Agriculture on earth and on mars

Abstract

Since the end of the final glaciation, agriculture on Earth has been developed in several areas by modifying various ecosystems. We have replaced natural producers with crop plants and made humans the final consumer in each ecosystem. Though terrestrial agriculture has been established after a process of trial and error, agriculture on Mars should be prepared rapidly and firmly without any failure, even under severe natural conditions completely different from those on Earth. In addition, the agriculture on Mars should supply clean water and air, as well as foods, fibers and timber necessary for sustaining human life. This engineering target can be achieved by a strategy consisting of two stages. During the first stage, air, water and regolith are brought into a pressurized dome and are regulated somewhat similar to those on Earth. In the second stage, sustainable agriculture will be managed on Mars, mainly by utilizing on-site resources and actions taken by members of the ecosystem inside the dome.