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Progress towards sustainable intensification in China challenged by land-use change

Author

Listed:
  • Lijun Zuo

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zengxiang Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Kimberly M. Carlson

    (University of Hawai’i)

  • Graham K. MacDonald

    (McGill University)

  • Kate A. Brauman

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Yingchun Liu

    (State Forestry Administration)

  • Wen Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Huayong Zhang

    (North China Electric Power University)

  • Wenbin Wu

    (Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Xiaoli Zhao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xiao Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Bin Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Ling Yi

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qingke Wen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Fang Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jinyong Xu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Shunguang Hu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Feifei Sun

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • James S. Gerber

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Paul C. West

    (University of Minnesota)

Abstract

China is experiencing rapid land-use change and shifts in farm management. However, the interactive effects of these drivers on cropping system sustainability are unclear. Here, we evaluate spatio-temporal trade-offs among crop production and five key environmental indicators, including land use, water consumption, excess nitrogen and phosphorous use, and greenhouse gas emissions in China. From 1987 to 2010, as crop kilocalorie production increased (+66%), so did the total environmental impact of all indicators (+1.3–161%) except greenhouse gas emissions (−18%). Concurrently, environmental intensity—impact per kilocalorie produced—decreased for all indicators (−51–−13%) except excess phosphorus (+57%). Despite substantial loss and displacement of cropland to urban expansion, counterfactual scenario analysis indicates that farm management explained >90% of changes in crop production and environmental impact. However, cropland is expanding in regions of relatively high land and irrigation intensity. Although efficiency gains partly compensated for increased environmental pressures, continued geographic shifts in cropland could challenge progress towards agricultural sustainability in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Lijun Zuo & Zengxiang Zhang & Kimberly M. Carlson & Graham K. MacDonald & Kate A. Brauman & Yingchun Liu & Wen Zhang & Huayong Zhang & Wenbin Wu & Xiaoli Zhao & Xiao Wang & Bin Liu & Ling Yi & Qingke , 2018. "Progress towards sustainable intensification in China challenged by land-use change," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(6), pages 304-313, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:1:y:2018:i:6:d:10.1038_s41893-018-0076-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0076-2
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Quanfeng Li & Zhe Dong & Guoming Du & Aizheng Yang, 2021. "Spatial Differentiation of Cultivated Land Use Intensification in Village Settings: A Survey of Typical Chinese Villages," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Huang, Jing & Ridoutt, Bradley G. & Thorp, Kelly R. & Wang, Xuechun & Lan, Kang & Liao, Jun & Tao, Xu & Wu, Caiyan & Huang, Jianliang & Chen, Fu & Scherer, Laura, 2019. "Water-scarcity footprints and water productivities indicate unsustainable wheat production in China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Yaqiu Zhu & Bangyou Zheng & Qiyou Luo & Weihua Jiao & Yadong Yang, 2023. "Uncovering the Drivers and Regional Variability of Cotton Yield in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Qiu, Bingwen & Li, Haiwen & Tang, Zhenghong & Chen, Chongcheng & Berry, Joe, 2020. "How cropland losses shaped by unbalanced urbanization process?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    5. Ze, Fu & Wong, Wing-Keung & Alhasan, Tariq kamal & Al Shraah, Ata & Ali, Anis & Muda, Iskandar, 2023. "Economic development, natural resource utilization, GHG emissions and sustainable development: A case study of China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    6. Zhou, Yang & Zhong, Zhen & Cheng, Guoqiang, 2023. "Cultivated land loss and construction land expansion in China: Evidence from national land surveys in 1996, 2009 and 2019," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    7. Li Li & Zhichao Chen & Shidong Wang, 2022. "Optimization of Spatial Land Use Patterns with Low Carbon Target: A Case Study of Sanmenxia, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-22, October.
    8. He, Fei & Lai, John & Court, Christa D. & Borisova, Tatiana & Athearn, Kevin R., 2023. "Producers Willingness to Adopt Best Management Practices in Floridan Aquifer Region," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335650, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Funk, Bryana & Amer, Saud A. & Ward, Frank A., 2023. "Sustainable aquifer management for food security," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    10. Hongyu Wang & Xiaolei Wang & Apurbo Sarkar & Fuhong Zhang, 2021. "How Capital Endowment and Ecological Cognition Affect Environment-Friendly Technology Adoption: A Case of Apple Farmers of Shandong Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-16, July.
    11. Han, Bo & Jin, Xiaobin & Sun, Rui & Li, Hanbing & Liang, Xinyuan & Zhou, Yinkang, 2023. "Understanding land-use sustainability with a systematical framework: An evaluation case of China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    12. Li, Wenchao & Guo, Shufang & Liu, Hongbin & Zhai, Limei & Wang, Hongyuan & Lei, Qiuliang, 2018. "Comprehensive environmental impacts of fertilizer application vary among different crops: Implications for the adjustment of agricultural structure aimed to reduce fertilizer use," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 1-10.
    13. Fan, Pengfei & Mishra, Ashok K. & Feng, Shuyi & Su, Min, 2023. "Investigating the Impact of Agricultural Subsidy on Chemical Fertilizer Use in China," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 337098, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    14. Xiang, Mingtao & Yu, Qiangyi & Li, Yan & Shi, Zhou & Wu, Wenbin, 2022. "Increasing multiple cropping for land use intensification: The role of crop choice," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).

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