Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1103-1113 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Land Degradation and Development |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Feb 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Understanding the effects of land-use change in drylands on nutrient use efficiencies and losses within the food production-consumption system provides insights on nutrient management strategies and the effectiveness of land-use policies. Weibei Dryland is considered an example to use to evaluate changes in nitrogen (N) flows through the food chain following conversion of croplands to apple orchards, using the Nutrient flows in Food Chains, Environment and Resources Use (NUFER) model, and we also modelled the effects of 20% reduction in N fertilizers on apple yields to obtain a balanced fertilization strategy. The apple orchards area increased from 9.6 × 104 ha in 1978 to 72 × 104 ha in 2013, while the area under cereals decreased from 186 × 104 ha in 1978 to 152 × 104 ha in 2013. The increased income due to apple orchards led on-one-hand to more N fertilization to get a higher apple yield, and on-the-other-hand promoted the consumption of animal foods. Consequently, nitrogen use efficiency of crop production (NUEc) and the combination of crop and animal production (NUEc+a) decreased, but nitrogen use efficiency of animal production (NUEa) and N losses increased between 1978 and 2013. The modelled scenario of 20% reduction in N fertilization amounts will still keep optimum apple yield but will significantly decrease N losses from the apple orchards. We therefore, suggest that the key measures for improving nitrogen use efficiency and decreasing N losses after conversion to cash crops are: (a) reducing N fertilization as well as balancing various inorganic fertilizers; and (b) implying organic fertilizers.
Keywords
- apple orchards, fertilization management, land use change, nitrogen flow, nitrogen losses
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- Environmental Chemistry
- Social Sciences(all)
- Development
- Environmental Science(all)
- General Environmental Science
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Soil Science
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Land Degradation and Development, Vol. 32, No. 3, 15.02.2021, p. 1103-1113.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Croplands conversion to cash crops in dry regions
T2 - Consequences of nitrogen losses and decreasing nitrogen use efficiency for the food chain system
AU - Zhang, Xuechen
AU - Razavi, Bahar S.
AU - Liu, Jiaxin
AU - Wang, Gui
AU - Zhang, Xucheng
AU - Li, Ziyan
AU - Zhai, Bingnian
AU - Wang, Zhaohui
AU - Zamanian, Kazem
N1 - Funding information: This work is supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFD0201801801), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40501332), the Foundation of Key Laboratory of High Water Utilization on Dryland of Gansu Province (HNSJJ-2019-02), the Project of Promoting Agricultural Science and Technology Demonstration of Yangling (2018-GG-29), the Scientific and Technological Achievements Promotion Project of Northwest A & F University (TGZX2020-18), the Earmarked Fund for Apple Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System (CARS-27) and the International Cooperation Fund of Northwest A&F University. We gratefully acknowledge the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for financial support for Xuechen Zhang. This work is supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFD0201801801), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40501332), the Foundation of Key Laboratory of High Water Utilization on Dryland of Gansu Province (HNSJJ-2019-02), the Project of Promoting Agricultural Science and Technology Demonstration of Yangling (2018-GG-29), the Scientific and Technological Achievements Promotion Project of Northwest A & F University (TGZX2020-18), the Earmarked Fund for Apple Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System (CARS-27) and the International Cooperation Fund of Northwest A&F University. We gratefully acknowledge the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for financial support for Xuechen Zhang. China Scholarship Council; Foundation of Key Laboratory of High Water Utilization on Dryland of Gansu Province, Grant/Award Number: HNSJJ-2019-02; International Cooperation Fund of Northwest A&F University; National Key Research and Development Program of China, Grant/Award Number: 2017YFD0201801801; National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant/Award Number: 40501332; Project for Promoting Agricultural Science and Technology Demonstration of Yangling, Grant/Award Number: 2018-GG-29 Funding information
PY - 2021/2/15
Y1 - 2021/2/15
N2 - Understanding the effects of land-use change in drylands on nutrient use efficiencies and losses within the food production-consumption system provides insights on nutrient management strategies and the effectiveness of land-use policies. Weibei Dryland is considered an example to use to evaluate changes in nitrogen (N) flows through the food chain following conversion of croplands to apple orchards, using the Nutrient flows in Food Chains, Environment and Resources Use (NUFER) model, and we also modelled the effects of 20% reduction in N fertilizers on apple yields to obtain a balanced fertilization strategy. The apple orchards area increased from 9.6 × 104 ha in 1978 to 72 × 104 ha in 2013, while the area under cereals decreased from 186 × 104 ha in 1978 to 152 × 104 ha in 2013. The increased income due to apple orchards led on-one-hand to more N fertilization to get a higher apple yield, and on-the-other-hand promoted the consumption of animal foods. Consequently, nitrogen use efficiency of crop production (NUEc) and the combination of crop and animal production (NUEc+a) decreased, but nitrogen use efficiency of animal production (NUEa) and N losses increased between 1978 and 2013. The modelled scenario of 20% reduction in N fertilization amounts will still keep optimum apple yield but will significantly decrease N losses from the apple orchards. We therefore, suggest that the key measures for improving nitrogen use efficiency and decreasing N losses after conversion to cash crops are: (a) reducing N fertilization as well as balancing various inorganic fertilizers; and (b) implying organic fertilizers.
AB - Understanding the effects of land-use change in drylands on nutrient use efficiencies and losses within the food production-consumption system provides insights on nutrient management strategies and the effectiveness of land-use policies. Weibei Dryland is considered an example to use to evaluate changes in nitrogen (N) flows through the food chain following conversion of croplands to apple orchards, using the Nutrient flows in Food Chains, Environment and Resources Use (NUFER) model, and we also modelled the effects of 20% reduction in N fertilizers on apple yields to obtain a balanced fertilization strategy. The apple orchards area increased from 9.6 × 104 ha in 1978 to 72 × 104 ha in 2013, while the area under cereals decreased from 186 × 104 ha in 1978 to 152 × 104 ha in 2013. The increased income due to apple orchards led on-one-hand to more N fertilization to get a higher apple yield, and on-the-other-hand promoted the consumption of animal foods. Consequently, nitrogen use efficiency of crop production (NUEc) and the combination of crop and animal production (NUEc+a) decreased, but nitrogen use efficiency of animal production (NUEa) and N losses increased between 1978 and 2013. The modelled scenario of 20% reduction in N fertilization amounts will still keep optimum apple yield but will significantly decrease N losses from the apple orchards. We therefore, suggest that the key measures for improving nitrogen use efficiency and decreasing N losses after conversion to cash crops are: (a) reducing N fertilization as well as balancing various inorganic fertilizers; and (b) implying organic fertilizers.
KW - apple orchards
KW - fertilization management
KW - land use change
KW - nitrogen flow
KW - nitrogen losses
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088827055&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ldr.3680
DO - 10.1002/ldr.3680
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85088827055
VL - 32
SP - 1103
EP - 1113
JO - Land Degradation and Development
JF - Land Degradation and Development
SN - 1085-3278
IS - 3
ER -