The imprint of crop choice on global nutrient needs
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15549802 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Esteban G Jobbágy (0000-0002-4214-6011, National University of San Luis, corresponding author), Osvaldo E Sala (0000-0003-0142-9450, Arizona State University) |
| Year | 2014 |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 084014-084014 |
| Publication date | 2014-08-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Environmental Research Letters (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1748-9326 • E-ISSN: 1748-9326 |
| Publisher | IOP Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1088/1748-9326/9/8/084014 |
| OpenAlex | W2122627826 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 27 |
Solutions to meet growing food requirements in a world of limited suitable land and degrading environment focus mainly on increasing crop yields, particularly in poorly performing regions, and reducing animal product consumption. Increasing yields could alleviate land requirements, but imposing higher soil nutrient withdrawals and in most cases larger fertilizer inputs. Lowering animal product consumption favors a more efficient use of land as well as soil and fertilizer nutrients; yet actual saving may largely depend on which crops and how much fertilizer are used to feed livestock versus people. We show, with a global analysis, how the choice of cultivated plant species used to feed people and livestock influences global food production as well as soil nutrient withdrawals and fertilizer additions. The 3 to 15-fold differences in soil nutrient withdrawals per unit of energy or protein produced that we report across major crops explain how composition shifts over the last 20 years have reduced N, maintained P and increased K harvest withdrawals from soils while contributing to increasing dietary energy, protein and, particularly, vegetable fat outputs. Being highly variable across crops, global fertilization rates do not relate to actual soil nutrient withdrawals, but to monetary values of harvested products. Future changes in crop composition could contribute to achieve more sustainable food systems, optimizing land and fertilizer use
Agricultural engineering · Agroforestry · Agronomy · Biology · Crop · Fertilizer · Land use · Livestock · Nutrient · Nutrient Management · Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact · Environmental Science · Phosphorus and nutrient management · Plant Micronutrient Interactions and Effects · Ecology
Global food demand and the sustainable intensification of agriculture
Global changes in diets and the consequences for land requirements for food
Nutrient Imbalances in Agricultural Development
Forecasting Agriculturally Driven Global Environmental Change
Evolution of the global virtual water trade network
Comparing environmental impacts for livestock products
Closing yield gaps through nutrient and water management
Crop Yield Gaps
Solutions for a cultivated planet
Global Consequences of Land Use
The role of diet in phosphorus demand
Redefining agricultural yields
The story of phosphorus
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,33 |
| Citation span | 2014 - 2023 (10) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |