Some students at DuBois Area High School will begin the school year taking a new class in aquaponics as they experience first-hand a technology that is increasingly finding its way into the agriculture industry and holds promise for transforming how food is grown.
Kelly Stringer, a science teacher at the Central Pennsylvania high school, runs the aquaponics system in the school's former metal shop and developed the curriculum for the semester-long elective. Students will have the hands-on experience of growing various plants in the aquaponics system while learning about plant science, fish biology, and nutrition. She has also incorporated an entire unit on exploring careers in horticulture.
"We have our own tiny ecosystem in the classroom," Stringer explained.
That's because aquaponics mimics a natural ecosystem, similar to a lake or pond, creating a closed-loop, sustainable environment that allows fish, bacteria, and plants to thrive. In short, aquaponics allows naturally occurring bacteria to harness excreted waste from fish to create the nutrients needed to feed plants. Most commonly, aquaponics is used to cultivate fish and greens, such as lettuce and herbs, for food. It's promise lies in the flexibility and creativity of how and where the system is constructed. Aquaponics systems can be placed anywhere from small tanks on kitchen counters, to urban warehouses and rooftops or inside large greenhouses.
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