Profitability Analysis of Cellulosic Energy Crops Compared with Corn

James, Laura; Swinton, Scott M.; Thelen, Kurt D.

doi:10.2134/agronj2009.0289

Cited by 120 publications

(125 citation statements)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

119

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In contrast, moderately diverse, minimally managed perennial bioenergy crops could resemble seminatural habitats, and their adoption could help mitigate the negative effects associated with current landscape structure (39)(40)(41). In the present economic environment, where production is highly valued and environmental costs are not, first generation bioenergy feedstocks are more profitable for producers (42). Policies that close the profitability gap and encourage production of perennial bioenergy crops could serve multiple purposes if they promote provisioning of multiple ecosystem services, while also providing feedstocks for low-carbon energy (43).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural landscape simplification and insecticide use in the Midwestern United States

Meehan

Werling

Landis

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

341

291

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Agronomic intensification has transformed many agricultural landscapes into expansive monocultures with little natural habitat. A pervasive concern is that such landscape simplification results in an increase in insect pest pressure, and thus an increased need for insecticides. We tested this hypothesis across a range of cropping systems in the Midwestern United States, using remotely sensed land cover data, data from a national census of farm management practices, and data from a regional crop pest monitoring network. We found that, independent of several other factors, the proportion of harvested cropland treated with insecticides increased with the proportion and patch size of cropland and decreased with the proportion of seminatural habitat in a county. We also found a positive relationship between the proportion of harvested cropland treated with insecticides and crop pest abundance, and a positive relationship between crop pest abundance and the proportion cropland in a county. These results provide broad correlative support for the hypothesized link between landscape simplification, pest pressure, and insecticide use. Using regression coefficients from our analysis, we estimate that, across the seven-state region in 2007, landscape simplification was associated with insecticide application to 1.4 million hectares and an increase in direct costs totaling between $34 and $103 million. Both the direct and indirect environmental costs of landscape simplification should be considered in design of land use policy that balances multiple ecosystem goods and services.agriculture | biocontrol | crop pests | land cover change | pesticides

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural landscape simplification and insecticide use in the Midwestern United States

Meehan

Werling

Landis

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

341

291

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, quantitative analyses have been conducted to gauge the economic and energetic viability (4,5) of these crops and their impacts on ecosystem processes such as carbon sequestration and nutrient loss (6,7). However, there are few studies that consider how bioenergy crops will affect biodiversity (8,9), and none that explicitly model biodiversity impacts under different bioenergy cropping scenarios.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Bird communities in future bioenergy landscapes of the Upper Midwest

Meehan

Hurlbert²,

Gratton³

2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

121

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mandates for biofuel and renewable electricity are creating incentives for biomass production in agricultural landscapes of the Upper Midwest. Different bioenergy crops are expected to vary in their effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Here, we use data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey to forecast the impact of potential bioenergy crops on avian species richness and the number of bird species of conservation concern in Midwestern landscapes. Our analysis suggests that expanded production of annual bioenergy crops (e.g., corn and soybeans) on marginal land will lead to declines in avian richness between 7% and 65% across 20% of the region, and will make managing at-risk species more challenging. In contrast, replacement of annual with diverse perennial bioenergy crops (e.g., mixed grasses and forbs) is expected to bring increases in avian richness between 12% and 207% across 20% of the region, and possibly aid the recovery of several species of conservation concern.agriculture | biofuel | diversity A variety of bioenergy crops are being considered for fuel, heat, and electricity production in the Upper Midwest. Candidate crops vary along gradients of plant diversity and perenniality. At one end of the spectrum are crops such as corn and soybeans, which are planted annually, enhanced with fertilizers and pesticides, and managed for minimum plant diversity [highinput low-diversity (HILD) crops] (1). At the other end of the spectrum are stands of native perennial grasses and forbs that, once established, are not replanted or treated with fertilizers and pesticides, and have relatively high plant diversity [low-input highdiversity (LIHD) crops] (1). The large volume of biomass needed to meet ethanol and renewable electricity mandates (2, 3) virtually guarantees that bioenergy crop choices will have far-reaching impacts, and requires that crops are chosen wisely.A number of studies have been conducted to compare the potential performance of candidate bioenergy crops. For example, quantitative analyses have been conducted to gauge the economic and energetic viability (4, 5) of these crops and their impacts on ecosystem processes such as carbon sequestration and nutrient loss (6, 7). However, there are few studies that consider how bioenergy crops will affect biodiversity (8, 9), and none that explicitly model biodiversity impacts under different bioenergy cropping scenarios. The lack of quantitative information regarding the biodiversity impacts of Midwestern bioenergy crops is cause for concern, given the extensive land-cover change that has occurred and the tenuous state of biodiversity in the region (10).How might different bioenergy crops influence biodiversity? Previous work suggests that animal diversity is driven, in part, by plant diversity and concomitant variation in plant chemistry, structure, and phenology (11)(12)(13)(14). Thus, we might hypothesize that landscapes dominated by HILD crops will host fewer animal species than those dominated by LIHD crops (8, 9). Indeed, several studie...

show abstract

“…Agricultural land management decisions are complex in nature, varied by site specific conditions, land tenure, policy, perception, and farm-scale economic constraints [24][25][26]. However, adoption of herbaceous energy crops into agricultural lands dominated by high-value row crops will depend largely on the crop's ability to generate comparable income [26,27]. This view implies that energy crops must be more profitable than row crops to merit a land use change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opportunities for Energy Crop Production Based on Subfield Scale Distribution of Profitability

Bonner

Cafferty

Muth³

et al. 2014

Energies

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Incorporation of dedicated herbaceous energy crops into row crop landscapes is a promising means to supply an expanding biofuel industry while benefiting soil and water quality and increasing biodiversity. Despite these positive traits, energy crops remain largely unaccepted due to concerns over their practicality and cost of implementation. This paper presents a case study for Hardin County, Iowa, to demonstrate how subfield decision making can be used to target candidate areas for conversion to energy crop production. Estimates of variability in row crop production at a subfield level are used to model the economic performance of corn (Zea mays L.) grain and the environmental impacts of corn stover collection using the Landscape Environmental Analysis Framework (LEAF). The strategy used in the case study integrates switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) into subfield landscape positions where corn grain is modeled to return a net economic loss. Results show that switchgrass integration has the potential to increase sustainable biomass production from OPEN ACCESSEnergies 2014, 7 6510 48% to 99% (depending on the rigor of conservation practices applied to corn stover collection), while also improving field level profitability of corn. Candidate land area is highly sensitive to grain price (0.18 to 0.26 $· kg −1 ) and dependent on the acceptable subfield net loss for corn production (ranging from 0 to −1000 $· ha −1 ) and the ability of switchgrass production to meet or exceed this return. This work presents the case that switchgrass may be economically incorporated into row crop landscapes when management decisions are applied at a subfield scale within field areas modeled to have a negative net profit with current management practices.

show abstract

Profitability Analysis of Cellulosic Energy Crops Compared with Corn

Cited by 120 publications

References 26 publications

Agricultural landscape simplification and insecticide use in the Midwestern United States

Agricultural landscape simplification and insecticide use in the Midwestern United States

Bird communities in future bioenergy landscapes of the Upper Midwest

Opportunities for Energy Crop Production Based on Subfield Scale Distribution of Profitability

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About