation The full range of activities undertaken to care for plants; in addition to planting and harvesting, which can lead to genetic change, cultivation includes weeding, watering, pruning, and transplanting. The latter activities may increase the abundance or change the distribution of plants.

Domestication Process of genetic change through which plants are altered from the wild state, and when fully domesticated become dependent on humans for their reproduction. For plants that reproduce by seed, domestication comes about through the repetitive process of harvesting seeds, replanting, and harvesting.

Horticulture Subsistence system characterized by small-scale plantings. In comparison with agriculturalists, horticulturists maintain more diverse plantings that include wild or cultivated plants.

Neolithic or formative Stage of cultural development

Characterized by the emergence of farming as the mainstay of life, typically accompanied by the appearance of ceramics, large substantial villages located for access to fertile land, and ceremonialism.

Slash and burn agriculture Also called shifting cultivation, a practice involving cutting forest, burning vegetation, planting for 2-5 years, then fallow (allowing forest regrowth). New plots are opened to replace those in fallow. Extensive (requiring land) rather than intensive (requiring increased labor input). In sediment cores sustained charcoal and secondary forest indicators are markers.