Polyface Farm in the U.S. state of Virginia raises beef, chickens and pigs. A particular practice on Polyface Farm is to bring chickens into a pasture after the cows have eaten the grass

The chickens eat the insect grubs that are found in the cow manure. While the chickens fatten up on the insect grubs, they also produce waste which in turn fertilizes the grass the cows will later eat. Explain this process in terms of sustainable agriculture and the basic principles of sustainability.

What will be an ideal response


The raising of a diversity of animals on the same land is a form of polyculture. It reduces the need for pesticides to control the insects that would hatch out of the cow manure, and the purchase of chemical fertilizers. Thus, it also embraces the basic sustainability principle of nutrient and chemical cycling.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

You might also like to view...

The Exxon Valdez oil spill ________.

A. dissipated quickly in warmer inshore water B. was 99 percent recovered using new sophisticated methods C. was equal in volume to the Persian Gulf spill D. All of these are correct. E. None of these is correct.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

The two main elements in climate conditions are _________ and ________________.

-latitude; longitude -season; location -axis tilt; orbit -temperature; precipitation -elevation; topography

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Explain the point-in-polygon operation.

What will be an ideal response?

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Molecules which regulate chemical processes without being used up are called

A. nucleotides. B. acids. C. catalysts. D. bases.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences