Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXVI, Issue 1
Written by Dana POPA, Răzvan POPA, Maria Luiza MIRCEA, Cristian Andrei MURGU
The paper aimed to present the practice of mixed farming systems which is based on circularity and proposes stronger links between crops and livestock. It aims to emulate the nutrient circuits resulted from food production based on those in natural systems, shifting from linearity towards cyclicity to reduce anthropic impact. The paper analysed the selected articles in order to identify strategies implemented in mixed farming systems which improve circularity and have positive effects on the environment and presented the results and discussions section in the form of guidelines and based our logic structure on the principles of circularity in agricultural systems. It is recommendable that farmers and stakeholders try to preserve and, where possible, increase the biotic diversity of agricultural landscapes, both in terms of crops and livestock (for example, by using cover crops and intercropping), but also in terms of habitats that can provide beneficial ecosystem services (such as: shelter for natural enemies, nitrogen fixing plants, etc.).
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