Analysis on sustainability of farming system in farming-pastoral ecotone of northern China based on emergy theory—— A case study in Zhunger County
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DOI:10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2013.04.040
Key Words: emergy theory  farming system  sustainability  environmental resource  Zhunger County
Author NameAffiliation
SUN Te-sheng1,2, LI Bo2 (1.西北师范大学社会发展与公共管理学院 甘肃 兰州 7300702.北京师范大学资源学院/地表过程与资源生态国家重点实验室 北京 100875) 
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Abstract:
      The theory and methods of emergy were adopted to evaluate the impact and contribution of nvironmental resources to farming system in Zhunger County based on NPP, so as to reveal the material basis, operating efficiency and development direction of farming system. The study showed: (1) Environmental resources, especially renewable resources were the main driving factors of farming system productivity in Zhunger County. Optimizing the emergy input structure and improving the utilization and transformation efficiency of environmental resources would be the strategic orientation to improve farming system productivity in Zhunger County. (2) The sustainable scale and yield of farming system in Zhunger County depended mainly on natural capital and ecosystem services that were provided by environmental resources. The best way to maintain the sustainable scale of farming system in Zhunger County would be promoting agro-forestry systems including woody fruits and woody grain and oil crops, accelerating the pace of ecological construction, and thus enhancing the capacity of natural capital and ecological services supplied by environmental resources. (3) The key development direction of farming system in Zhunger County could be implementing the strategy of farming and stockbreeding promoting mutually, improving the coupling degree and overall productivity of farming-stockbreeding system, particularly supporting the development of animal husbandry by farming, and enhancing the additional emergy value of agricultural products.