REDUCED-SCALE TERRAFORMING: INTERCROPPING AND INTRODUCTION OF EXTREMOPHILES IN SOIL ANALOGOUS TO MARTIAN SOIL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/revgeov17n3-195Keywords:
Terraforming, Mars, Martian Soil, Terrarium, IntercroppingAbstract
This work aimed to construct a small-scale terrarium to simulate Martian soil conditions and evaluate initial terraforming techniques. Soil analogous to that of Mars, collected from Pico do Cabugi (RN, Brazil), was used due to its mineralogical similarity to the soil of the red planet. The experiment focused on improving soil fertility through intercropping of maize (Zea mays L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa), as well as the introduction of extremophilic organisms (tardigrades) to assess the viability of life forms. Aspects such as atmospheric pressure and temperature were not simulated due to resource limitations. Preliminary results from the open control environment indicated satisfactory plant growth and a slight increase in soil pH over 12 weeks, suggesting potential for progressive enrichment of the substrate. This study contributes as an initial step for future investigations into agriculture under extraterrestrial conditions.
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