Land-use changes driven by ‘Grain for Green’ program reduced carbon loss induced by soil erosion on the Loess Plateau of China

Deng, Lei; Kim, Dong-Gill; Li, Miaoyu; Huang, Chunbo; Qiu-yu, Liu; Cheng, Min; Shangguan, Zhouping; Peng, Changhui

doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2019.03.017

Cited by 114 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…The SOC stocks of grasslands (5.0 kg m −2 ) were larger than those in forests (4.2 kg m −2 ) in the Mediterranean climatic area of southern Spain (Willaarts et al, 2016); these findings are similar to findings from France (Martin et al, 2011). Moreover, as the dominant land use on the Loess Plateau (Lü et al, 2012), grasslands reduced soil and water losses more than forests in the zone with MAP <550 mm (Deng et al, 2019). Therefore, on the Loess Plateau, especially in arid and semiarid regions, naturally restored grasslands should play an important role in ecological restoration projects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The SOC stocks in forests were lower than those under permanent grassland in the top 30 cm of soil in France (Martin et al, 2011). Studies exploring the soil carbon sequestration benefits under certain ecological restoration practices have mainly been conducted in individual watersheds (Jin et al, 2014; Zhang, Yang, et al, 2018; Zhao et al, 2017), although there are numerous studies applying the meta‐analysis method on a large spatial scale (Albaladejo et al, 2013; Bárcena et al, 2014; Chang, Fu, Liu, & Liu, 2011; Deng et al, 2019; Deng, & Shangguan, 2017; Tian et al, 2018). However, any meta‐analysis will fail to include all relevant studies because the nature and objective of each study result in publication or non‐publication; in addition, the comparability of sample distributions and the differences among research designs inevitably limit the authenticity and integrity of the datasets.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Soil organic carbon stocks in an investigated watershed transect linked to ecological restoration practices on the Loess Plateau

et al. 2020

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Lager scale ecological restoration practices are increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. Meta‐analysis is by far the most widely applied technique for describing SOC at large spatial scales, but there is a lack of field‐based investigations on a series of individual watersheds. In this study, a watershed transect of six watersheds distributed in a hilly and gully area of the Loess Plateau was investigated in order to achieve sustainable practices. The results indicate that ecological restoration practices significantly increased SOC stocks to varying degrees (p < 0.05). Grasslands were associated with the largest SOC stocks (39.42 ± 22.21 t hm−2), which were larger than the SOC stocks of artificial immature forest (<20 years) (26.58 ± 14.32 t hm−2) in the 50 cm soil profile. However, in the long term, afforestation seems to increase SOC stocks to the level of secondary forest, 81.15 ± 4.69 t hm−2, in a suitable environment. Appropriate land use management is also an effective approach to improving soil C sequestration capacity. SOC stocks were measured as 34.11 ± 7.66 t hm−2 in abandoned terraced farmland, which was similar to the grassland SOC stocks. Soil and plant factors contributed approximately 60% to the variation in the spatial distribution of SOC stocks at 0–50 cm; their contributions increased and diminished with increasing soil depth, respectively. This study indicates naturally restored grassland and engineering practices are suitable on the Loess Plateau by investigating a watershed transect and enhances our understanding of the comprehensive contributions of environmental factors to the spatial distribution of SOC stocks on a large spatial scale.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil organic carbon stocks in an investigated watershed transect linked to ecological restoration practices on the Loess Plateau

et al. 2020

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“…In China, much of the soil degradation has stemmed from erosion, and notably from cultivation of steep slopes and overgrazing. The very successful Sloping Land Conservation ("grain for green") Programme [6] has markedly reduced soil erosion such that soil losses from water erosion have been declining for over 10 years [7] . Soil erosion in the UK as in much of the European Union (EU) has also been declining [8] although there are still erosion hotspots from both water and wind erosion.…”

Section: Reversing Soil and Water Degradationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agriculture Green Development in China and the UK: common objectives and converging policy pathways

Norse

Powlson

2020

Front. Agr. Sci. Eng.

