Profitability and opportunity of conservation agriculture in acid savannah grasslands of Laos

In north-eastern Laos, the savannah grasslands of the Plain of Jars cover vast areas of potentially cultivable land. However, soil acidity, low inherent fertility, and the absence of alternatives to tillage represent significant constraints to the development of sustainable smallholder agriculture. Our objective was to evaluate the potential for conservation agriculture (CA) to enhance soil productivity and farming system profitability. A three-year rotation of rice/maize/soybean was tested under three fertilization levels and four agricultural systems: one conventional tillage-based (CT) system and three CA systems based on no-tillage with cover crops. After four cropping seasons, our results show that, compared with CT, CA systems led to similar-to-higher grain production, similar-to-higher profits, higher opportunity of livestock system intensification, and higher labour productivity regardless of fertilization levels. While CA represents a relevant alternative to current practices, our results suggest that its contribution to the emergence of a sustainable smallholder agriculture is conditioned by broader institutional transformations, including the enrolment of local manufacturers and traders for deploying no-till implements and seed market channels for cover crops, long-term public support to maintain active research and technical mentoring to farmers, and possibly the integration of ecosystem services in agricultural policy.     

基于土地利用功能最大化的多情景土地利用优化研究

目的 基于土地利用功能价值最大化对自然发展情景、农业生产功能优先情景、经济发展功能优先情景及生态保育功能优先情景下的土地利用结构及布局进行优化,得到2026年保定市土地利用合理结构与布局。方法 文章利用MOP模型优化各情景土地利用结构、FLUS模型优化各情景土地利用空间布局、耦合协调模型分析各情景功能协调性。结果 各情景下草地面积都减少,建设用地及水域面积都增长。除农业生产功能优先情景外,耕地面积都呈下降趋势。经济发展功能优先情景土地利用功能总价值最高,农业生产功能优先情景最低;各情景下建设用地都以外延式增长;林地都以外延式及填充式在山地丘陵地区扩张;农业生产功能优先、经济发展功能优先及生态保育功能优先情景的土地利用结构耦合协调度高于自然发展情景,经济发展功能优先情景下功能间关系最协调。结论 在现行土地利用变化趋势下,未来保定市土地利用功能将严重失调,需严格落实耕地及生态用地保护政策、推动建设用地高效利用,实现土地利用功能协调及价值最大化。     

基于生态足迹模型的湖北省农业资源开发评估

[目的]农业资源是人类生存发展的重要物质基础,对维持社会经济的可持续发展具有主导作用。评估湖北省农业资源的开发利用状况,为今后统筹资源利用和社会经济协调提供理论依据,以期提出可行性建议。[方法]采用生态足迹模型,计算了2009—2015年湖北省的人均生态足迹和人均生态容量及生态赤字,分析了该省各土地利用类型的人均生态足迹组分变化和各项农业生物资源和能源资源的开发状况,对资源开发总体形势展开了评价。[结果] 2009—2013年湖北省人均生态足迹逐年递增,2014和2015年明显降低,但人均生态足迹远高于人均生态容量。能源用地、建筑用地和草地构成了湖北省人均生态足迹的主体,且开发强度呈上升趋势。其中,玉米、小麦、稻谷、蔬菜以及各类畜产品和水产品,部分能源资源的开发强度增强。[结论]湖北省对农业资源的开发已超过生态系统的供给能力,严重威胁到生态系统的稳态,土地资源的承载力面临较大压力。全省需要从改变消费和生产方式,调整产业结构,优化土地利用类型,合理布局土地利用规划,发展高效农业资源利用模式等方面入手,提高农业资源的开发效率,降低人均生态足迹,维持生态容量。保证全省休闲农业与乡村生态旅游事业健康发展。     

Application of an ecosystem function framework to perceptions of community woodlands

Owners, local residents, government, and conservation organisations can express divergent preferences in the development and management of local woodlands. The perceptions of these four groups were examined, in the context of three community woodlands in Eastern England, using an ecosystem function framework. In a pilot study, residents were able to allocate a relative importance to woodland ecosystem services which were then related to “regulation”, “habitat”, and “production” or “information” functions. However residents also placed importance on negative services or “dis-services” associated with the woodland ecosystem. Therefore a fifth category of “dis-services” was included in the main survey which included 84 local residents, three woodland owners, three government institutions, and six representatives from conservation groups. Each of the four groups placed greatest importance on services associated with habitat (16–39% of the total importance) and information (30–50%) functions suggesting, in this example, mutual interest in the use of woodlands as a habitat or recreational resource. By contrast a potential area of difference was the particularly high importance placed by one owner on dis-services such as fly tipping. In addition the woodland owners placed higher importance (10–20%), than local residents and conservation groups (7–9%), on the productive services of the wood. This suggests a need for communication when production-related operations affect recreation. The ecosystem function framework appears to be a useful approach for highlighting potential tensions and areas of mutual interest in the management of semi-natural ecosystems.     

