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Mitigation of Multiple Environmental Footprints for China's Pig Production Using Different Land Use Strategies
- Source :
- Environmental Science and Technology 55 (2021) 8, Environmental Science and Technology, 55(8), 4440-4451
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Pig production contributes considerably to land use and greenhouse gas (GHG) and reactive nitrogen (Nr) emissions. Land use strategies were widely proposed, but the spillover effects on biological flow are rarely explored. Here, we simultaneously assessed the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and cropland footprints of China's pig production at the provincial scale in 2017. The environmental impacts of land use strategies were further evaluated. Results show that one kg live-weight pig production generated an average of 1.9 kg CO2-equiv and 59 g Nr emissions, occupying 3.5 m2 cropland, with large regional variations. A large reduction in GHG (58-64%) and Nr (12-14%) losses and occupied cropland (10-11%) could be achieved simultaneously if combined strategies of intensive crop production, improved feed-protein utilization efficiency, and feeding co-products were implemented. However, adopting a single strategy may have environmental side-effects. Reallocating cropland that pigs used for feed to plant food alternatives would enhance human-edible energy (3-20 times) and protein delivery (1-5 times) and reduce C and N footprints, except for rice and vegetables. Reallocating cropland to beef and milk production would decrease energy and protein supply. Therefore, a proper combination of land use strategies is essential to alleviate land use changes and nutrient emissions without sacrificing food supply.
- Subjects :
- Greenhouse Effect
China
Reactive nitrogen
Land use
Nitrogen
Swine
General Chemistry
010501 environmental sciences
01 natural sciences
Greenhouse Gases
Spillover effect
Environmental protection
Greenhouse gas
Carbon footprint
Life Science
Environmental Chemistry
Production (economics)
Environmental science
Animals
Cattle
Greenhouse effect
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Carbon Footprint
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15205851 and 0013936X
- Volume :
- 55
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Environmental sciencetechnology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....c6b46a70d71e5d9849ba065ae330c595