The term monoculture is used more and more often in times of nature conservation discussions, because this form of cultivation is recognizable everywhere. Typical examples can be found in tropical regions, but this practice is also practiced in Germany. Even in the home garden there are many monocultures. There are some benefits to the economy, but the negative impact is becoming more apparent.
definition
The term monoculture comes from the Greek words “monos” and “cultura”, which translated mean something like “alone” and “cultivation”. Cultivation takes place over many years. In contrast to this method is the mixed culture, in which, according to the definition different species in one area to be planted.
danger: The monoculture is not to be confused with the pure culture, which represents the cultivation of a single plant species within a year. Completely different plants are cultivated on the same area the following year. This process is also known as crop rotation.
In your own garden
The monoculture has its roots in the Middle Ages, because fields were cultivated one-sidedly right from the start of arable farming. This practice of one-field farming has continued to this day. It is not only used in the economic sphere. This form of management is also common in the home garden. Potatoes are often planted in the same area for many years. But there are few reasons that speak in favor of this approach.
- Harvesting of the entire field takes place at a time
- Field care and harvesting require few devices
- greater yield by planting with a single species
- enables the acquisition of special knowledge about a plant
Tip: Many supposed weeds turn out to be positive companion plants in the bed. Chickweed, nettle and clover do not have to be removed immediately, as they ensure a natural habitat with an intact function.
disadvantage
Compared to the advantages, the disadvantages of a monoculture outweigh the disadvantages. There are numerous negative examples around the world that can be used as reasons for mixed cultures.
loss of biodiversity
There are numerous communities between the animal and plant world. Certain animals can only survive if different plant species characterize the habitat. In monocultures, this diversity is lost when only one species is dominant. Many insects, birds and mammals find neither food sources nor suitable habitats. You will be ousted. Around a third of all native animal and plant species are now on the Red List.
Rapeseed fields in Northern Germany
What delights tourists every year turns out to be an insidious idyll. The endlessly wide rape fields of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania do not offer a suitable habitat for numerous animals. There is a lack of important food sources for insects, because many butterflies, bumblebees and wild bees have specialized in special plants. The decline in songbirds and the loss of flowering meadows are further examples of the fact that pure rapeseed fields do not represent an optimal form of cultivation.
No genetic variability
Species diversity can be transferred not only to the animal and plant world, but also to the genetic level within a species. Each plant species is adapted to different habitats with their respective characteristic climatic conditions through their genes. Due to sexual reproduction, new gene mixtures are constantly being created in nature, so that the plants can constantly adapt to their environmental conditions. This effect is missing in a monoculture, because here the plants of a certain variety carry genes of the same type. When they reproduce, they produce offspring with similar characteristics.
South American bananas
In the tropics there are many examples of the negative consequences of one-sided management. Bananas are mainly planted in monocultures on large areas in Ecuador, Costa Rica and Colombia. South America is considered one of the main exporters of bananas. Large yields are of economic importance, which is why single-field farming is practiced over a large area. About 99 percent of all bananas from the supermarket are of the Cavendish variety. However, bananas do not reproduce sexually, but vegetatively via shoots. This creates masses of clones with identical genetic material. All banana plants are now threatened by a fungus that is spreading en masse.
pest spread
There is a balance in nature, the function of which is based on a high level of biodiversity. The more diverse the living space is designed, the better it works. Nature regulates itself and ensures that pests are kept in check. Harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi or nematodes can multiply particularly well in a monoculture because their natural opponents are suppressed. The same effect can be seen in larger animals. Field mice and mole crickets overbreed in certain monocultures and crowded out the earthworm. If the population of the field mouse has expanded significantly, the soil will dry out even more.
Tropea onions
The strain is a prime example of mile-wide monocultures stretching across sunny stretches of coastline. As a bulbous plant, in depleted soils they are particularly susceptible to nematodes. The nematodes spread en masse in the soil and infest the root system of the bulbous plants. Even the seedlings can be severely weakened by a nematode infestation. The plants grow stunted because their roots can no longer draw sufficient nutrients from the soil due to the severe damage. When the roots die off and rot, fungal spores find an optimal breeding ground. The harvest loss due to these consequences is often 20 percent. All bulbous plants should therefore be planted in mixed cultures with:
- dill
- chamomile
- garlic
- parsnips
- Beetroot
Tip: Before you can grow onions again on the same area, there should be a break in cultivation of five years.
deterioration of soil quality
If the same species are planted in one area over many years, this leads to the destruction of the natural ecosystem. The soil is unilaterally loaded and exploited, so that the minerals continue to decrease. Due to this depletion, the soil quality suffers to a great extent, especially in the upper layers. If the soil is depleted, the plants can no longer grow optimally. In the worst case, they die off and the harvest is lost. To prevent this, countermeasures to improve the soil are necessary. Chemical fertilizers must be used so that the plants do not show any signs of deficiency. The use of artificial products creates other negative consequences:
- additional risk factor for health
- pollution of the surrounding waters
- Destruction of the natural soil fauna
Pumpkins for Halloween
The demand for pumpkins is increasing in Germany. In recent years, the area under cultivation for various types of pumpkins has increased by more than a third. Since the plants to the heavy feeders belong, a monoculture leads to intensive soil depletion. Your nutritional needs are very high. They draw excessive elements from the soil to allow them to grow and develop fruit. Soil fatigues quickly when one species colonizes the entire area. As a result, pumpkins and other cucurbits such as courgettes or cucumbers have a hard time developing fruit in monocultures. They need plant neighbors that hardly require any nutrients.
- Plant beans as weak consumers between pumpkins
- Adhere to a four-year break in cultivation
Higher susceptibility to diseases
If the soil no longer works, it cannot provide the plants with an optimal basis for healthy growth. They become significantly more susceptible to diseases, which can also be attributed to the increased pathogenicity. Germs are increasingly accumulating in the soil, which increase the risk of infection of the roots. A disease breaks out when the plant is stressed or weakened. She is unable to build up her own defences. Even hardy species and varieties quickly become victims of pathogens in a one-field economy. Pesticides have to be used, which have further disadvantages:
- residues on vegetables and fruit
- Development of antibiotic resistance
- destruction of insect diversity
orchards
Fruit trees are increasingly being grown as low stems in monocultures on plantations. These cultivated forms are of economic importance because the stems are easier to harvest. For an additional improvement of the harvest, the trees are lined up. There is competition between the trees and so that growth does not suffer, the plants are given fertilizer. Perfect fruit is obtained through the use of pesticides. Fruit growers are increasingly having to contend with the negative consequences. Monoculture fruit trees are more susceptible to disease. Their branches and shoots dry up as the soil quality steadily deteriorates. The harvests are smaller and the fruits develop less aroma.