|
Project properties |
|
| Title | Modelling pixel cropping systems |
| Group | Farming Systems Ecology |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 24-39 |
| Supervisor(s) | Lenora Ditzler, Jochem Evers |
| Examiner(s) | TBD (either FSE or CSA, depending on student) |
| Contact info | lenora1.ditzler@wur.nl, jochem.evers@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2019/08/05 |
| End date | 2020/08/05 |
| Description | Description:
Pixel cropping (or pixel farming) is a cutting-edge future farming system under development. It is the practice of growing multiple crop species in complex arrangements in which communities of plants are spatially allocated at a fine resolution. The goal is to create diverse configurations of multiple crop species in which the right plant community is allocated to the right location, at the right time, and at the optimal resolution. The concept is grounded in the diversity—productivity theory, and evidence that diversification in agro-ecosystems is necessary to reduce damaging externalities caused by industrial monocultures. We are currently conducting a preliminary pixel cropping experiment in the field at the Droevendaal Organic Experimental farm in Wageningen. Because we do not yet have the scientific knowledge to design ecologically optimal pixel cropped fields, in the experiment we have implemented superficial design rules: limiting the number of crop species, and allocating all plant communities to a uniform pixel size and shape (50 cm x 50 cm) within a fixed grid. Crops are randomly assigned to each pixel in equal proportion. The challenge of designing a good pixel cropping plan brings up many questions, such as: • How do plants selected for monocultures respond (in terms of morphology, yield, service provision, etc.) to being grown in heterogeneous communities? • What is the optimal pixel resolution for each crop? • Which crop combinations make good and bad neighbors? • Which particular plant traits make a species suitable for pixel cropping? Acquiring the knowledge needed to design optimal pixel plots could involve conducting field experiments in which the complexity of the experimental setup is exponentially amplified to accommodate all possible neighbor and pixel size/shape combinations for the crops of interest. Alternatively, modeling offers a platform to explore designs and interactions out of the field. Our goal is to develop a simulation model that can capture the spatial heterogeneity and species diversity typical for pixel crop designs. The modelling approach to be used here is called functional-structural plant (FSP) modelling, in which individual plants are simulated in inter- and intraspecific competition with neighbouring plants. Ultimately, such a model will allow to address questions on plant response, traits, pixel resolution and optimal neighbour combinations. Objectives: The specific aim of this Master thesis is to develop a pixel cropping FSP model that captures the main components of a typical pixel crop system, using data from the pixel cropping field experiments and the modelling tools already available. Type of work: Modelling, data analysis, possible field work Location: Wageningen |
| Used skills | - Crop modelling using FSM
- Linking simulation modelling to empirical field work in a systems perspective - Hands on experimental fieldwork; you can actively participate in the long term pixel cropping experiment - Scientific writing; your report will be in the format of a scientific article |
| Requirements | This project is jointly supervised between FSE and CSA.
Prerequisite courses: 1) CSA-32806 Functional Diversity for Sustainable Crop Production and 2) FSE-31806 Agroecology or FSE-30306 Analysis & Design of Organic Farming Systems Assumed knowledge: cropping systems analysis, agroecology, some experience with simulation modelling (FSPM) |