This is a seed.
這是一粒種子。
It doesn't look like much right now, but if you put it in the ground, give it some water, fight off invaders, and wait a little while.
現在它看起來很普通，但如果你把它放進土裡，澆一些水，擊退入侵者，並等待一段時間。
After a few weeks with a little luck, you might end up with a head of lettuce.
幸運的話，幾周後你可能會得到一棵萵苣。
That's a lot of work for a hundred calories.
為了得到這100卡路裡，任務繁重。
But what if we had an easier way of doing things...
但是，如果我們以更簡單的方法來做這件事....
One that didn't require any soil, used much less water, and grew faster?
一種不需要任何土壤,使用更少的水，生長更快的作物?
One where food could actually grow itself?
一個食物可以自己生長的地方?
By 2050, the world's population is expected to reach almost 10 billion people.
到2050年，世界人口預計將達到近100億。
That's a lot more mouths to feed.
要養活的人數不勝數。
But, only 11 percent of land is even suitable for agriculture.
但是，只有11%的土地適合農業耕作。
So, farmers will have to turn to innovative and more efficient farming practices for a solution.
因此，農民將不得不求助於更有效的新耕作方法來解決問題。
One of the most promising is а method called aquaponics, which doesn't require any soil,and involves raising fish and plants together in a contained system.
最有希望的方法之一是養耕共生法， 它不需要任何土壤，在一個封閉的系統中，魚和植物共同生長。
There are several different setups you can use, but here's how the most popular method works.
你可以使用幾種不同的裝置，但以下是最流行的方法。
The process begins at the fish rearing tank.
這個過程從魚池開始。
Here, highly adaptable fish like tilapia, are given plenty of fish food, which also leads to plenty of waste.
在魚池中，像羅非魚這種適應性很強的魚被餵養大量魚食，這也導致了大量浪費。
The solid waste is fltered out by flowing water, but the water which is still full of ammonia from the fish excrement is mixed with special plastic pieces.
流動的水將固體廢物過濾掉，但魚的糞便中會產生大量氨， 富含氨的水中還有特殊的塑料碎片。
Naturally occurring bacteria grow on these surfaces, which helps convert the toxic ammonium in the water into nitrites and the nnitrates.
自然產生的細菌在水的表面生長，這有助於將水中的有毒銨轉化為亞硝酸鹽，然後再轉化成硝酸鹽。
Nitrates are basically plant food.
基本上，硝酸鹽為植物所食用。
So, the nutrient-rich water flows out into the growing area, where seedlings on floating rafts can absorb the food directly through their roots.
因此，營養豐富的水流入種植區，漂浮在木筏上的幼苗可以通過根部直接吸收養分。
No soil required.
不需要土壤。
Above them, energy-efficient LED lights are adjusted to provide the optimal color spectrum.
在水池之上，調整節能LED燈的位置來提供最佳光照。
All of this comes together, helping the plants grow up to twice as fast as land crops.
所有這些因素共同發力，這些植物的生長速度得以比陸地作物高兩倍。
And because the plant roots purify the water,the cycle can start all over again.
因為植物根部淨化了水，循環可以重新開始。
Commercial systems can yield up to 12 times as much produce per square foot as traditional farming methods.
該商業系統中每平方英尺的產量是傳統農業方法的12倍。
Leafy greens like lettuce are the easiest crops to grow, but they often focus on more valuable herbs like basil and mint.
像生菜這樣的綠葉蔬菜最容易種植，但他們通常會種植更有價值的草本植物，如羅勒和薄荷。
Aquaponics is one of the most sustainable agricultural systems, but it still has a long way to go before becoming a go-to farming method.
養耕共生是最具可持續性的農業系統之一，但要成為一種可靠的農業耕作方法還有很長的路要走。
New developments are continuing to make the process more customizable, automated,and efficient than ever.
由於新的發展，養耕共生比以往任何時候都更加可定製、自動化和高效。
Who knows, in the future your salad might even be grown by a fish!
誰知道呢，在將來，你的沙拉甚至可能被一條 魚滋養!
What food would you grow in your aquaponicsystem?
在你的養耕共生系統中，你會種植什麼食物呢?
Let us know in the comments below.
請在下面的評論中告訴我們。
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