Feng Zhiming

Water Requirements and Irrigation Scheduling of Spring Maize Using GIS and CropWat Model in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region

Due to the over use of available water resources, it has become very important to define appropriate strategies for planning and management of irrigated farmland. In this paper, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) region was chosen as the case study area for its special political and economic status and its severe water problem. To achieve effective planning, the information about crop water requirements, irrigation withdrawals, soil types and climatic conditions were obtained in the study area. In the meantime, a GIS method was adopted, which extends the capabilities of the crop models to a regional level. The main objectives of the study are: 1) to estimate the spatial distribution of the evapotranspiration of spring maize; 2) to estimate climatic water deficit; 3) to estimate the yield reduction of spring maize under different rainfed and irrigated conditions. Based on the water deficit analysis, recommended supplemental irrigation schedule was developed using CropWat model. Compared to the rainfed control, the two or three times of supplemental water irrigated to spring maize at the right time reduced the loss of yield, under different scenarios.

Detecting Effects of the Recent Drought on Vegetation in Southwestern China

Abstract: The severest drought on record occurred in southwestern China from September 2009 until March 2010. In order to measure the impact the drought imposed on vegetation, we developed an evaluation indicator called the Vegetation Index Anomaly (VIA) based on MODIS/EVI. The tempo-spatial pattern of this impact was analyzed. Given that this impact may be modulated by many factors, the responses of different vegetation types (woodland, grassland and cropland), and the spatial pattern of meteorological drought were also analyzed. Results show that more than 50% of vegetation suffered because of this drought event, but there was significant tempo-spatial variability in the range and intensity of impact. This variability may be caused by many factors. Of the three major vegetation types, cropland was the most sensitive to drought, followed by grassland and then woodland. In addition, meteorological factors (precipitation and air temperature) also played a role; however, obvious differences exist between the spatial distribution pattern of drought-stricken vegetation and that of meteorological drought, which further demonstrates the intervention of other factors besides meteorological factors. So compared to meteorological drought, the vegetation index may be more useful for measuring the actual intensity, duration and impact of drought events. The limitations of vegetation indices are also considered.

Exploitation, Utilization Status, and Development Prospects of Water Resources in Ningbo City

Abstract: Water resources insufficiency is one of the bottlenecks that restrict sustainable socio-economic development in Ningbo city. Good handling of the relationship between water resources utilization and development is of great significance for the realization of continuous economic growth and sustainable socio-economic development. This study systematically evaluated water resources utilization with respect to water supply and demand. Water resources development and utilization prospects and regional differences were then assessed at multiple scales, at both county/district and city level in Ningbo city, using the water resources carrying index. Results showed that: (1) The volume of water resources supply and consumption gradually rose each year, with surface water as the primary source and groundwater as the secondary source. Regarding consumption, industrial water consumption was the primary element, and domestic and environmental water consumption were the secondary elements. Even though the use of water resources for irrigation, secondary and, tertiary industry were becoming more efficient, comprehensive per capita water consumption was gradually increasing. (2) The water resources carrying index for Ningbo city fluctuated in the range of 4.51–23.35 during 2001–2015; the degree of water resource utilization and potential exploitation evaluation of water resources were not stable. The average value of the water resources carrying index was 11.68; the degree of utilization of water resources was very high, and the introduction of water from external water bodies was necessary, to the extent external source were available. (3) Future water resources exploitation will be quite difficult in Ningbo city, especially in Cixi county, Ningbo municipal district and Yuyao county. So the introduction of external water as a supplemental source will be required.

Temporal and Spatial Distribution Patterns of Grain Crops in the West Liaohe River Basin

Abstract: Here, we quantitatively determine temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of main grain crops in the West Liaohe River basin, Inner Mongolia, China, from 2000 to 2010 based on MODIS remote sensing data and NDVI time series information for the years 2000, 2005 and 2010. Phenological calendars and a decisionmaking tree extraction model were also used to obtain spatial distribution information of spring maize, spring wheat and soybean. We found that in 2010, the sown area of the main grain crops in the West Liaohe River basin was 11 965.08km2, of which, the sown area for spring maize accounted for 92.28%and was concentrated in the lower reaches of the region. Spring wheat accounted for 3.14% and was mainly in the middle reaches. Soybean accounted for 4.58% and was predominantly in the upper reaches. From 2000 to 2005, the sown area of these grain crops in the West Liaohe River basin grew by 29.77%, mainly in the lower reaches: spring maize grew by 38.99%, spring wheat by 39.04% and soybean by 21.27%. From 2005 to 2010, growth in the sown area of these crops was slow (5.18% growth) and mainly in the lower reaches of the basin. The sown area of spring maize increased, but decreased for both spring wheat and soybean.

