Article
Food Science & Technology
Chaoqun Lu, Zhen Yu, David A. Hennessy, Hongli Feng, Hanqin Tian, Dafeng Hui
Summary: Between 1998 and 2016, the tillage intensity in the US corn-soybean cropping systems shifted from a decreasing to an increasing trend. The decrease in tillage intensity was due to the adoption of herbicide-tolerant crops, while the increase was related to the emergence of herbicide-resistant weed species after 2008. The growing tillage intensity resulted in increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Article
Agronomy
Mikael P. Hiestand, Andrew M. Carleton, Kenneth J. Davis
Summary: Spatiotemporal variations in surface latent and sensible heat fluxes from croplands and patches of remnant deciduous forest in the Midwest U.S. Corn Belt have been proposed to trigger nonclassical mesoscale circulations in the atmosphere's boundary layer and moist convection, under suitable synoptic conditions. However, prior to evaluating the link between land use and land cover, nonclassical mesoscale circulations, and precipitation for the Corn Belt, it is necessary to better understand the interannual, sub-seasonal, and spatial variations in surface heat fluxes.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Lucia Holtshausen, Chaouki Benchaar, Roland Krobel, Karen A. Beauchemin
Summary: The research showed that using canola meal instead of soybean meal as a protein supplement for lactating dairy cows can reduce the greenhouse gas emission intensity of milk production. Factors such as protein source, location of production, and the methane-mitigating effect of canola meal all play a role in influencing the greenhouse gas intensity of milk.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jaroslaw Janus, Ela Ertunc
Summary: Areas used for agriculture are a significant source of carbon emissions, but land consolidation can reduce emissions by reducing fuel consumption. This study analyzed six land consolidation projects in Poland and Turkey, considering different agricultural models and levels of fuel consumption. The results showed diverse carbon emission reduction ranging from 0.3 to 170 kg CO2/ha/year. The proposed approach improves the accuracy of estimating carbon emissions and accumulation related to land consolidation projects, with observed reductions having significant economic and ecological effects lasting for decades.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
P. Olivera Rodriguez, M. E. Holzman, M. F. Degano, A. M. G. Faraminan, R. E. Rivas, M. Bayala
Summary: Agriculture accounts for 70% of global fresh water use, new techniques are needed to monitor spatial variability of agricultural water use, a study in Argentina evaluated green water footprint in soybean crops using satellite data.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
De-chun Huang, Lian-yan Xu, Zheng-qi He, Jie Cao
Summary: Water resources are crucial for the national economy, livelihood, and safe production of energy and food. However, climate-induced water scarcity poses a significant challenge to energy enterprises and food producers. This paper utilizes game theory to construct an evolution game model for local governments, energy enterprises, and food producers, analyzing their evolutionary stability strategies at different stages of development. The results highlight the importance of water-saving policies implemented by local governments in promoting water-saving behavior among energy enterprises and food producers. Additionally, the study reveals that the decision to adopt water-saving behavior is primarily influenced by the cost considerations. By guiding and managing water-saving costs, the government can facilitate a transition from water consumption competition to water-saving cooperation among major water consumers. Based on these findings, the paper puts forward various political recommendations.
JOURNAL OF WATER AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Nathanael M. Thompson, Nathan D. DeLay, James R. Mintert
Summary: Most U.S. commercial corn and soybean farms collect data, believe that data influences their decisions, and see positive yield benefits from data-informed decisions, although there are differences in the intensity of data usage. Investments in data management and analysis resources, as well as human capital, are associated with progression within the farm data lifecycle. Farms that have not made such investments may miss out on the potential benefits of using their data to improve decision making.
PRECISION AGRICULTURE
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Daniel Furlan Amaral, Joaquim Bento de Souza Ferreira Filho, Andre Luis Squarize Chagas, Marcos Adami
Summary: This study focuses on the significant role of government and industry initiatives in reducing soybean farming in deforested areas in the Amazon region after 2006. The results show that the Soy Moratorium has led to a decoupling of soybean farming from deforestation, and government programs have created a new environment for agricultural expansion in line with Brazilian law.
SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Kun-yu Niu, Hui Guo, Jing Liu
Summary: Irrigated agriculture has significantly increased food production and security, but its impact on global climate change is debated. This interdisciplinary study combines carbon emissions accounting with econometric models to analyze the factors influencing the carbon footprint of smallholder crop cultivation in irrigation reform pilot areas. The results show that irrigation reforms have led to a lower crop carbon footprint and are influenced by multiple factors such as project implementation, technology adoption, management practices, and yield effects.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Zhor Abail, Joann K. Whalen
Summary: Accurately quantifying soil nitrogen (N) supply is crucial for sustainable crop production. This study estimated the direct nitrogen flux from earthworms in corn-soybean rotation fields, finding higher nitrogen flux during the early vegetative growth stage of corn, which has high nitrogen demand. Refining nitrogen fertilization recommendations by considering earthworm-contributed nitrogen could potentially reduce costs and environmental losses.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Karl A. Roeder, Alexandra N. Harmon-Threatt
Summary: This study investigated whether an alternative cropping system can support more diverse insect populations compared to conventional cropping systems. The results showed that woody perennial polycultures supported a greater number of ant species and maintained a unique ant fauna. These differences in diversity were linked to higher levels of predation.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ningyu Quan, Sung-Ching Lee, Chitra Chopra, Zoran Nesic, Paula Porto, Patrick Pow, Rachhpal S. Jassal, Sean Smukler, Maja Krzic, Sara H. Knox, T. Andrew Black
Summary: This study used the eddy-covariance technique to continuously measure the emissions of three main biogenic greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O, and CH4) from potato and pea crops in southwest British Columbia, Canada. After flux footprint corrections, the potato and pea crops were found to be weak CO2 sinks. However, when taking carbon (C) export and import into account, the potato crop became a moderate C source, while the pea crop became near C neutral.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Camilo Rey-Sanchez, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Kuno Kasak, Housen Chu, Daphne Szutu, Joseph Verfaillie, Dennis Baldocchi
Summary: This study proposes a new technique for mapping the spatial heterogeneity in gas exchange around flux towers, focusing on detecting hot spots of methane (CH4) flux. The accuracy of three common flux footprint models was evaluated using a CH4 release experiment, with the K & M model found to be the most accurate. A new technique, called the Footprint-Weighted Flux Map, was introduced to map spatial heterogeneity in fluxes. The study mapped the spatial flux heterogeneity using artificial CH4 release experiments, natural tracer approaches, and flux chambers, and detected and validated a hot spot of CH4 flux in a restored marsh.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mingqian Wu, Xiuming Zhang, Stefan Reis, Shengxiu Ge, Baojing Gu
Summary: To feed a growing population, the nitrogen input into global food production systems has exceeded the safe planetary boundary, causing adverse effects on the environment. A study conducted in the Lake Tai watershed using the CHANS model found that nitrogen input has increased and then decreased in recent years, while per capita nitrogen footprint has decreased. The dominant sources of nitrogen emissions have shifted from agricultural production to wastewater and nitrogen oxides emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Reducing the nitrogen footprint is important for effective nitrogen pollution control, with a focus on improving wastewater treatment techniques.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Review
Agronomy
Vanesa Gisela Jacobi, Patricia Carina Fernandez, Jorge Alberto Zavala
Summary: Over the last decades, no-tillage cultivation systems and multiple cropping in Argentina and Brazil have led to a decrease in traditional pests and an increase in secondary pests like Dichelops furcatus. These farming practices have been beneficial for erosion control but have also resulted in damage to corn and soybean crops. This article provides an overview of D. furcatus, including its biology, distribution, and control methods.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Cheng Hu, Timothy J. Griffis, Alexander Frie, John M. Baker, Jeffrey D. Wood, Dylan B. Millet, Zhongjie Yu, Xueying Yu, Alan C. Czarnetzki
