Potential productivity of the Miscanthus energy crop in the Loess Plateau of China under climate change
作 者：Liu W, Sang T*
影响因子：3.582
刊物名称：Environmental Research Letters
出版年份：2013
卷： 期： 页码：doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/044003
论文摘要：
With a vast area of marginal land, the Loess Plateau of China is a promising region for large-scale production of second-generation energy crops. However, it remains unknown whether such production is sustainable in the long run, especially under climate change. Using a regional climate change model, PRECIS, we analyzed the impact of climate change onMiscanthusproduction in the Loess Plateau. Under three emission scenarios, A2, B2, and A1B, both the average yield and total area capable of supportingMiscanthusproduction would increase continuously in the future period (2011–2099). As a result, the total yield potential in the region would increase by about 20% in this future period from the baseline period (1961–1990). This was explained primarily by predicted increases in temperature and precipitation across the Loess Plateau, which improved the yield of the perennial C4 plants relying exclusively on rainfed production. The areas that are currently too dry or too cold to supportMiscanthusproduction could be turned into energy crop fields, especially along the arid–semiarid transition zone. Thus the Loess Plateau would become increasingly desirable for growing second-generation energy crops in this century, which could in turn contribute to soil improvement and ecological restoration of the region.