Reconciling rural development and ecological restoration: Strategies and policy recommendations for the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Increased demand for both agricultural production and forest restoration may lead to increased competition for land in the next decades. Sustainably increasing cattle ranching productivity is a potential solution to reconcile different land uses, while also improving biodiversity conservation and the provision of ecosystem services. If not strategically implemented in integration with complementary policies, sustainable intensification can however result in negative environmental, economic and social effects. We analyzed the potential for sustainable intensification as a solution for a conflict between agricultural expansion and forest restoration in the Paraitinga Watershed at the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a global biodiversity hotspot. In addition, we provide policy recommendations for sustainable development in the region, based on interviews with producers and local actors. We found that the Paraitinga Watershed has the potential to increase its cattle-ranching productivity and, as a result, relinquish spared land for other uses. This was true even in the most conservative intensification scenario considered (50% of the maximum potential productivity reached), in which 76,702 ha of pastures can be spared for other uses (46% of total pasture area). We found that restoration, apiculture and rural tourism are promising activities to promote sustainable development in the region, thus potentially increasing food production and mitigating competition for land. Our study shows that results from socioeconomic interviews and biophysical modelling of potential productivity increases offer robust insights into practical solutions on how to pursue sustainable development in one of the world’s most threatened biodiversity hotspots.     

A comparative multidimensional evaluation of conservation agriculture systems: A case study from a Mediterranean area of Southern Italy

To avoid the current paradoxes of the global agro-food system it is necessary to define and implement a viable agricultural sustainable model, combining satisfaction of food needs and land preservation. A possible solution can be found in a holistic production system consistent with a sustainable development model, designed to satisfy diverse “local” economies. The conservation agriculture (CA) could be a part of this model, as it includes a set of best practices available to preserve agrarian soil and its biodiversity. Briefly, we cover the CA background in Europe followed by the evaluation of its impact in terms of private/public interest, using the sustainability’s metric.To test the viability of a model based on CA in “local conditions”, we compare economic performance of different conservation practices (i.e. minimum and no tillage) to that of conventional agriculture in a typical Mediterranean environment – Collina Materana – in Southern Italy (Basilicata region). Our findings suggest that: i) CA can actually be a viable alternative to conventional systems; ii) in Mediterranean agricultural areas CA has yield advantages especially during dry years, when conservation techniques increase water supply to crops; iii) public support is needed to direct farming choices in fact without financial incentives these practices would be not widely accepted and diffused; iv) European policy makers have to recognized the positive benefits of CA and pay them as ecosystem services in the framework of Good Agricultural Environmental Conditions and the present CAP subsidies.     

农业区生态系统服务的影响因素及空间优化分析——以北京市为例

[目的]探索北京市农业区生态系统服务的主要影响因素,并提出空间优化策略,促进农业区生态系统可持续性。[方法]文章利用InVEST、ROS等模型定量评估北京市多种生态系统服务,在此基础上采用K-means聚类方法识别生态系统服务簇,从而划分出北京市农业功能区。采用地理探测器分析其生态系统服务主要影响因素,并基于影响因素进行多情景优化,提出改善农业区生态系统服务的土地利用组成比例和空间配置方案。[结果]（1）北京市农业区主要分布在东部、南部地区,占全市面积的26%;(2)农业区的气候调节服务主要受坡度影响,生境质量服务主要受植被指数影响,粮食生产服务受景观多样性、地区生产总值、农用化肥施用量等因素的综合影响;（3）耕地保护情景下的粮食生产服务提升更为显著;综合优化情景下的生境质量、休闲娱乐以及综合生态系统服务提升更为显著。[结论]探讨了北京市农业区生态系统服务时空演变、驱动机制及多种空间优化方案,为北京市及其他特大型城市的生态系统服务提升与农业区景观可持续规划提供参考依据。     

