An emergy evaluation of the sustainability of Chinese crop production system during 2000–2010

Crop production systems are the basis of human survival and development because they can produce grain and industrial raw materials. As one of the largest agricultural countries in the world, the sustainability of China's crop production system is being concerned widely with its economic development and increasing population. This study adopted emergy analysis to explore the comprehensive performance of this system. A set of emergy based indicator system was used to investigate its economic benefit, environmental pressure and sustainability from 2000 to 2010. The study results show that the purchased nonrenewable input makes the largest contribution to the total input (average value 60.73% of the total input), which mainly derived from agricultural mechanic equipments and chemical fertilizer; on the average, beans has the largest share (20.20%) to the total emergy output, next from rape seed (18.36%), then from peanuts (15.85%), fruits (15.74%), wheat (8.26%), rice (8.07%), corn (7.66%) and cotton (4.60%) accordingly, and the other four categories crops just have a contribution of 1.28%; the production efficiency of China's crop production system has been raised by 11.54% with decrease of the indicator unit emergy value of product (UEVP) from 1.82E09 sej/g to 1.61E09 sej/g, the dependence of this system on economic market has increased by 24.92% with growth of the indicator EIR from 6.22 to 7.77, its economic benefit has been reduced by 0.59% with decline of the indicator EYR from 1.69 to 1.68, and its environmental loading has raised by 57.89% with growth of the indicator ELR from 1.33 to 2.10; the sustainability of China's crop production system is reduced by 37.01% with decrease of the index ESI from 1.27 to 0.80, during this study period. Based on these study results, the following measures should be emphasized in future, including raising the efficiency of purchased non-renewable resources (especially agricultural mechanical equipments and chemical fertilizer), using other methods of cultivation inherently more sustainable (e.g. replacing chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer, recycling organic wastes, biological control of agricultural pests, use of local renewable energy, and more), strengthening supervision of the related industrial processes and further promoting agricultural environmental protection.     

基于能值分析的无公害设施蔬菜生产系统效率和可持续性评价

发展无公害蔬菜是提高我国蔬菜品质和安全性、增强蔬菜产业竞争力的重要举措。针对蔬菜生产高投入、高产出的特点,采用能值分析方法对无公害设施蔬菜生产系统两种蔬菜栽培模式进行系统效率和可持续性评价,并与一般蔬菜生产模式进行对比。结果表明,无公害蔬菜生产模式能值利用效率、可更新比例、净能值产出率、食品安全性和可持续发展能力分别比一般蔬菜生产系统平均提高24.3%、24.9%、36.0%、98.2%和3.87倍,环境负载率平均下降64.7%,系统投入的能值货币价值平均降低20.0%。在此基础上,通过情景分析表明,如果进一步综合采用收集降雨用于棚内蔬菜灌溉、沼气发电供给蔬菜灌溉利用、通过标准化管理降低人力投入,可以使现有的无公害生产方式的能值利用效率提高3.4%—10.8%,可持续性提高1.2%—31.7%。该研究也表明,将无公害蔬菜生产纳入我国以沼气为纽带的循环农业发展模式中,实现适度的产业结合与规模化经营,能够较好的提高无公害蔬菜生产的生态经济效益和可持续发展能力。     

秸秆利用循环模式的能值效率和持续发展能力

用能值法分析了不同农业循环模式的能值效率和可持续发展能力,以期找到适合本地区发展的农业循环模式。以小麦玉米两熟农田、奶牛饲养系统和沼气发酵系统为研究对象,以常规施肥为对照模式(CK),设置玉米秸秆粉碎还田的农田循环模式、沼液还田的农沼循环模式和有机肥还田的农牧循环模式3种循环模式,用能值方法比较4种循环系统的能值效率和可持续发展能力。结果表明,4种模式的净能值产出率(EYR)都大于1,农田、农沼和农牧循环模式的EYR分别是对照模式的1.13倍、54.22%和50.2%,农田、农沼和农牧循环模式的能值投资率(EIR)分别是对照模式的80.88%、4.25倍和5.85倍,农田、农沼和农牧循环模式的环境负载率(ELR)分别是对照模式的78.95%、3.71倍和1.76倍,农田循环模式对环境的压力最小,农沼循环模式对环境的压力较大,4种模式的ELR都在可接受范围内。农牧循环模式的产品安全性指标(EIPS)为-0.015,最接近于0,其产品安全性最高,而对照模式的产品存在一定的安全隐患。种植模式中农田循环模式可持续发展能力优于对照模式,复合循环模式中农牧循环模式要优于农沼循环模式。综上所述,农牧循环模式的发展潜力最大,是最适合本地区的秸秆利用循环模式。     

