Ferme verticale | EPFL Graph Search

thumb|400px|Exemples de types de design possible pour des fermes verticales La notion de ferme verticale ou d'agriculture verticale regroupe divers concepts fondés sur l'idée de cultiver des quantités significatives de produits alimentaires dans des tours, parois ou structures verticales, de manière à produire plus sur une faible emprise au sol, éventuellement en ville pour répondre à des besoins de proximité (filières courtes). Certains projets sont des sortes de gratte-ciel consacrés à l'agriculture (farmscrapers en anglais). L'idée de base des projets les plus souvent cités vient d'un concept développé en 1999 par Dickson Despommier, professeur en santé environnementale et microbiologie à l'université Columbia à New York avec des étudiants diplômés d'une classe d'écologie de la santé (Medical ecology class). Selon lui, une telle tour pourrait être construite pour environ 84 millions de dollars US. La première tour a été ouverte à Singapour en 2012. Le design architectural de ces tours a d'abord été développé par Andrew Kranis de l'université Columbia et Gordon Graff à l'université de Waterloo. Selon les projets, les objectifs peuvent varier ; avec par exemple : une solution possible aux problèmes de faim dans le monde (La FAO promeut une agriculture urbaine), tout en créant des emplois locaux et en fournissant des produits frais à la population locale ; une solution pour répondre au manque de terres cultivables (car la ferme verticale est généralement imaginée comme étant construite dans un tissu urbain). Cela pourrait réduire la déforestation, la désertification et d'autres conséquences de l'extension de l'agriculture intensive ou extensive sur des biomes de plus en plus dégradés, pollués et écologiquement fragmentés par cette agriculture et les routes qu'elle nécessite ; un moyen de recycler en boucle courte et locale certains déchets organiques solides ou liquides (après méthanisation ou compostage) des produits fermentescibles, eaux usées un moyen de diminuer l'empreinte écologique d'un quartier (ou écoquartier) en le rendant pour partie autarcique pour l'alimentation, et en diminuant les besoins en transports routier ou ferroviaire ; une contribution à l'amélioration de la qualité de l'air urbain (pompe à , production d'oxygène natif par les plantes cultivées.

Biogeoinformatics for the management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR)

Solange Catherine Gaillard

In the context of both severe selection in farm animals and potential effects of climate change, it is crucial to implement a sustainable management of the breeding practice, supported by a judicious use of geographic information technologies. Based on this observation, this thesis advocates the use of biogeoinformatics (the combined use of biology, geographic information and informatics) to cope with the challenges encountered by the livestock sector. Indeed, although biogeoinformatics can provide key insights for FAnGR (Farm Animal Genetic Resources) management, the variety and complexity of tasks involved hinders a wider usage of this type of analyses. The thesis shows how novel dedicated tools are likely to facilitate the adoption of biogeoinformatics by animals scientists and by stakeholders in the livestock sector, while investigating three main challenges related to FAnGR management, namely i) erosion of genetic diversity, ii) effects of climate change on the breeding activity, and iii) pressure on typical cultural breeding practices such as high alpine grazing. On this basis, the thesis is organised around three axes:

Preserving locally adapted breeds In order to prevent the erosion of genetic diversity, locally adapted breeds should be monitored to prevent their extinction. To this end, we developed the open source GENMON WebGIS platform, able to monitor FAnGR and to evaluate the degree of endangerment of livestock breeds. The system integrates various sources of information that are linked with the help of geographic information: pedigree and introgression, geographical concentration of animals, cryo-conservation and sustainability of breeding activities. The score can be visualised on a map and allows a fast and regional identification of breeds in danger.
Preserving locally adapted genetic variations Considering the pace at which genetic diversity is being eroded, it has become urgent to identify and then preserve important genetic variations linked to locally adapted phenotypes. In this context, the recent SamÎ²ada software was designed to search for signatures of local adaptation through the study of genomeâenvironment association. However, preâ and postprocessing of data for this analysis can be labourâintensive, and, we therefore developed the R.SamBada R package providing a pipeline for landscape genomic analyses. Based on SamÎ²ada, it spans from the retrieval of environmental conditions at sampling locations to gene annotation using the Ensembl genome browser. As a result, it grants access to biogeoinformatic analyses to researchers with no skills in geography.
Preserving a traditional farming technique suited for local breeds The preservation of locally adapted breeds is also strongly linked with the conservation of traditional farming techniques, which in Switzerland, include the grazing of high alpine pastures during summer. One major effect of this transhumance on cows is that milk production declines due to food shortage and climatic stress. Here, we developed a new mathematical model to fit a lactation curve for mountain-pastured cows, and tested the influence of environmental, physiological, and morphological factors on the production using five million monthly milk records from Braunvieh cows. When compared to physiological factors, environmental variables show a limited impact on milk production at alpine pastures, precipitation in spring being the most important.

EPFL2020

Biogeoinformatics for the management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR)

Solange Catherine Gaillard

Preserving locally adapted breeds In order to prevent the erosion of genetic diversity, locally adapted breeds should be monitored to prevent their extinction. To this end, we developed the open source GENMON WebGIS platform, able to monitor FAnGR and to evaluate the degree of endangerment of livestock breeds. The system integrates various sources of information that are linked with the help of geographic information: pedigree and introgression, geographical concentration of animals, cryo-conservation and sustainability of breeding activities. The score can be visualised on a map and allows a fast and regional identification of breeds in danger.
Preserving locally adapted genetic variations Considering the pace at which genetic diversity is being eroded, it has become urgent to identify and then preserve important genetic variations linked to locally adapted phenotypes. In this context, the recent SamÎ²ada software was designed to search for signatures of local adaptation through the study of genomeâenvironment association. However, preâ and postprocessing of data for this analysis can be labourâintensive, and, we therefore developed the R.SamBada R package providing a pipeline for landscape genomic analyses. Based on SamÎ²ada, it spans from the retrieval of environmental conditions at sampling locations to gene annotation using the Ensembl genome browser. As a result, it grants access to biogeoinformatic analyses to researchers with no skills in geography.
Preserving a traditional farming technique suited for local breeds The preservation of locally adapted breeds is also strongly linked with the conservation of traditional farming techniques, which in Switzerland, include the grazing of high alpine pastures during summer. One major effect of this transhumance on cows is that milk production declines due to food shortage and climatic stress. Here, we developed a new mathematical model to fit a lactation curve for mountain-pastured cows, and tested the influence of environmental, physiological, and morphological factors on the production using five million monthly milk records from Braunvieh cows. When compared to physiological factors, environmental variables show a limited impact on milk production at alpine pastures, precipitation in spring being the most important.

EPFL2020