Evaluation of Material-based Development of China Using GIS Methods

Abstract Regional development is a course of accumulation based on many factors, which is directly related to resources utilization and conversion. And material wealth production and accumulation embody the outcome of regional development. Thus, focusing on material wealth, regional development can be evaluated from resources and perspective of resources conversion. Taking the infrastructural level, transportation accessibility and economic development level into full account, the concept of “material-based development” was presented and the material-based development index (MDI) model was established. By using the MDI model, geographic information system technology and mathematic methods, this article then calculated MDI of each county and province of China in 2005 and systematically evaluated the material-based development of China at county and provincial scales, so as to bring some scientific references and policy-making supports to the population development function oriented zoning and population spatial distribution planning of China. The result showed that: (1) At county scale, the material-based development of counties within China in 2005 was significantly different, in which there were 1876 counties belonging to the mid-level material-based development and accounted for 78.10% of the total. The numbers of high-level and low-level counties were 144 and 382 and accounted for 6.00% and 15.90% respectively, demonstrating a spindle shape in general. The spatial distribution of material-based development was unbalanced, and it was much better in southeastern part of the line of “Daxinganling–Yinshan–Liupanshan–southeast edge of Qinghai– Tibet Plateau” than that of northwestern. Furthermore, there were also differences of the sub-index between different material-based development levels. Therefore, for different regions, key issues and measures adaptable to local condition should be prioritized and taken in order to realize regional balance development. (2) At provincial scale, there was also significant difference between each province and the spatial distribution of it was “high in the east, low in the west” in general. It meant that the capacity of natural resources attraction and conversion of east China was better than that of west China. The infrastructure level was the main factor accounting for the differences of material-based development levels among provinces. As a result, our government should make great efforts to improve infrastructure condition, especially the western part of China, so as to narrow the gap between the western part and the eastern part to realize the coordinated development within different regions and rapidly socio-economic development of China.

China’s Land Carrying Capacity Based on Man-grain Relationships

With population growth and increasing pressure on land resources, land carrying capacity (LCC) and food safety have been attracting great attention worldwide. From the point of man-grain relationship and by establishing LCC and land carrying capacity index (LCCI) models, this article firstly analyzes the spatial–temporal dynamics of LCC of China from 1949 to 2005 at county, provincial and national levels. Choosing 2005 as a representative year, this article then evaluates the LCC of 264 pastoral regions (semipastoral regions), 663 urban regions and 592 poverty stricken regions of the country. The results show that: (1) from 1949 to 2005, with the increase of grain production, the LCC of China has been improved conspicuously, but due to the rapid population growth, the production can only maintain a low level grain consumption; (2) over the past 25 years (1980–2005), the number of population overloading provinces decreased from 23 to 15 and the mangrain relationship has been improved gradually, but there were more overloading provinces than surplus provinces in China; (3) at county level, there were 1572 overloading counties in 1980 accounting for 68.26% of the total counties of the country and where were 649 million people lived, while in 1990, 2000 and 2005, the number of overloading counties were 1066, 1133 and 1087 respectively, which shows that the man-grain relationship has been improved obviously during the past 25 years; as for spatial distribution, the surplus counties were mainly concentrated in agriculture developed regions, such as Northeast Plain, North China Plain, middle and lower Reaches of the Yangtze River Plain, and overloading counties were mainly located in regions with poor natural environment and low grain production capacity, such as Northwest China, Tibetan Plateau and Loess Plateau and economically developed urban regions, such as Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai; (4) animal husbandry improved greatly the LCC of pastoral and semi-pastoral regions, while urban regions were overloading for increasing population pressure and more than half of poverty stricken regions were overloading due to critical natural environment and poor economic conditions.