能值理论在农业生态经济的应用与展望

农业生态经济系统是由农业生态系统和农业经济系统紧密嵌合而成的特殊的人工-自然复合系统, 是人地关系地域系统研究的主要对象之一, 也是关于现代生态经济研究的核心主体之一。文章论述了能值理论内涵与方法, 基于CNKI与Web of knowledge数据库的文献分析表明, 能值理论在中国农业生态经济领域研究具有普遍的认可度;能值研究在基础理论阐释、指标体系开发、案例实证研究等方面取得了进步, 但也存在一些急需解决的关键问题, 主要包括农业能值流程图的绘制, 农业能值强度的区域适用性, 农业能值计算的时空比较研究等三个方面。     

基于能值分析的中国海洋生态经济可持续发展评价

海洋生态经济可持续发展的研究既是生态经济研究的重要领域,也是海洋经济研究的重点领域。运用能值分析构建中国海洋生态经济系统能值分析模型和指标体系,以中国沿海地区及其附近海域为研究区域,利用2013年的数据对中国海洋生态经济系统的可持续发展水平进行能值测度。研究表明:(1)2013年,中国沿海各省的海洋生态经济总能值为1.70×10~(24)sej,可更新资源能值占主体地位。(2)受沿海各省海洋经济发展水平不同和区域海洋资源储量影响,中国沿海地区海洋生态经济能值密度分布差异较大,能值货币比率以上海为界,南高北低,高中低3种能值产出率结构并存且以中能值产出率结构为主。(3)中国海洋生态经济系统的生态承载力以高承载力和较高承载力为主,但局部地区海洋生态承载力偏低影响区域海洋生态系统平衡。中国海洋生态经济系统环境负载率较大,环境负载率高的地区与我国海洋经济发达地区高度耦合。(4)从可持续发展指数来看,中国海洋生态经济发展的整体可持续性较好,局部地区环境负载率过大和生态承载力偏低严重制约着区域海洋生态经济的可持续发展。     

基于能值分析的中国生态经济系统可持续发展评估

本文基于能值理论全面评估了2006—2016年中国的可持续发展水平,并根据一次能源投入比例的不同将各省份分为4组进行比较分析,讨论一次能源投入水平对省域间可持续发展水平的影响。结果表明: 2006—2016年,随着经济快速增长,一次能源投入比例不断上涨,使得我国整体生态经济系统的环境负荷由2.78升至3.13。同时,受进口增加的影响,能值产出率相对下降,可持续性指标下降至5.40。能值密度变化趋势与一次能源投入比例的变化基本一致,目前大多数省份依旧通过能源消费带动区域经济发展。其中,北京、上海等虽现代化经济高度发达,但环境压力同样高于其他省份,可持续发展水平不容乐观。以江苏为代表的南方省份能源投入较低而能值产出较高,表现出较高的可持续发展活力。因此,提升内陆地区能源利用效率、调整经济发展模式,并适当减缓发展强度,以缓解经济发展与环境保护之间的矛盾,可以令我国稳步实现生态经济的可持续发展。     

Impact of climate warming on crop planting and production in Northwest China

One major challenge in agro-meteorological research is to accurately predict the impacts of global climate warming on future agricultural production. So the effects of climate warming over the past decades need to be assessed. We analyzed the effects of climate warming on crop planting, structure and yield in 5 northwestern provinces of China with a focus on Gansu Province, utilizing accumulated temperature (≥ 10°C, AT), accumulated negative temperature (< 0°C, ANT) and crop data collected from 1981 to 2003. The analysis led to the following conclusions: 1) climate warming is the main driving force for the expansion of winter wheat toward the north and the west in China, for the rapid increase in cotton planting acreage, and for the expansion of annually multi-crop areas toward the north in China and higher altitude; 2) Climate warming is the direct cause for early seeding of spring crops, prolonged growth duration for thermophilic crops and shortened growth duration for overwinter crops; 3) Climate warming is largely attributed to the dramatic increase in cotton yield.     

气候变暖对中国西北地区农作物种植的影响

采用对农作物生长有指标意义的≥10℃积温和<0℃负积温与农作物适宜种植面积、生长发育速度及产量进行对比统计分析研究,指出气候变暖对中国西北地区农作物种植结构发生了较大改变,冬小麦种植区西伸北扩,棉花面积迅速扩大,多熟制向北和高海拔地区推移.农作物生长发育速度发生了明显变化,春播作物提早播种,喜温作物生育期延长,越冬作物推迟播种,生育期缩短.棉花气候产量明显增加.     

基于能值分析的环太湖城市群生态经济系统可持续发展研究

采用能值理论与分析方法,研究2015年环太湖城市群生态经济系统的能值流量,并构建多维度的生态经济系统指标体系,综合评价环太湖城市群可持续发展程度和健康水平。研究结果表明：（1）可更新资源利用不足,在能值利用总量中占比最大值仅为7.95%;（2）不可更新资源消耗过度,在能值利用总量中占比最小值达到56.95%;（3）（除苏州市外）可更新资源产品中肉类与水产品占比最小值已达63.08%,急需对传统的农业结构进行调整;（4）不可更新资源产品均以水泥和钢铁为主,占比最小值已达88.02%,应该加快传统的工业转型升级;（5）输入能值占比最大值仅为36.27%,商品进出口呈现贸易顺差,对外经济开放仍有发展空间;（6）废弃物与可更新能值比率最大值仅为12.8%,废弃物能值比最小值仅为0.19%,废弃物排放和利用水平有待提高;（7）湖州市可持续指标ESI和能值可持续发展指标EISD为1.59和2.99,在环太湖城市群中更具可持续发展潜力;（8）苏州市健康能值指数EUEHI和改进的健康能值指数EUEHI''为8.22和1.65,在环太湖城市群中健康水平较低。据此结果提出了有助于环太湖城市群经济社会发展与自然生态环境和谐共赢的可持续发展对策。     

Emergy and eco-exergy evaluation of four forest restoration modes in southeast China

Four different forest restoration modes (Acacia mangium plantation, mixed-native species plantation, conifer plantation and Eucalyptus plantation) were evaluated using Energy System Theory and the emergy synthesis method. In addition, the eco-exergies of the four forest restoration modes were calculated, and combined with emergy and empower density to explore the restoration and self-organization efficiencies of these modes. The results showed that the two plantations of exotic species, especially the Acacia mangium plantation, were best for biomass accumulation and soil improvement, whereas the two plantations of native species, especially the mixed-native plantation, were more efficient in capturing the available natural resources. Transformity is an important emergy index for the evaluation of system efficiency, because it takes both input and output into account. In subtropical plantations, trees mainly contribute to eco-exergy, whereas herbs and shrubs mainly contribute to specific eco-exergy. The c-value Paradox does exist in conifer species in this study, and it could affect the eco-exergy evaluation. The joint use of eco-exergy and emergy analysis is helpful in comparing both different and similar kinds of ecosystems.     

Contributions of climatic and crop varietal changes to crop production in the North China Plain,since 1980s

The North China Plain (NCP) is the most important agricultural production area in China. Crop production in the NCP is sensitive to changes in both climate and management practices. While previous studies showed a negative impact of climatic change on crop yield since 1980s, the confounding effects of climatic and agronomic factors have not been separately investigated. This paper used 25 years of crop data from three locations (Nanyang, Zhengzhou and Luancheng) across the NCP, together with daily weather data and crop modeling, to analyse the contribution of changes in climatic and agronomic factors to changes in grain yields of wheat and maize. The results showed that the changes in climate were not uniform across the NCP and during different crop growth stages. Warming mainly occurred during the vegetative (preflowering) growth stage of wheat and maize, while there was a cooling trend or no significant change in temperatures during the postflowering stage of wheat (spring) or maize (autumn). If varietal effects were excluded, warming during vegetative stages would lead to a reduction in the length of the growing period for both crops, generally leading to a negative impact on crop production. However, autonomous adoption of new crop varieties in the NCP was able to compensate the negative impact of climatic change. For both wheat and maize, the varietal changes helped stabilize the length of preflowering period against the shortening effect of warming and, together with the slightly reduced temperature in the postflowering period, extend the length of the grain‐filling period. The combined effect led to increased wheat yield at Zhengzhou and Luancheng; increased maize yield at Nanyang and Luancheng; stabilized wheat yield at Nanyang, and a slight reduction in maize yield at Zhengzhou, compared with the yield change caused entirely by climatic change.     

