Final answer:
The subsistence strategy that relies on domestic animals without significant reliance on domestic plants is called pastoralism. This strategy is typically used in environments where agriculture is less viable due to factors such as marginal soils or unpredictable rainfall, and involves the trade of animal products for crops with neighboring farmers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Subsistence Strategy Relying on Domestic Animals
The subsistence strategy that relies on domestic animals without significant domestic plants is known as pastoralism. This mode of subsistence involves the care and use of domesticated herd animals such as sheep, goats, cattle, and others. Pastoral societies like the Maasai are typically nomadic, moving with their herds to access new pastures and water sources. Unlike farming which requires settled conditions, the unpredictable rainfall or marginal soils in certain areas make pastoralism more viable. In many cases, pastoralists trade animal products like meat and milk for crops grown by neighboring agricultural communities, indicating a flexible combination of subsistence strategies based on environmental and social variables.
Throughout history, pastoralism and other modes of subsistence such as gathering-hunting and agriculture have coexisted, with many groups engaging in more than one strategy depending on their circumstances. These strategies all require human labor applied directly to environmental resources, producing food, tools, and other goods necessary for survival.