Abstract

Biodiversity, particularly in the world’s equatorial regions, is under threat from human industry. Among the most daunting problems facing these biomes is that of the food industry’s continual expansion into what was once rainforest. Expansive monoculture (large cultivated swaths of a single crop species) are the primary threat to tropical biodiversity. This method of agriculture is harmful because it requires the clearing of land that once supported thousands of species in order to replace it with rows of a single crop. If more plants could be grown in a smaller horizontal square footage, farms need not rely so heavily on the clearing of undisturbed land. The objective of this project is to create a novel vertical housing unit for a model crop species, garden strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa), utilizing biomimetic principles in order to maximize plant growth while minimizing horizontal expansion. The creation of the vertical garden design involved analysis into recent applications of biomimicry in agriculture, particularly those employed in highly developed urban areas. After reviewing sources related to biomimesis and vertical garden projects, a 3D model was constructed utilizing CAD software. Design elements from Grant Associates’ biomimetic Supertrees were modified to incorporate hanging planters for stolon-producing strawberries. An aluminum chassis based on the 3D model was welded together, and finally, bare-root strawberries were placed within the tower.

Semester/Year of Award

Fall 11-2023

Mentor

Valerie E. Peters

Mentor Department Affiliation

Biological Sciences

Mentor Professional Affiliation

Dr. Valerie Peters, Department of Biology, Eastern Kentucky University

Access Options

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

Bachelor Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelors

Department

Biological Sciences

Presentation

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ns4UofpjpTfqbDtaHRz8ui0Ae-wLvHejhqK3vlDjIIE/edit?usp=sharing

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