基于能值分析的黑龙江垦区农业生态经济系统可持续性

运用能值理论与分析方法,采用净能值产出率、环境负荷率、能值密度、人均能值用量、能值产投比及可持续性指数、系统稳定性指数及优势度指数等重要能值指标,对黑龙江垦区2002—2011年间农业生态经济系统的能值结构作了分析。结果表明:黑龙江垦区各项指标都维持在较高水平,工业辅助能投入大幅增加,农业生态系统的产能不断提高,垦区的经济发展水平和职工生活水平得到显著改善,但由此也产生了农业生态系统可持续性下降、种植结构不合理和能源利用效率低等问题,需要在今后的发展中亟待解决。     

A comparative evaluation of Cephalosporin C production using various immobilization modes

The production of Cephalosporin C was investigated in a lab-scale 1.4 l air-lift reactor (ALR), using various immobilization modes. Bioparticles were developed by forming biofilm of growing hyphae around an inorganic siran particle which contained spores of the organism. Silk sachet was the other immobilization matrix. The maximum specific growth rate of the Cephalosporium acremonium, free cells, pellets, siran carrier and silk sachets were 0.037, 0.003, 0.047, and 0.035 h(-1), and specific antibiotic productivities (as compared to 100% for free cells) were 180, 150, and 125% for siran carrier, silk sachets and pellets, respectively. Immobilization modes exhibited enhanced volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient and well-controlled, three-phase hydrodynamics.     

Spore production and mycorrhizal development in various tropical crop hosts infected with Glomus clarum

Plant growth, mycorrhizal development and vesicular arbuscular spore production were examined in five tropical crop host species inoculated with Glomus clarum and grown in a glasshouse. In one of the two experiments, sequential harvests of maize, sorghum and chickpea were made in order to study spore production in relation to plant growth and mycorrhizal development. Spore numbers in each of these hosts increased at a fairly constant rate until maximum plant dry weight, when spore production ceased. Sorghum and maize produced considerably more spores than chickpea, with spore numbers being closely correlated with mycorrhizal root length. In the second experiment, Glomus clarum was cultured on each of maize, millet, sorghum, groundnut and chickpea for three consecutive generations before cross-inoculation of the spores from each host onto all five hosts. Sporulation with respect to host size was generally greatest when the inoculum used to infect a host had been produced on that host. The growth-promoting effects of the fungus were not influenced by the source of the inoculum. More spores were produced on the cereals than the legumes. Differences in spore numbers amongst hosts and plant generations were apparently influenced mainly by infected root length and by the growth period.     

Process development and evaluation for algal glycerol production

This article and develops a process for large-scale production of glycerol by means of a hemophilic algae. The process is shown to be economically and technically feasible. Although the proposed process is extremely capital intensive, the total production cost is competitive with existing glycerol process. In addition, the overall energy requirement is much lower than that of the petrochemical process. This proposed process provides an alternative route for glycerol production that is minimally dependent on fossil fuels and is therefore, less sensitive to crude oil availability and price. The primary raw material carbon dioxide from stack gas, is an inexpensive and renewable resource. Maximal Utilization of solar energy is made not only in the glycerol synthesis steps but also in the product recovery system. Significant improvement in the process economics can be realized through further development of large-scale cultivation technology, and biomass distribution and collection machinery. Due to the labor intensive nature of the proposed algal process, it is particularly suitable for less developed nations with limited fossil fuel resources and lower labor costs.     