国际可持续集约化发展经验及其对中国耕地保护的启示

研究目的:厘清可持续集约化概念内涵和研究态势,梳理国际经验并研判对中国耕地保护的启示。研究方法:文献分析法、总结归纳法和例证法。研究结果:(1)可持续集约化是协调粮食需求与资源环境约束之间矛盾、因地制宜优化耕地利用、提升耕地生态系统服务价值的重要途径;(2)可持续集约化符合SDGs,与中国生态文明背景下的耕地保护理念和可持续发展战略相契合;(3)国际可持续集约化研究丰富,实践广泛,可为中国耕地利用和保护提供参考。研究结论:可持续集约化理念内涵及其国际经验为中国构建数量、质量、生态三位一体耕地保护格局提供了重要启示,在保证数量充足和质量优良的基础上,构建"用养结合"的动态平衡体系,创新耕地利用与农业经营模式,加强耕地养护和生态养育,确保粮食生产能力持续稳定。     

面向SDGs的土地可持续利用目标、挑战与应对策略

研究目的:基于联合国2030可持续发展目标(SDGs),分析土地可持续利用的目标以及中国所面临的形势与挑战,并提出应对策略,为可持续发展的实现提供路径支持。研究方法:文献研究法。研究结果:土地利用是人类、土地单元和土地利用方式三者相互影响与制约的过程,会深刻影响2030年可持续发展目标的实现;在17个SDGs中,有7个目标与土地利用相关,可归纳为高效和集约利用土地、保护和改善土地生态环境、被社会所接受三大目标,以及提高农用土地生产能力、促进工业土地集约与转型利用、建设安全和包容城镇、防治土地污染、恢复生态系统和防治土地退化、消除贫困和实现土地产权安全7项具体目标;面对SDGs的土地持续利用目标,中国在耕地保护、工业用地转型升级、土地污染治理、土地生态修复等方面还面临诸多挑战。研究结论:为推进面向SDGs的土地可持续利用,需要构建本土化监测指标体系,自然资源相关规划与政策的制定要反映土地可持续利用的目标,以土地制度改革助推土地可持续利用,重视土地科技创新,并加强利益相关群体的参与和合作。     

京津冀都市圈城乡复合型农业发展战略

加快京津冀都市圈农业现代化进程,凸显不同地域的农业多功能性,将有助于促进城乡协调发展和提高农民收入水平。该文利用实地调研与统计数据,分析了京津冀都市圈农业发展态势及其存在问题,构建了城乡复合型的农业发展战略。主要包括以保护耕地、保障粮食安全、提高农业综合生产能力为核心,促进种植业的基地化和规模化生产;围绕都市圈城乡居民的生活需要和市场需求,促进畜牧业的发展;以构筑绿色屏障和发展生态农业为核心,促进生态林果业的可持续发展;以经济效益为核心,促进水产业的产业化发展;凭借都市郊区区位优势,大力发展都市休闲观光农业。     

江苏沿海地区农田生态系统碳源/汇时空变化及公平性研究

目的 开展区域农田生态系统碳源/汇及其时空格局研究,对农田生态系统管理与农业可持续发展具有重要意义。方法 文章采用碳排放系数法、农作物经济产量法分别估算农田生态系统碳排放量、碳吸收量,并构建生态承载效率指数、经济贡献效率指数对2007—2016年江苏沿海地区农田生态系统碳源/汇的时空变化以及公平性进行研究。结果 （1）江苏沿海地区农田生态系统碳排放先上升后下降,并呈中间高,南北低的分布格局。化肥、农药使用是碳排放的主要因素,农膜、柴油使用对碳排放影响逐渐增加。（2）江苏沿海地区农田生态系统碳吸收总体呈上升趋势,呈中西部高,南北低的分布格局。稻谷和小麦碳吸收占比高达75%,蔬菜碳吸收年平均增长率高达6.84%,逐渐成为江苏沿海碳吸收重要来源。（3）江苏沿海地区10个县（市、区）农业发展的生态、经济效率较好,启东市、海门市、赣榆区、盐城市区、大丰区、射阳县等6个县（市、区）碳汇和农业总产值的比例低于碳排放比例,是影响江苏沿海地区农业低碳发展的关键地区。结论 江苏沿海地区农田生态系统碳源/汇动态区域差异较大,需要针对不同区域情况制定和完善差异化减排策略。     

