17 June 2020, 01:56 PM
PROPOSED QUESTION:
Would popularized "commercial crop" plants still be around, or viable, for Luperci use? (With, certain exceptions, of course)
Can we reference luperci cultivating crops? For convenience's sake, should existing crops produced be referenced as hybrids of the original crops (as we know them)?
Counter-Point #1:
While it's true that Luperci would rely more heavily on their natural meat-heavy diets, studies have shown that wild canines may turn to eating plant matter to fill gaps in their nutrition - leaves, grass, etc.
In fact, when trying to produce any 'healthier' alternatives to name-brand "grain based" dog foods in our IRL households, it's turned out to be rarely as simple as just giving our pets unseasoned meats, as our canine companions, over generations of breeding, have adapted to omnivorous habits.
My own vet cites using root-type crops for dog food - i.e., cooked sweet potato, carrots, etc., as well as crops such as peas as part of a home made dog food!
As such, it may make sense for Canis lupus familiaris Luperci to have a higher probability of, perhaps, picking up rudimentary farming and foraging to help fill gaps in their diets!
Counter Point #2:
Well, aside from the aforementioned dietary balancing, I think it wouldn't be too hard a stretch to see the benefits of farming/production of crops that both feed luperci, and could feed their livestock! For instance, Salsola has an apple orchard - which are fun snacks both for their cattle, and horses, I'm sure, as well as providing use for a potential Luperci food source for SL's denizens~ (Along with specifically referenced vegetables offered along their elaborate Last Supper meal courses! <
Counter Point #3:
Answer, at least to me, is that many of the crops would probably not have survived, at least as we have seen them (especially thanks to the heavy production and popularization of Monsanto's monopoly on seed patents in which crops started being produced under intellectual property since the 1930's, and since then, certain plants have been bred via GMO's to be nonviable without constant seeding from the source of said parent company, Monsanto), but, certain strains and genetic backgrounds of crop-type plants stem back far enough and are varied enough to likely survive an apocalyptic situation. Without human interference, it's quite possible that these crops may have cross-cultivated with others of their same type (Sugar Beets, long-cultivated, since 1747 cross-breeding with the wild type Sea Beet, but still remaining a viable crop, etc.).
Of course, I think a large part of this relies very heavily on the genetic pool of the cultivated population of existing plants. Most plants have a largely varied pool to tap from - for example, there are 7,500 types of apple worldwide, though only 100 of these apples (as we commonly see them) are grown "commercially" in the United States.
Then, to the contrary, you have the Banana, which likely... Would not have survived without human interference, as history has shown that (not once, but quite a few times), the genetic pool of bananas, as we know them, has been so strongly bred for only a handful of traits that they're essentially clones, leaving the entire population prone to banana plagues, which, coincidentally, happens to be why the synthetic flavor of Banana does not taste like the crop we can buy in stores now.
Would popularized "commercial crop" plants still be around, or viable, for Luperci use? (With, certain exceptions, of course)
Can we reference luperci cultivating crops? For convenience's sake, should existing crops produced be referenced as hybrids of the original crops (as we know them)?
Counter-Point #1:
Quote:Why would Luperci want to eat crops vs. hunt or fish for nutrients?
While it's true that Luperci would rely more heavily on their natural meat-heavy diets, studies have shown that wild canines may turn to eating plant matter to fill gaps in their nutrition - leaves, grass, etc.
Livescience.com Wrote:In this scenario, the dog may even be seeking out grass to get additional nutrients it may not have in its normal diet, such as fiber, minerals or digestive enzymes. A 2007 case study in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Science reported that a switch to a high-fiber diet stopped a miniature poodle from regularly eating grass.
Wolves and other wild canids are known to regularly eat plant matter, suggesting dogs' grass-eating behavior is innate and perfectly normal. Indeed, a 2009 dog study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior found that puppies were more likely to eat grass if their mothers did while nursing.
In fact, when trying to produce any 'healthier' alternatives to name-brand "grain based" dog foods in our IRL households, it's turned out to be rarely as simple as just giving our pets unseasoned meats, as our canine companions, over generations of breeding, have adapted to omnivorous habits.
VCAHospitals.com Wrote:Because of the dietary needs of dogs, both their tooth structure and intestinal tract have become adapted to an omnivorous diet. This means that, under normal circumstances, dogs can meet their nutritional needs by eating a combination of plant and animal foods. The source of the proteins and fats is less important than the quality and digestibility of these essential components of the dog's diet. Dogs can thrive if they are fed a properly balanced vegetarian diet. However, an all-meat diet would be unbalanced and would not meet all of a dog's nutritional requirements.
My own vet cites using root-type crops for dog food - i.e., cooked sweet potato, carrots, etc., as well as crops such as peas as part of a home made dog food!
As such, it may make sense for Canis lupus familiaris Luperci to have a higher probability of, perhaps, picking up rudimentary farming and foraging to help fill gaps in their diets!
Counter Point #2:
Quote:How would Luperci benefit from agriculture?
Well, aside from the aforementioned dietary balancing, I think it wouldn't be too hard a stretch to see the benefits of farming/production of crops that both feed luperci, and could feed their livestock! For instance, Salsola has an apple orchard - which are fun snacks both for their cattle, and horses, I'm sure, as well as providing use for a potential Luperci food source for SL's denizens~ (Along with specifically referenced vegetables offered along their elaborate Last Supper meal courses! <

Counter Point #3:
Quote:How would crops survive/fare without humans?
Answer, at least to me, is that many of the crops would probably not have survived, at least as we have seen them (especially thanks to the heavy production and popularization of Monsanto's monopoly on seed patents in which crops started being produced under intellectual property since the 1930's, and since then, certain plants have been bred via GMO's to be nonviable without constant seeding from the source of said parent company, Monsanto), but, certain strains and genetic backgrounds of crop-type plants stem back far enough and are varied enough to likely survive an apocalyptic situation. Without human interference, it's quite possible that these crops may have cross-cultivated with others of their same type (Sugar Beets, long-cultivated, since 1747 cross-breeding with the wild type Sea Beet, but still remaining a viable crop, etc.).
Of course, I think a large part of this relies very heavily on the genetic pool of the cultivated population of existing plants. Most plants have a largely varied pool to tap from - for example, there are 7,500 types of apple worldwide, though only 100 of these apples (as we commonly see them) are grown "commercially" in the United States.
Quote:Pink Pearl apple, Winesap apple, Arkansas Black apple, Opal apple, to name a less few of these less common crops
Then, to the contrary, you have the Banana, which likely... Would not have survived without human interference, as history has shown that (not once, but quite a few times), the genetic pool of bananas, as we know them, has been so strongly bred for only a handful of traits that they're essentially clones, leaving the entire population prone to banana plagues, which, coincidentally, happens to be why the synthetic flavor of Banana does not taste like the crop we can buy in stores now.
Quote:The original banana for "banana candy" flavor was based on the Gros Michel (or "Big Mike") banana, which was the most popular crop produced up until the 1950's, which has now been largely replaced by the Cavendish banana.