Assessing nitrogen circularity in food systems in the North China Plain

IF 11.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Resources Conservation and Recycling Pub Date : 2024-11-20 DOI:10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.108015

Chuanlan Tang , O. van Hal , Yong Hou , Simon J. Oosting , Pierre J. Gerber

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Abstract

Enhancing nitrogen (N) circularity is crucial to mitigate the environmental impacts of N losses in food systems. Substance flow analysis (SFA) effectively assesses N flows, but its application to evaluating food system circularity in China remains limited. We used a SFA model of food system with detailed representation of animals and waste in the North China Plain, an agricultural-intensive area, to assess eight circularity indicators. Findings revealed that the area imported 49 % of feed N yet maintained food N self-sufficiency by producing 110 % of consumed food N. Nitrogen Use Efficiency was 19 %, with 56 % of waste N recycled, contributing half and one-third of fertilizer and feed N inputs. Furthermore, circularity performance varied among prefecture-level cities, with better outcomes in agriculturally active, less populated, and less urbanized areas. We illustrate SFA's value in assessing circularity in Chinese food systems while advocating for improved model accuracy and complementary indicators, emphasizing tailored strategies.

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评估华北平原粮食系统的氮循环性

提高氮（N）的循环性对于减轻粮食系统中氮损失对环境的影响至关重要。物质流分析（SFA）可有效评估氮的流动，但其在中国粮食系统循环性评估中的应用仍然有限。我们在华北平原这个农业密集区使用了一个详细反映动物和废弃物的食物系统 SFA 模型，以评估八个循环性指标。研究结果表明，该地区进口了 49% 的饲料氮，但通过生产 110% 的粮食氮，保持了粮食氮的自给自足。氮利用效率为 19%，56% 的废弃物氮被回收利用，分别占肥料和饲料氮投入量的一半和三分之一。此外，各地级市的循环表现也不尽相同，在农业活跃、人口较少和城市化程度较低的地区，循环表现更好。我们说明了 SFA 在评估中国粮食系统循环性方面的价值，同时提倡提高模型的准确性和补充指标，强调因地制宜的策略。

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来源期刊

Resources Conservation and Recycling 环境科学-工程：环境

CiteScore

22.90

自引率

6.10%

发文量

625

审稿时长

23 days

期刊介绍： The journal Resources, Conservation & Recycling welcomes contributions from research, which consider sustainable management and conservation of resources. The journal prioritizes understanding the transformation processes crucial for transitioning toward more sustainable production and consumption systems. It highlights technological, economic, institutional, and policy aspects related to specific resource management practices such as conservation, recycling, and resource substitution, as well as broader strategies like improving resource productivity and restructuring production and consumption patterns. Contributions may address regional, national, or international scales and can range from individual resources or technologies to entire sectors or systems. Authors are encouraged to explore scientific and methodological issues alongside practical, environmental, and economic implications. However, manuscripts focusing solely on laboratory experiments without discussing their broader implications will not be considered for publication in the journal.