晋江市土地利用变化对生态系统服务价值的影响

以晋江市为研究区,依据2005年,2010年和2015年3期土地利用数据,从生态系统服务功能角度,运用Costanza的方法,结合谢高地修正的我国生态服务价值当量因子表,分析了晋江市土地利用变化与生态服务价值的响应关系。结果表明:2005-2015年,晋江市的城镇用地显著扩张,而耕地和林地却急剧减少,土地利用的生态系统服务价值总体呈逐年下降趋势。通过分析晋江市土地利用变化对生态服务价值的影响可以为科学合理利用土地,保障人口、资源、环境的可持续发展提供决策支持。敏感性分析表明,生态服务价值对生态服务价值系数的变化是缺乏弹性的,因此结果是可信的。在编制土地利用规划时应将生态服务价值考虑其中,尤其是应注重保护湿地、水域、林地等生态服务价值系数高的土地利用类型,以期实现晋江市的可持续发展。     

基于土地利用变化的大庆市生态系统服务价值研究

本文以大庆市为研究区,依据2001年和2009年的土地利用数据,从生态系统服务功能角度,运用Costanza的方法,结合谢高地修正的我国生态服务价值当量因子表,定量研究了土地利用变化引起的生态系统服务价值变化量。结果表明:2001～2009年间,研究区林地和城乡居民点及工矿用地面积增加,其余土地利用类型面积均有减少,其中林地的面积变化量最大。土地利用变化引起了研究区生态环境的变化,对生态系统服务价值也产生了一定的影响,大庆市9年间生态系统服务价值增加了41170.55万元,各单项服务功能价值中,其生态系统所提供的水源涵养、废物处理和食物生产等3项生态服务功能下降,其余6项生态系统服务功能均有不同程度的升高;从不同土地利用类型的生态服务功能看,湿地和水域的生态服务功能较强,只有林地的生态系统服务价值是增加的。     

西北地区小城镇居民生计脆弱性及其影响因子

[目的]基于脆弱性研究框架,通过对西北地区典型城镇居民生计进行实证研究,以期为提升城镇居民生计水平,促进城镇地区可持续发展提供科学依据。[方法]选取西北地区6个小城镇中708户居民为研究对象,以社会经济统计数据、气象数据、遥感影像数据和社会调查数据为基础,基于可持续生计框架和脆弱性评估框架,运用多指标综合评价和障碍度模型,对2016年西北地区城镇居民生计脆弱性指数进行评估,并对影响居民生计脆弱性的主要影响因素进行识别。[结果]小城镇居民的生计脆弱性指数存在明显的差异性,纯农型居民最高,农业主导型居民次之,继而为非农主导型居民,非农型居民最低。整体上,生计脆弱性越高的居民类型,其暴露—敏感性就会越高而应对能力相对较低。[结论]人均收入对居民生计脆弱性影响程度均处于较高水平,每667m~2平均经济产值是限制纯农型和农业主导型居民生计脆弱性降低的主要因素,人均收入和非农就业比重对非农型和非农主导型居民生计脆弱性有较显著的影响。     

Impacts and causes of land fragmentation, and lessons learned from land consolidation in South Asia

Landholdings and land parcels in South Asia are undergoing fragmentation, thereby accelerating the pace of their degradation and constraining agricultural development. Based on experiences gained in the region and elsewhere, this paper finds the fragmentation of small landholdings and tiny land parcels detrimental to land conservation and economic gain, thereby discouraging farmers from adoption of agricultural innovations. Primarily induced by the dependency of the major proportion of ever growing population on agriculture, the process of land fragmentation has been reinforced by the law of inheritance of paternal property, lack of progressive tax on inherited land, heterogeneous land quality and an underdeveloped land market. South Asian countries have had adopted policies and legal measures for facilitating land consolidation. However, desirable results were not achieved, as such interventions could not address structural causes of the problem. Broad policy and legal measures have been outlined for facilitating land consolidation in a sustainable way.     

Incentivizing sustainable rangeland practices and policies in Colombia’s Orinoco region

Livestock grazing, along with agriculture, are key drivers of deforestation and land degradation that subsequently affect ecosystem service provision in the tropics. Although environmental and agricultural policies may curtail these negative effects, information is needed on how specific programs and instruments could be used to incentivize ranchers into adopting rangeland practices to achieve land conservation. We examine what encourages livestock ranchers to adopt more sustainable rangeland practices with various technical and conservation attributes in Colombia’s Orinoco region. First, we analyze a management alternative based on an improved pasture (IP) approach traditionally used in tropical South America, and another practice that promotes silvopastoral systems (SP) that better sustain the long term provision of ecosystem services. Second, we assess the influence that technical assistance and conservation payment instruments can have on the adoption of the IP or SP programs. Using expert-based elicitation, questionnaires, choice experiments, and econometrics, we found that when either SP or IP management alternatives include a complete technical assistance program (CTAP), emphasizing forage or cattle production, the propensity to adopt the conservation focused SP alternative significantly increases. The SP alternative with CTAP for cattle production was valued by ranchers at $290 ha/year and the CTAP prioritizing forage production was valued at $233 per ha/year. Nonetheless, a basic technical assistance program for cattle production using the IP alternative was valued at $128, but when including the CTAP, the value increased to $262. Adopting conservation practices in the form of compensation payments for not grazing portions of their land in the SP was valued by ranchers at an average of $8 and $10 in the IP. Our findings show that decisions to adopt conservation oriented rangeland practices and policies are not strictly based on monetary payments for ecosystem services alone, but also on technical support.     