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This paper has three aims. First, to examine how the negative environmental consequences of intensive agriculture have driven China and the UK to shift away from narrowly focused farm output policies and adopt more holistic green development pathways. Second, to explore the policy objectives they have in common. Third, to assess the numerous opportunities for joint research and knowledge sharing through the Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network and other existing institutional mechanisms. The intensification of agricultural production in the UK started several decades earlier than in China as did the negative environmental consequences of the farm practices. However, their strategies and policies for sustainable intensification and green development have much in common. These are set out in two main documents: the Chinese State Council guidelines for green agriculture and the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 25 Year Environment Plan. There are substantial mutual advantages from greater collaboration on problem identification and monitoring; the development of appropriate technological and management responses and the formulation of sound policies. To achieve this potential, it is recommended that further thought be given to how best to bring together all of the key stakeholders along the whole food chain.

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“…Some researchers simulated the soil erosion in different situations, thus expanding the application of the empirical models (Han, Ren, Zhang, & Li, 2016; Hessel, Messing, Chen, Ritsema, & Stolte, 2003; Zhou, Shangguan, & Zhao, 2006). Field observation included the use of data on river run‐off, sediment content, and sediment transport obtained from published data or experiments seeking to analyse the impact of GFG on soil erosion in specific areas, especially at the river basin scale, and these were all used to make suggestions for feasible measures (Deng et al, 2019; Gao, Fu, Zhang, Ma, & Sivapalan, 2018; Yang et al, 2018). In addition, although some studies used empirical models to calculate the soil erosion, they also verified the empirical models through experimental observations, thus ensuring the reliability of the empirical model results (Jiang, Zhang, Wang, Feng, & Labzovskii, 2019; Jiang, Zhang, Zhang, & Wang, 2019; Sun, Shao, Liu, & Zhai, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying the efficiency of soil conservation and optimized strategies: A case‐study in a hotspot of afforestation in the Loess Plateau

Ning

Zhang

2020

Land Degrad Dev

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Although it is generally believed the Grain for Green programme (GFG) implemented in China has attenuated soil erosion, the extent to which it is effective still needs verification. Taking Yan'an in the Loess Plateau as the study area, we analysed both total effect and efficiency differences during GFG implementation. Results showed that, while soil erosion on average decreased from 4,884.49 to 4,087.57 t km−2 yr−1, counties with higher GFG implementation intensity achieved a lower soil conservation effect. For example, Wuqi ranks third in the GFG implementation intensity among all counties in Yan'an, but its actual soil erosion reduction is the lowest, only 54.1% of Yan'an's average level. To analyse the reason for the efficiency difference, the concept of soil conservation potential was proposed. It is concluded that the soil conservation effect is controlled by the soil conservation potential. Ideally, regions with high soil conservation potential should get priority in the GFG application, yet there is a significant spatial mismatch between the GFG implementation intensity and the soil conservation potential because the correlation coefficient is only −0.05, which weakened the soil control effect. A dynamic implementation mechanism was put forward for the formulation and optimization of ecological programmes and projects in future: first, using the soil conservation potential to determine the implementation intensity in each region; second, adjusting the intensity to the changes of the soil conservation potential in the following implementation; third, repeating above steps to ensure high efficiency of soil erosion control, and achieving the sustainability and effectiveness of the ecological projects.

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Land-use changes driven by ‘Grain for Green’ program reduced carbon loss induced by soil erosion on the Loess Plateau of China

Cited by 114 publications

References 78 publications

Soil organic carbon stocks in an investigated watershed transect linked to ecological restoration practices on the Loess Plateau

Soil organic carbon stocks in an investigated watershed transect linked to ecological restoration practices on the Loess Plateau

Agriculture Green Development in China and the UK: common objectives and converging policy pathways

Quantifying the efficiency of soil conservation and optimized strategies: A case‐study in a hotspot of afforestation in the Loess Plateau

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