Research on Land Resource Carrying Capacity: Progress and Prospects

Abstract: As an important part of resource and environment carrying capacity (RECC), land resource carrying capacity (LRCC) has focused on the limiting factors on regional development from the scale of land resources for more than two hundred years. After a brief review of the origin and early development of LRCC, the progress of LRCC is summarized as a progression from land resource population carrying capacity (LPCC) to land resource comprehensive carrying capacity (LCCC), and the hot issues of LRCC have changed from the simple human–grain relationship to more complex social and economic activities–land resources relationships. The corresponding research methods also evolved, from static research to dynamic research, and the assessment factor have evolved from a single factor to a comprehensive index system. Agro-ecological zoning (AEZ), system dynamics (SD), ecological footprint (EF), and comprehensive evaluation methods have come to be viewed as the most representative methods of LRCC in recent years. As a focus of conventional LRCC research, the human–grain relationship still plays a significant role in LRCC evaluation because grain remains the top limiting factor of land resources and is the most significant criterion in the balance between regional population and land resources, especially for very populous countries. More attention should be paid to the accurate calculation of arable land and average food consumption levels to improve the scientific basis of LRCC evaluation. The development of science and technology and the variation of lifestyle are also important factors that influence regional LRCC. As a new topic of LRCC, LCCC has expanded the research field of LRCC in an attempt to reveal the limiting effects of land resource under open systems, but some issues such as carrying mechanism research and the combination of theoretical and applied research are needed in future studies to promote the further development of LCCC.

The Progress of Resources and Environment Carrying Capacity: from Single-factor Carrying Capacity Research to Comprehensive Research

Abstract: As a concept to describe development restrictions, resources and environment carrying capacity (RECC) research has developed over more than 100 years since it was first proposed at the beginning of the 20th century. It is now regarded as a significant factor in evaluating the level of cooperation between regional population, resources, and environment; and it is currently used as an effective and operational tool to guide regional sustainable development. This article first reviews the origin of RECC and its early headway. It then reviews the historical development of RECC from single factors, such as land resources carrying capacity, water resources carrying capacity and environmental carrying capacity (environmental capacity), to more comprehensive research, such as comprehensive evaluation, emergy analysis, and ecological footprint analysis. In general, it appears that comprehensive research will become increasingly important in RECC research. However, there are several deficiencies in the current state of comprehensive research. Firstly, comprehensive RECC research lacks a common measurement standard, though some scholars have attempted to create one. Secondly, the RECC evaluation of open systems and dynamic studies should be strengthened. Thirdly, more attention should be paid to standardization, digitalization, and systematization to promote the applicability of RECC research to national practical demands.

Carbon Balance of Cassava-Based Ethanol Fuel in China

Abstract: Considering energy security and greenhouse gas emission, many governments are developing bio-liquid fuel industries. The Chinese Government advocates the development of a fuel ethanol industry with non-food crops such as cassava. However, scientists debate the carbon emission of these bio-liquid fuels. The focuses are the influence of soil carbon pool destruction and by-product utilization. This study built a carbon balance analysis model, and assessed carbon emission of cassava fuel ethanol across its life cycle. The results show that the carbon emission of cassava fuel ethanol per kilogram in its life cycle was 0.457 kg under new technical conditions and 0.647 kg under old technical conditions. Carbon emission mainly came from the use of nitrogen fertilizer (9% of total emissions), the destruction of the soil carbon pool (29%) and fossil energy inputs (50%). Taking gasoline as a reference, the carbon emission of cassava fuel ethanol was 90% of that of gasoline. This percentage would drop to 64% if soil carbon pool destruction was avoided. Therefore, in order to promote the development of cassava fuel ethanol in China, farms should apply fertilizer properly, grow cassava on marginal land, and not alter land use patterns of woodland, grassland and other environments. In addition, we should exploit efficient fuel ethanol conversion technologies and strengthen the use of by-products.

Share-Shift Analysis of Geo-Economic Pattern on Global Cereal Crops in Recent 50 Years

Abstract In recent 50 years, with the rapid development of international food trade, the geo-economic pattern of cereal crops has changed tremendously which produced a significant impact on global food security. This paper attempted to analysis the production pattern and trade pattern of global cereals, especially three main crops of wheat, maize and rice by using the method of share-shift. Given the fact of almost every economic phenomenon is driven by their economic return behind them, this paper attempted to a further step into their economic pattern by examining their net trade flow. The results showed that from the view of production and trade, the geographic pattern of global cereals has changed greatly which can be described as developing countries has replaced developed countries and become the world’s biggest cereals production and trading area. But when moving to the net trade flow, it turns out to be another story that can depicted as the regional fixation features of economic returns which can be convinced from the labor division of global cereals trade, among which developed countries acts as net trade profit area while developing countries as net trade output area, and their gap between net export and net import has been widening from the view of evolution trend. So what we learn from the evolution of geo-economic pattern on this topic is that our place in global cereals trade system, and therefore alert us to concern not only on the pattern transition but also the economic meaning behind it, only by doing so can we learn to plan our food future more wisely and effectively.