15_ Animals, Aquaculture, Agroforestry (1)
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Indiana University, Bloomington *
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400
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Information Systems
Date
Apr 3, 2024
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docx
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Uploaded by MateMonkeyMaster3369
1. What is the role of animals in a system? What kinds of "jobs" can they do in living their lives?
Animals play an important role in permaculture systems. According to Bloom and Boehnlien, “Animals are integral to the success of natural ecosystems and have long
been used by humans to meet our needs for food, transportation, fibers, and
manures, among other things.” Additionally, animals are mobile sources of fertility (manure and soil building) and can be used for fuel/energy (energy and biomass). Overall, incorporating animals into a system can aid in self-reliance and if done correctly, mimic natural patterns. 2. If you were to incorporate an animal into a system, what would it be? What are its needs and yields? How can needs and yield analysis help with design?
If I were to incorporate an animal into a system, I would incorporate bees. Bees require a habitat (home), food (nectar and pollen), and water. More specifically (depending on one’s design), certain pollinator plants can be chosen, a water source available, and a bee colony made/purchased. Bees produce yields like honey, and wax, and pollinate plants. Understanding what the bees produce and need to survive helps a desire be more tailored to your needs and the realities of the situation. Designing without needs and yields in mind can lead to mistakes/failures that may prevent you from incorporating
said animal. Also, planning ahead and understanding needs/yields allows for a more functional and cohesive overall design. 1. What are the five key practices of agroforestry? What is a short definition of each? Riparian and Upland Forest Buffers, windbreaks, alley cropping, silvopasture, and forest
farming are the five key practices of agroforestry. Riparian and upland forests are strips of vegetation between agricultural land and water bodies that are managed to reduce runoff/non-point source pollution. Windbreaks are intentional vegetation that aims to protect wind-sensitive vegetation and livestock from wind’s negative effects. With alley cropping, rows of trees/shrubs are planted and crops are grown between the rows. Silvopasture integrates livestock grazing/production with a forest landscape. Forest farming is the process in which selected crops are grown in the understory of a forest.
2. How can agroforestry enhance profitability and regenerative farming at the same time? Agroforestry enhances profitability by using land that would otherwise be ignored for farming purposes. According to Chapter 1 of the UMCA- AF Training Manual, “Agroforestry practices help farmers to diversify products, markets, and farm income; improve soil and water quality; and reduce erosion, non-point source pollution and damage due to flooding.” Agroforestry uses techniques that not only create a yield but also, give back to the land. Additionally, because of agroforestry techniques, some costs that traditional farming requires may be avoided and the land will be healthier
(thus enhancing profitability). Overall, a healthy landscape is much less costly than a mismanaged/unhealthy landscape and many agroforestry practices are good examples of regenerative agriculture. 3. How does this process compare and contrast to the design process we've covered in class?
Similar to what we’ve discussed in class, agroforestry appears to be intentional with its design implementations as it emphasizes understanding the landscape (ecological functions) and the importance of planning. For differences, it appears that the agroforestry method takes individual preferences/goals into bigger consideration than permaculture. Also, the agroforestry design process appears to have many more steps (and specific details) compared to the permaculture design process. Additionally, I believe the permaculture design process is much more adaptable/flexible compared to the agroforestry method.
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