生态系统服务价值估算在土地整理项目效益评价中的应用

生态系统服务价值评价结果可为土地整理规划设计的决策提供科学依据,以便于提高农业生态系统生产力和生产效率,提高土地整理的效益,最终使土地整理达到可持续发展的目标。选取北京市延庆区王木营土地整理项目作为一个典型案例,运用中国学者提出的生态系统服务价值当量因子表,对该区生态系统服务功能经济价值进行了评价,得出土地整理前后的生态价值分别为142.13和156.12万元,增加率为9.84%。同时分析了生态系统服务功能经济价值变化的原因并对结果进行了讨论。     

基于SWOT分析的重点生态功能区农业可持续发展路径研究——以浙江省为例

主体功能区制度背景下,实现农业可持续发展是重点生态功能区建设的现实命题,而目前国内学者专门针对重点生态功能区现代农业发展的研究尚不多见。农业在浙江重点生态功能区社会经济建设中发挥着重要作用,但存在着经营方式粗放、资源利用水平不高以及农业面源污染风险加剧等问题。重点生态功能区发展可持续农业,具有区位条件优越、资源优势独特、生态环境优良的优势,但也存在耕地资源匮乏、水土流失严重、基础设施薄弱、科技推广困难的劣势,同时面临政策、市场、主体等方面的机遇以及资源空间压缩、劳动力资源流失的挑战。应从可持续农业的"发展"和"限制"准则出发,发展节约型农业,提高资源利用效率;发展生态循环农业,保护农业生态环境;培育绿色精品农业,提升农产品附加值;打造休闲观光农业,推动乡村经济发展;并实施一系列保障措施,实现重点生态功能区农业可持续发展。     

基于熵值法的贵州省农业可持续发展水平评价研究

贵州省作为发展现代农业的试点改革省份,其农业可持续发展水平对推动全国农业的可持续发展具有重要影响作用。本文基于可持续发展理论,从农业人口社会、经济、资源利用以及环境四个方面,构建贵州省农业可持续发展水平评价体系,运用熵值法对贵州省近10年的农业可持续发展绩效进行评价。结果表明,2008-2018年贵州省农村整体生活质量、经济收入、人口素质都在不断提高,但仍存在粮食产量不高,土地资源配置效率低、环境发展水平有待提高等问题。     

Is the abandonment of traditional livestock farming systems the main driver of mountain landscape change in Alpine areas?

Agricultural land abandonment and the consequent natural forest regrowth in areas once cultivated has significantly transformed Alpine ecosystems and landscapes. In this paper, we estimated the loss of agricultural areas due to reafforestation in the Belluno Province (Eastern Italian Alps) and integrated socioeconomic indicators with topographical features to evaluate the drivers of this change. Land use mapping, obtained from photo-interpretation of aerial photographs and technical maps, was used to quantify changes in forest and agricultural areas (crops, meadows and pastures) during the period of 1980–2000. On average, the forest surface expanded by 21%, while the agricultural areas decreased by 40%. This loss increased in areas with steeper slope, which confirms that the areas that would be first abandoned are those that are less productive and more difficult to manage. The reafforestation rate was particularly strong in the north of the province, where the livestock sector experienced a dramatic decline. In light of this situation and using multiple regression models with a large set of socioeconomic and agricultural indicators, we found that the loss of agricultural areas in 69 municipalities was primarily counterbalanced by the maintenance of livestock farming. The loss of steeper agricultural areas was counteracted by traditional extensive systems; however, it was not counteracted by modern intensive systems, which has important implications because steeper areas have higher landscape and biodiversity values. In addition, tourism development had a positive, although smaller, effect on the maintenance of agricultural areas, while industry development had a negative effect. The results of this study suggest that efforts are needed to maintain a territorial network of traditional extensive farms to avoid further landscape deterioration in Alpine areas. Likewise, certain choices toward the economic development of local communities might have an impact on land conservation.