A New Framework of Green Transition of Cultivated Land-Use for the Coordination among the Water-Land-Food-Carbon Nexus in China

Abstract

As a fundamental solution to the ecological problems of resources and environment, the Green Transition of Cultivated Land-use (GTCL) has become an inherent requirement for promoting ecological progress and implementing the food security strategy in the new era. This paper proposed a theoretical framework of GTCL and constructed a GTCL development index system based on four aspects: water, land, food and carbon; then, by applying a comprehensive evaluation model, a coupling coordination model and exploratory spatial data analysis, the development level of GTCL in China’s 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020 was evaluated and the spatial and temporal rates of change of “water, land, food and carbon” (WLFC) and their coupling coordination were finally analyzed to reveal the “water, land, food and carbon” effect of GTCL. Results showed that the systemic changes of WLFC and its coupling coordination degree of GTCL presented a spatial and temporal coincidence with a high degree of consistency; from 2000 to 2020, the overall GTCL rate in all Chinese provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions showed a “W”-shaped fluctuation uptrend. In the past five years, the development level of GTCL was higher in Northeast China, followed by Central China and North China, while South China was at a low level. In addition, WLFC showed a more obvious “W”-shaped fluctuation, with higher coupling coordination in Northeast China in good coordination and lower coordination in East China and Southwest China. Therefore, according to the results of the study, areas were divided into: benefit leading area, quality improvement area, connotation tapping potential area, ductile development area and ecological reserve area for the regulation of GTCL in all Chinese provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions.

Water–Land–Food Nexus for Sustainable Agricultural Development in Main Grain-Producing Areas of North China Plain

“…Wu and Bao were the first to calculate the matching coefficients of water and land resources between provinces in China and other countries worldwide by developing a Lorenz Curve of agricultural water resources and cultivated land area [25]. Scholars usually adopt Gini coefficient method and the water-land resources utilization coefficient for identifying the matching pattern and evolution characteristics between two resources [26,27] Based on the binary relation between water and land resource, the multiple correlations with other resources including energy and carbon can be further explored [5,28]. However, current studies have been carried out on the matching relations between land and water resources at different levels, while there are few studies concentrating on the ternary matching relation between land, water, and grain production structure.…”

The Use of Cultivated Land for Multiple Functions in Major Grain-Producing Areas in Northeast China: Spatial-Temporal Pattern and Driving Forces

“…The ratio between the area of paddy field and cultivated land indicates the ecological advantage of the cultivated land category. The farmland ecosystem diversity index reflects the richness of crop varieties and the strength of ecological functions [40]. The farmland ecosystem diversity index is the ratio of the area sown with major food crops such as wheat, paddy rice, corn, soybean, and potato to the area sown with major cash crops such as oil and cotton out of the total area sown with staple farm crops in the study areas.…”

A framework for quantification and integration of green development of cultivated land in China: From the perspective of adaptability‐vitality‐resistance

“…As one of the countries with the most contradictory relationships between people and land in the world, China's per capita cultivated land area is less than 40% of the global average, but it supports 22% of the world's population (Huang et al, 2019; Kong, 2014). The degree of the spatial mismatch between China's cultivated land and water resources is increasing, and the spatial differentiation and agglomeration of population, cultivated land, and food are intensifying (Niu et al, 2022). At the same time, China's cultivated land confronts dual pressure from construction and ecological degradation, with a 7% reduction in cultivated land between 2009 and 2019 (Z. H. Lai et al, 2020).…”