Eco-exergy-based ecological flow accounting of cropland ecosystem and utilisation efficiencies in China Online publication date: Mon, 11-May-2015
by Beibei Guo; Xuhong Yang; Xiaobin Jin; Yinkang Zhou
International Journal of Exergy (IJEX), Vol. 17, No. 1, 2015
Abstract: A quantitative analysis of the development of ecological flow patterns of various types is performed. On the basis of existing exergy accounting, ecological flow networks in a typical semi-natural cropland ecosystem were analysed, and five ecological indicators used to compare spatial and temporal differences from 2000 to 2011 in 31 provinces of mainland China. The results show that according to system transformity, the utilisation effectiveness of cropland ecosystems has increased from 20.22% to 23.23%, with major grain producing provinces in central China growing significantly. Annual renewable resource dependency has gradually decreased from 93.90% to 89.52%. The analysis of natural resources utilisation and material flow suggests that the use of natural resources needs to be more conservative, particularly in coastal provinces, and that economic development needs to be guaranteed. The results can provide guidance for future policy-oriented agriculture sustainable development.
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