Exploring the environmental impact of crop production in China using a comprehensive footprint approach

Liu, Yunpeng; Wu, Wenao; Yang, Jiaxin; Cheng, Kun; Smith, Pete; Sun, Jianfei; Xu, Xiangrui; Ye, Qian; Pan, Genxing

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153898

Cited by 20 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…The North China Plain, where this study is located, is the region where the soil pH is alkaline, which just confirms the result that pig manure can reduce soil N 2 O in this study. Ammonia volatilization is the main contributor of reactive nitrogen in farmland, which is consistent with the conclusion of Li et al [ 43 ]. In this study, the application of pig manure can reduce soil ammonia volatilization by 16.2%, which is consistent with previous studies [ 44 , 45 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Nitrogen Footprint of a Recycling System Integrated with Cropland and Livestock in the North China Plain

Cui

et al. 2022

Plants

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Nitrogen-based pollution from agriculture has global environmental consequences. Excessive use of chemical nitrogen fertilizer, incorrect manure management and rural waste treatment are key contributors. Circular agriculture combining cropland and livestock is an efficient channel to reduce the use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers, promote the recycling of livestock manure, and reduce the global N surplus. The internal circulation of organic nitrogen resources in the cropland-livestock system can not only reduce the dependence on external synthetic nitrogen, but also reduce the environmental impacts of organic waste disposal. Therefore, this study tried to clarify the reactive nitrogen emissions of the crop-swine integrated system compared to the separated system from a life cycle perspective, and analyze the reasons for the differences in nitrogen footprints of the two systems. The results showed that the integrated crop production and swine production increased the grain yield by 14.38% than that of the separated system. The nitrogen footprints of crop production and swine production from the integrated system were 12.02% (per unit area) and 19.78% lower than that from the separated system, respectively. The total nitrogen footprint of the integrated system showed a reduction of 17.06%. The reduction was from simpler waste manure management and less agricultural inputs for both chemical fertilizer and raw material for forage processing. In conclusion, as a link between crop planting and pig breeding, the integrated system not only reduces the input of chemical fertilizers, but also promotes the utilization of manure, increases crop yield, and decreases environmental pollution. Integrated cropland and livestock is a promising model for agriculture green and sustainable development in China.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Nitrogen Footprint of a Recycling System Integrated with Cropland and Livestock in the North China Plain

Cui

et al. 2022

Plants

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“…In order to analyze the explanatory power and interaction of different influencing factors on the spatial-temporal variation of the AWF grey in the Yellow River Basin, and considering the scientificity and comprehensiveness of the selection of indicators as well as the comparability and availability of data combined with the relevant literature [63][64][65][66], 12 influencing factors were selected. These 12 factors included: population scale, X 1 ; economic scale, X 2 ; urban and rural structure, X 3 ; technological innovation, X 4 ; industrial structure, X 5 ; resource endowment, X 6 ; crop yield, X 7 ; planting structure, X 8 ; proportion of agricultural water use, X 9 ; fertilizer application intensity, X 10 ; pesticide application intensity, X 11 ; and agricultural film application intensity, X 12 .…”

Section: Path Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on Temporal and Spatial Differentiation and Impact Paths of Agricultural Grey Water Footprints in the Yellow River Basin

Shi

Hao

et al. 2022

Water

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The scientific evaluation of water pollution in the Yellow River Basin was directly related to the sustainable utilization of water resources and the green development of the agricultural economy in this region. In this study, we focused on the planting industry, and measured the agricultural grey water footprint of 73 prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2019. We used spatial autocorrelation analysis to reveal temporal and spatial differentiation characteristics, and we used the path analysis method to study the factors influencing the temporal evolution and spatial distribution. Taking 2015 as the study period, the agricultural grey water footprint showed a trend of first rising and then falling. The values and growth rates of the agricultural grey water footprint in different regions were quite different. According to the natural breakpoint method, the agricultural grey water footprints were divided into low, middle, high, and very high groups. There were obvious spatial differences in the agricultural grey water footprints, and these differences gradually decreased. Generally, the H–L and the L–L types were dominant. From 2000 to 2019, most prefecture-level cities maintained the same transition changes as those in the neighboring regions. Crop yield, economic scale, population scale, urban and rural structure, and technological innovation were found to be the key elements of spatiotemporal variation in the agricultural grey water footprint.

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“…Furthermore, there exists a notable paucity of research focusing on the historical changes in CF of rice production due to the lack of long-term spatial explicit data on emitting sources from various processes, particularly the direct emissions from paddy ecosystems. 14,15 Consequently, the assessment of CF for rice production at both finer spatial (i.e., county scale) and temporal scales is urgently needed for accurately analyzing the spatiotemporal pattern, disclosing the potential driving factors, and facilitating the formulation of localized mitigation policies. Throughout the entire process of rice production, the direct methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions from paddy fields contributed to over 70% of CF.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward Low-Carbon Rice Production in China: Historical Changes, Driving Factors, and Mitigation Potential

Li,

Lu,

et al. 2024

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Under the "Double Carbon" target, the development of low-carbon agriculture requires a holistic comprehension of spatially and temporally explicit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with agricultural products. However, the lack of systematic evaluation at a fine scale presents considerable challenges in guiding localized strategies for mitigating GHG emissions from crop production. Here, we analyzed the countylevel carbon footprint (CF) of China's rice production from 2007 to 2018 by coupling life cycle assessment and the DNDC model. Results revealed a significant annual increase of 74.3 kg CO 2 -eq ha −1 in the average farm-based CF (FCF), while it remained stable for the product-based CF (PCF). The CF exhibited considerable variations among counties, ranging from 2324 to 20,768 kg CO 2 -eq ha −1 for FCF and from 0.36 to 3.81 kg CO 2 -eq kg −1 for PCF in 2018. The spatiotemporal heterogeneities of FCF were predominantly influenced by field CH 4 emissions, followed by diesel consumption and soil organic carbon sequestration. Scenario analysis elucidates that the national total GHG emissions from rice production could be significantly reduced through optimized irrigation (48.5%) and straw-based biogas production (18.0%). Moreover, integrating additional strategies (e.g., advanced crop management, optimized fertilization, and biodiesel application) could amplify the overall emission reduction to 76.7% while concurrently boosting the rice yield by 11.8%. Our county-level research provides valuable insights for the formulation of targeted GHG mitigation policies in rice production, thereby advancing the pursuit of carbon-neutral agricultural practices.

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Exploring the environmental impact of crop production in China using a comprehensive footprint approach

Cited by 20 publications

References 51 publications

Nitrogen Footprint of a Recycling System Integrated with Cropland and Livestock in the North China Plain

Nitrogen Footprint of a Recycling System Integrated with Cropland and Livestock in the North China Plain

Research on Temporal and Spatial Differentiation and Impact Paths of Agricultural Grey Water Footprints in the Yellow River Basin

Toward Low-Carbon Rice Production in China: Historical Changes, Driving Factors, and Mitigation Potential

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