Concept | Adaptability¶
5 Ws who, what, when, where, why¶
Who¶
Farmers and permaculture experts → Use the system to optimize irrigation and soil health.
What¶
The system consists of two complementary interfaces:
- An environmental monitoring device: Collects and processes environmental data.
- A wearable haptic device: Provides sensory feedback to the user.
Both interfaces work together to offer an adaptive experience tailored to the user’s needs and context.
When¶
- Real-time use to receive immediate alerts about environmental changes.
- Long-term data storage for pattern analysis.
- Different project phases, from data collection to active ecological intervention.
Where¶
The system can be implemented in:
- Xochimilco → Monitoring water quality in chinampas.
- Protected natural areas → Analyzing pollution and climate changes.
Why¶
Xochimilco, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is famous for its chinampas (floating gardens) and interconnected canals. However, in recent decades, pollution has severely degraded water quality, threatening biodiversity, agriculture, and the livelihoods of local communities.
The main causes of pollution include:
-
Untreated Wastewater & Sewage Discharge
🚰 Issue: Many surrounding urban areas lack proper sewage treatment, leading to direct wastewater discharge into the canals.
💡 Impact: Increased levels of pathogens (E. coli), nitrates, and phosphates, making water unsafe for human and agricultural use. -
Agricultural Runoff & Chemical Contaminants
🌾 Issue: The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in nearby fields and chinampas washes into the canals.
💡 Impact: Eutrophication (excess nutrients in the water), causing algae blooms that reduce oxygen levels and kill aquatic life. -
Decreasing Water Flow & Overuse of Aquifers
🚱 Issue: Excessive groundwater extraction lowers the water table, reducing natural water renewal in Xochimilco’s canals.
💡 Impact: Stagnant water promotes bacterial growth and reduces self-cleaning capacity.
References (Projects, research papers, expos, performances, etc.)¶
| Feature | Relevance to Xochimilco Systema |
|---|---|
| Haptic Feedback (PlantWear) | Enables wearable real-time alerts based on water conditions. |
| Citizen-Led Monitoring (Open-Seneca) | Encourages community participation in environmental tracking. |
| Modular Open-Source Sensors (Smart Citizen Kit) | Allows easy customization for different users. |
| DIY Smart Agriculture (Arduino Opla) | Demonstrates how to empower local farmers with IoT-based monitoring. |
Xochimilco¶
Download Reference¶
- Citizen-led monitoring: fostering accountability for social change
- AirKit: A Citizen-Sensing Toolkit for Monitoring Air Quality
- Citizen-Led Monitoring (Open-Seneca)
- Taller 13
- Oruga Chinampa
Moodboard¶
Adaptability is the ability to adjust to new conditions, respond to environmental changes, and evolve to ensure survival and balance within an ecosystem. In relation to change, shelter, restoration, and fungi, adaptability can be understood from several perspectives:
Change: Adaptable organisms and systems can modify their structures, behaviors, or functions in response to external pressures. In the case of fungi, their ability to mutate and diversify allows them to colonize various habitats and respond to environmental variations.
Shelter: Adaptability also involves protection strategies against adverse conditions. Fungi can form resistant spores to survive in hostile environments, creating sheltering structures that enable them to remain dormant until conditions become favorable.
Restoration: Fungi play a crucial role in ecosystem regeneration. Their ability to decompose organic matter, form symbiotic relationships with plants, and improve soil quality makes them key agents in ecological restoration and soil recovery.
Fungal Adaptability: Fungi have developed extraordinary strategies to survive and thrive in diverse environments. Their capacity to establish symbiotic relationships (such as mycorrhizae with plants), act as decomposers, and even resist environmental pollutants demonstrates a unique flexibility that makes them essential for ecological balance.