The relationship between consumption and production system and its implications for sustainable development of China

Rapidly developing economy in China makes great improvement in human life quality. At the mean while, it brings great pressures on environment which has drawn broadly attentions all over the world. The ‘problems of consumption’ comes both from consumers and producers. Hybrid life cycle analysis method and structural decomposition analysis model were used in this paper to explore the interaction of consumption and production and how technology development and household consumption contributed to CO₂ emissions in the period of 1992–2002. The achievements of technology development in the last two decades reduced the emission intensity and technical coefficients which lowered the CO₂ emissions. But the household consumption has offset this technological contribution and resulted in the growth of CO₂ emission. Interaction analysis results showed that consumer's demand for energy-intensive product was an important driving force of pollution production. Household consumption in China contributed a lot to the expansion of manufacturing activities in the last two decades. We concluded that sustainable development could not be achieved if policy makers continuously emphasize the control of polluting industries. The government should simultaneously emphasize technological development and consumer policies to curb these emissions and induce more environmental conscious production and consumption patterns.     

Importance of sulphur in crop production

Sulphur in agricultural soils occurs in organic and inorganic forms, with organic S accounting for > 95% of the total S. Analysis of a wide range of soils shows that from 25 to 75% of the organic S in soils is HI-reducible, from 7 to 30% is C-bonded, and from 11 to 22% is unidentified S. Nitrogen is associated with S in soil organic matter in a ratio of about 8 : 1, although the extreme ratios may vary from 5: 1 to 13: 1. Laboratory studies showed that humus S is depleted faster than humus N. Mineralization of S in crop residues varied with type of crop residue and soil studied The amounts of S fertilizers (gypsum, elemental S, and sulfuric acid) used in the United States in 1981 and 1982 were 1.9 × 10⁶ and 1.5 × 10⁶ tons, respectively. Of the total amount used in 1982, 3, 5, 20, and 71% were used in the West North Central, Mountain, South Atlantic, and Pacific regions, respecitively. A survey of S deposition at about 100 sites in the United States and many other sites in Canada in 1980 showed that annual addition by precipitation in North America ranged from 0.5 to slightly above 10 kg/ha. The usual ranges of values in concentrations and spatial rates of N, P, and S in precipitation is well within the ranges of these elements in natural waters. Atmospheric sources are important components in meeting crops S requirements and should be considered in benefit-cost analyses relating to S emissions.Contribution from a symposium on the role of sulfur in ecosystem processes held August 10, 1983, at the annual meeting of the A.I.B.S., Grand Forks, ND; Myron Mitchell, convenor.     

作物产量的模拟模型

产量模拟模型研究的重点是作物产量与生态因子间的关系。根据农业生态系统中限定产量的主要生态因子不同, 可将作物生产划为不同的生产水平, 并建立相应的生产力模型。各生态因子对预测不同范围的生产力都有其固有的适用性。动态模型是在长期定位观测基础上建立的, 空间变异模型用于农田产量预测, 宏观统计模型则用于区域性产量预测。本文在简要评述各类产量模型及其应用后, 提出了对产量模拟模型研究发展的看法。     

中国农作物生产碳足迹及其空间分布特征

基于中国1993—2013年的农业统计数据,采用生命周期评价、重心模型以及GIS等方法分析农作物生产碳排放及碳足迹的时序变化、碳足迹重心的移动轨迹、碳排放和碳足迹的空间分布特征以及影响碳排放的主导因素.结果表明: 研究期间,中国农作物生产碳排放量(GHGe)、单位播种面积碳足迹(CFs)和单位耕地面积碳足迹(CFc)均显著增加,而单位产量碳足迹(CFy)和单位产值碳足迹(CFv)显著减少.CFs重心一直分布在河南,且逐渐移向西南;CFc重心位于湖北或河南,并向西北方向移动;CFy重心位于陕西或河南,且整体移向东南;CFv重心始终在河南,并逐渐移向西南.GHGe和碳足迹存在显著的省域差异,GHGe具有南北低、中部高的特点,CFs是东西两翼高、中间低,CFc高值区主要集中在中部及东部沿海省份,CFy在西北-东南方向上表现为“高-低-高”,CFv在西北-东南方向上则是由高走低.农业生产过程中不同投入占农作物碳足迹的比例以化肥最为突出,化肥投入构成中以氮肥和复合肥所占比例较大.通过分析GHGe与各影响因素的关联度,得出化肥尤其是磷肥和氮肥、灌溉以及农田N₂O排放是导致GHGe显著增加的主导因素,并据此提出发展低碳农业的对策建议.