Niche and cycles are vocabulary commonly used in biology. Permaculture provide with an additional value to these concepts as “opportunities” to produce value addition to a farm. The term “Schedule” fusion the two concepts to give a better vision of how works nature where fauna and flora (in a systemic environment) are dynamic per nature.
Definition of a Niche;
A niche is the domain of presence (or function) of a given organism within its ecosystem. It includes the areas related to the search for food, shelter and reproduction. A species’ niche includes all of its interactions with the biotic and abiotic factors of its environment. A niche involves one organism. In Permaculture a Niche is defined as an opportunity in Space.
Definition of a Cycle;
An ecological cycle is a self-regulating process that recycle earth resources (e.g. water, nitrogen, carbon, …). For example and to simplify; flamingos eat Spirulina and produce dejection which will be used as a nutrient by Spirulina. If entropy is associated with energy dissipation and chaos, cycles allow to reduce this effect and conserve energy by re-using (recycling) resources and energy. As a consequence cycles can be considered as producers of reusable resources and are considered a yield (available resource) in Permaculture. A cycle involves one or more organisms (biotic) and abiotic resources. In Permaculture a Cycle create opportunity in Time.
Definition of a Schedule in Permaculture;
A schedule is the sequence (or set) of intersections between Niche and Cycle; A schedule element is performed by one organism fulfilling one function of a cycle in time inside a niche. In Permaculture a Schedule is defined as a set of opportunities in Space/Time.
A Floresta Nova - A Tropical Food Forest - Brazil - Bahia - Permaculture Training 