Abstract
Abstract Biofuels are now an important resource in the U nited S tates because of the E nergy I ndependence and S ecurity A ct of 2007. Both increased corn growth for ethanol production and perennial dedicated energy crop growth for cellulosic feedstocks are potential sources to meet the rising demand for biofuels. However, these measures may cause adverse environmental consequences that are not yet fully understood. This study 1) evaluates the long‐term impacts of increased frequency of corn in the crop rotation system on water quantity and quality as well as soil fertility in the J ames R iver B asin and 2) identifies potential grasslands for cultivating bioenergy crops (e.g. switchgrass), estimating the water quality impacts. We selected the soil and water assessment tool, a physically based multidisciplinary model, as the modeling approach to simulate a series of biofuel production scenarios involving crop rotation and land cover changes. The model simulations with different crop rotation scenarios indicate that decreases in water yield and soil nitrate nitrogen ( NO 3 ‐ N ) concentration along with an increase in NO 3 ‐ N load to stream water could justify serious concerns regarding increased corn rotations in this basin. Simulations with land cover change scenarios helped us spatially classify the grasslands in terms of biomass productivity and nitrogen loads, and we further derived the relationship of biomass production targets and the resulting nitrogen loads against switchgrass planting acreages. The suggested economically efficient (planting acreage) and environmentally friendly (water quality) planting locations and acreages can be a valuable guide for cultivating switchgrass in this basin. This information, along with the projected environmental costs (i.e. reduced water yield and increased nitrogen load), can contribute to decision support tools for land managers to seek the sustainability of biofuel development in this region.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Increased corn rotation scenarios decreased water yield.
- Taxon
- corn
Zea mays subsp. mayse1 - Treatment
- different crop rotation scenariose0
- Outcome
- water yielde0
- Direction
- decreasese0
- Setting
- J ames R iver B asine1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“model simulations with different crop rotation scenarios indicate that decreases in water yield”
e1“corn in the crop rotation system on water quantity and quality as well as soil fertility in the J ames R iver B asin”
Claim · model-written summary
Increased corn rotation scenarios decreased soil nitrate nitrogen concentration.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse1
- Treatment
- different crop rotation scenariose2
- Outcome
- soil nitrate nitrogen ( NO 3 ‐ N ) concentratione0
- Direction
- decreasese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“decreases in water yield and soil nitrate nitrogen ( NO 3 ‐ N ) concentration”
e1“corn in the crop rotation system”
e2“different crop rotation scenarios”
Claim · model-written summary
Increased corn rotation scenarios increased nitrate nitrogen load to stream water.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse1
- Treatment
- different crop rotation scenariose2
- Outcome
- NO 3 ‐ N load to stream watere0
- Direction
- increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“an increase in NO 3 ‐ N load to stream water”
e1“corn in the crop rotation system”
e2“different crop rotation scenarios”
Claim · model-written summary
Land cover scenarios classified grasslands by simulated biomass productivity.
- Taxon
- switchgrass
Panicum virgatume1 - Treatment
- land cover change scenariose0
- Outcome
- biomass productivitye0
Not reportedComparatorValue
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Simulations with land cover change scenarios helped us spatially classify the grasslands in terms of biomass productivity”
e1“switchgrass planting acreages”
Claim · model-written summary
Land cover scenarios classified grasslands by nitrogen loads.
- Taxon
- switchgrassPanicum virgatume1
- Treatment
- land cover change scenariose0
- Outcome
- nitrogen loadse0
Not reportedComparatorValue
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Simulations with land cover change scenarios helped us spatially classify the grasslands in terms of biomass productivity and nitrogen loads”
e1“switchgrass planting acreages”
Claim · model-written summary
The analysis derived a relation between biomass production targets, nitrogen loads, and switchgrass planting acreage.
- Taxon
- switchgrassPanicum virgatume0
- Treatment
- switchgrass planting acreagese0
- Outcome
- resulting nitrogen loadse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“we further derived the relationship of biomass production targets and the resulting nitrogen loads against switchgrass planting acreages”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggested efficient, water friendly switchgrass planting locations and acreages.
- Taxon
- switchgrassPanicum virgatume0
- Outcome
- planting locations and acreagese0
- Qualifier
- economically efficient (planting acreage) and environmentally friendly (water quality)e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The suggested economically efficient (planting acreage) and environmentally friendly (water quality) planting locations and acreages can be a valuable guide for cultivating switchgrass in this basin”
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