Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Agroecology
Ecological understanding of farming systems 7. Sustainable dryland agriculture
Dryland environment Desertification Agriculture in drylands Sustainability of dryland agriculture

? BBoeken 2009

bboeken@bgu.ac.il http://www.bgu.ac.il/desert_agriculture/Wyler/Wyler-BB.htm

The dryland environment

Rainfall
Low rainfall (<400 mm/yr) High variability Periodic drought Unpredictability

http://www.landroverclub.net

Ten year average annual rainfall for the Yuma Valley, AZ, USA (AZMET, Yuma Ag Center). http://cals.arizona.edu

The dryland environment

Soils
Weathering and dust Salinity Biological soil crusts Erosion
observe.arc.nasa.gov

Cyanobacterial soil crust (Negev) Salt flat; staffwww.fullcoll.edu 3 Bare soil (Negev)

The dryland environment

Vegetation
Spatial heterogeneity
Patchiness Contraction along stream-beds

Sonoran Desert; www.dees.dri.edu

Northern Negev shrubland

Growth forms
Ephemeroids (annuals and cryptophytes) Drought tolerant perennials

Desertification
Of natural and cultivated landscapes
Approaches
Expanding deserts (?) Local degradation
Runoff and erosion Sand movement Scale, off-site effects

Causes
Climatic (droughts) Human impacts
Overgrazing Inappropriate cultivation Clearing, deforestation Water over-use Soil degradation 5

http://www.abc.net.au/science/photos/desertification/photo7.htm http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-92240-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/people/m.kirkby/DIS4ME_1104/introduc tion.htm

Agriculture in drylands
Ancient runoff farming
Channels on slopes to divert runoff water Fields on terraces in wadis Diversion dams in large wadis

Modern runoff farming

Within-watershed runoff use
Local retention Diverted

Off-site use
Limanim Terraces
Nabattean terraces, Nitzana, Western Negev

Runoff catchment, Central Negev

Contour dykes Northern Negev Liman, Central Negev

Agriculture in drylands
Irrigated farming
Water import Flooding, dripping

Drip irrigation, Arava

Irrigation canal, California

High-tech agriculture
Greenhouses Cooling Hydroponics

Greenhouses, Arava

Alternative dryland landuse

Integrated agriculture
Runoff agro-forestry Agro-silvi-pastoralism Rangeland pastoralism Animal husbandry

Sustainable development
Eco- and agro-tourism Adaptive building Home industry Desert gardening & nursery Information industry Environmental education Health care Environmental art