Summary: The study found that NH3 emissions in the US Corn Belt peaked in summer, with agricultural NH3 emissions showing little variation across years but exhibiting significant episodic variability influenced by meteorology and land management. Dry deposition accounted for 40% of total emissions from agricultural lands and exceeded 100% in natural lands.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Housen Chu, Xiangzhong Luo, Zutao Ouyang, W. Stephen Chan, Sigrid Dengel, Sebastien C. Biraud, Margaret S. Torn, Stefan Metzger, Jitendra Kumar, M. Altaf Arain, Tim J. Arkebauer, Dennis Baldocchi, Carl Bernacchi, Dave Billesbach, T. Andrew Black, Peter D. Blanken, Gil Bohrer, Rosvel Bracho, Shannon Brown, Nathaniel A. Brunsell, Jiquan Chen, Xingyuan Chen, Kenneth Clark, Ankur R. Desai, Tomer Duman, David Durden, Silvano Fares, Inke Forbrich, John A. Gamon, Christopher M. Gough, Timothy Griffis, Manuel Helbig, David Hollinger, Elyn Humphreys, Hiroki Ikawa, Hiroki Iwata, Yang Ju, John F. Knowles, Sara H. Knox, Hideki Kobayashi, Thomas Kolb, Beverly Law, Xuhui Lee, Marcy Litvak, Heping Liu, J. William Munger, Asko Noormets, Kim Novick, Steven F. Oberbauer, Walter Oechel, Patty Oikawa, Shirley A. Papuga, Elise Pendall, Prajaya Prajapati, John Prueger, William L. Quinton, Andrew D. Richardson, Eric S. Russell, Russell L. Scott, Gregory Starr, Ralf Staebler, Paul C. Stoy, Ellen Stuart-Haentjens, Oliver Sonnentag, Ryan C. Sullivan, Andy Suyker, Masahito Ueyama, Rodrigo Vargas, Jeffrey D. Wood, Donatella Zona
Summary: This study evaluates the matching between flux footprints and target areas to address a major challenge in model-data integration. The researchers found that mismatches could introduce biases and advocate for footprint-awareness when using flux datasets. They propose a representativeness index based on evaluations to guide specific applications and data use.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jing Zhao, Janice Ser Huay Lee, Andrew J. Elmore, Yuti Ariani Fatimah, Izaya Numata, Xin Zhang, Mark A. Cochrane
Summary: Protecting Southeast Asia's tropical peat swamp forests is crucial for addressing global sustainability challenges. However, more than half of these forests have been lost due to agricultural and forestry expansion. A study found that smallholder oil palm plantings on peat soils are influenced by roads and mills, and their spatial distribution differs from industrial plantations. Understanding these drivers is essential for tackling these challenges at a local and global scale.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Srishti Vishwakarma, Xin Zhang, Nathaniel D. Mueller
Summary: This study projected nitrogen inputs to 2050 by developing and testing three approaches. The results showed that considering diminishing returns in yield response functions led to higher nitrogen inputs. The study suggests that when investigating future nitrogen budgets, a range of projection assumptions need to be carefully explored.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eva Sinha, Katherine V. Calvin, Page G. Kyle, Mohamad I. Hejazi, Stephanie T. Waldhoff, Maoyi Huang, Srishti Vishwakarma, Xin Zhang
Summary: Since the 1950's, global fertilizer usage has increased by more than 800%, resulting in detrimental impacts to the environment. Studies have found that reducing global fertilizer usage may lead to decreased global cropland area, expanded forested area, and impacts on agricultural commodity price, production, and energy production.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Mary Ollenburger, Page Kyle, Xin Zhang
Summary: Estimating realistic potential yields for different crop types and regions is difficult due to various factors such as biophysical characteristics and crop management practices. This study analyzes future potential yields using two different estimation methods - one based on historical observed yields and the other based on biophysical conditions. The outcomes of these estimation methods have significant impacts on the global agricultural sector, with different outcomes in terms of land use change emissions, crop prices, and self-sufficiency across different regions.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Achim Dobermann, Tom Bruulsema, Ismail Cakmak, Bruno Gerard, Kaushik Majumdar, Michael McLaughlin, Pytrik Reidsma, Bernard Vanlauwe, Lini Wollenberg, Fusuo Zhang, Xin Zhang
Summary: The coming 10-20 years are crucial for transitioning to a global food system that manages mineral nutrients in a holistic manner. Fertilizers play a significant role in ensuring food security and improving nutrition, and a new approach based on the circular economy is needed. Utilizing all available nutrient sources efficiently and tailoring solutions to different regions are key actions, along with sustainable nutrient roadmaps and innovative technologies.
GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY-AGRICULTURE POLICY ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Izaya Numata, Andrew J. Elmore, Mark A. Cochrane, Cangjiao Wang, Jing Zhao, Xin Zhang
Summary: The expansion of oil palm plantations in Indonesia has caused large-scale deforestation and carbon emissions. Understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of plantation expansion and the age structure of plantations is crucial for reducing deforestation and improving management strategies.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
T. Zou, X. Zhang, E. A. Davidson
Summary: This study aims to meet the growing food demand and address challenges of phosphorus pollution and depletion of phosphorus reserves by improving phosphorus use efficiency. By examining the historical trajectories of phosphorus budget and phosphorus use efficiency by country and crop type, the study reveals the potential and variations in improving phosphorus use efficiency.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Paul Wolfram, Page Kyle, Xin Zhang, Savvas Gkantonas, Steven Smith
Summary: Ammonia as a shipping fuel may have potential adverse side-effects, and if nitrogen releases from ammonia are not tightly controlled, it could significantly alter the global nitrogen cycle.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tingyu Li, Xin Zhang, Yuxiu Zhong, Eric A. Davidson, Zhengxia Dou, Weifeng Zhang, Paulo S. Pavinato, Luiz A. Martinelli, David R. Kanter, Jianguo Liu, Fusuo Zhang
Summary: In order to address global nitrogen pollution issues and feed the population, a new framework called CAFE has been proposed. This framework divides nitrogen management into different systems and suggests intervention strategies for different countries to improve nitrogen management efficiency.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Srishti Vishwakarma, Xin Zhang, Vyacheslav Lyubchich
Summary: Countries with greater differences in extreme weather stress and synchronous crop yield variations tend to become trade partners, highlighting the vulnerability of global food security.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Xin Zhang, Yanyu Wang, Lena Schulte-Uebbing, Wim De Vries, Tan Zou, Eric A. Davidson
Summary: This paper proposes a sustainable nitrogen management index (SNMI) to assess the sustainability of crop nitrogen management globally. The results show that the improvement in nitrogen management has been mainly achieved through increased crop yield, while nitrogen use efficiency has only slightly improved. The SNMI values vary greatly among countries and have increased over time.
FRONTIERS OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yixin Guo, Pan He, Tim D. Searchinger, Youfan Chen, Marco Springmann, Mi Zhou, Xin Zhang, Lin Zhang, Denise L. Mauzerall
Summary: This study examines the implications of four potential dietary shifts in China on air pollution, GHG emissions, carbon storage loss, water use, and human health. The results show that replacing red meat with soy benefits the environment, while adopting the Chinese Dietary Guideline and EAT-Lancet diets can prevent premature deaths. However, these dietary shifts also increase water use and GHG emissions.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Kerry Cawse-Nicholson, Martha C. Anderson, Yang Yang, Yun Yang, Simon J. Hook, Joshua B. Fisher, Gregory Halverson, Glynn C. Hulley, Christopher Hain, Dennis D. Baldocchi, Nathaniel A. Brunsell, Ankur R. Desai, Timothy J. Griffis, Kimberly A. Novick
Summary: The DisALEXI algorithm uses land surface temperature to estimate evapotranspiration and incorporates LST products from ECOSTRESS. This study demonstrates the accuracy of DisALEXI-JPL in the contiguous United States and shows good correlation with the original DisALEXI-USDA implementation.
IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATIONS AND REMOTE SENSING
(2021)
