Environmental, human health, and ecosystem economic performance of long-term optimizing nitrogen management for wheat production. (15th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Ling; Zhang, Wushuai; Cui, Zhenling; Hu, Yuncai; Schmidhalter, Urs; Chen, Xinping
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 311(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-08-15
• Subjects: Nitrogen -- Environment impact -- Human health effect -- Life cycle assessment -- Ecosystem economic analysis; CK no N -- Opt. N*50–70% 50–70% of optimal N rate -- Opt. N optimal N rate -- Opt. N*130–150% 130–150% of optimal N rate -- Con. N farmer's conventional N practice -- LCA Life cycle assessment -- MS agricultural materials system -- FS arable farming system -- ED energy depletion -- WU water use -- LU land use -- GWP global warming potential -- AP acidification potential -- EP eutrophication potential -- HTP human toxicity potential -- AEP aquatic eco-toxicity potential -- TEP terrestrial eco-toxicity potential -- EI Environmental indicator -- DALY Disability Adjusted Life Year -- EEB Ecosystem economic benefit; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127620
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: Losses of nitrogen (N) fertilizers applied in the fields lead to adverse impacts on the environment quality, human and ecosystem health. Quantifying the integrated effects of N fertilizer on the environment, human health, and ecosystem economic benefits (EEB) is critical to developing sustainable N-management strategies. In this study, the life cycle assessment (LCA) and EEB evaluation of winter wheat under five N fertilizer levels for 12 years on the North China Plain (NCP) were performed. The LCA results demonstrated that, compared to the conventional N (Con. N) treatment, the optimal N treatment (Opt. N, 165 kg N ha −1 on average) based on in-season root-zone N management, substantially reduced greenhouse gas emissions, acidification, eutrophication, and energy consumption potentials per Mg of grain produced by reducing life-cycle pollutants emissions. Moreover, the increase in crop yield in the Opt. N indirectly reduced the life-cycle land use, water use, human toxicity, aquatic ecotoxicity, and terrestrial ecotoxicity potentials per Mg of grain produced compared to lower N application treatments. Consequently, Opt. N had the lowest aggregated environmental indicator (0.39 EcoX Mg −1 ). Also, Opt. N reduced the negative effects on human health by 28% and 31% compared to the without N treatment (CK) and Con. N treatments. In addition, the average N-derived EEB considering the cost from N fertilizer, ecosystem and human health effects was highest with Opt. N (1493 $ ha −1 ). This study demonstrates that long-term optimal N management in wheat production can increase ecosystem economic benefits while reducing harm to the ecosystem and human health, and the integrated assessment of this study could provide a more comprehensive view on sustainable N management strategy to the policy-makers and stake-holders. Highlights: Optimizing N management achieved the highest winter wheat grain yield. Optimizing N management obtained the lowest aggregated environmental indicator. Optimizing N management mitigated the human health impacts. Optimizing N management is a promising way to improve ecosystem economic benefit.