EESC3310 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Erosion Control, Free Range, Cattle Feeding
25 Apr 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Sustainability depends on reintegration of animals into crop agroecosystems. There are synergies from mixing animals and crops. Can transfer material that we cannot consume into something we can (i. e. cellulose. Herbivores play a critical role in cycling nutrients and transferring energy in ecosystems. Can be less destructive than tractor tillage. Fold course system in england and later, new england. Making use of what we are not using. Root crops i. e. turnips which fed sheep which increased manure which increased productivity of grain crops. Fuels soil food webs (unlike synthetic fertilizers) I. e. overall nematodes were higher in manure and nitrogen+manure treatments than in control and n fertilizer treatments. Geese can be used to weed out some species in between crop rows. Goats can do this too can rent them out. Gradual deposition of manure high in n and p. Social structure around care of the animals. The process by which natural or human causes reduce the biological productivity of arid lands.
