Interannual Evolution Characteristics of the Carbon and Nitrogen Footprints of Maize Production in Inner Mongolia

Abstract

As the third-largest maize-producing province in China and a typical arid and semi-arid region, quantitatively evaluating the carbon and nitrogen footprints of maize production and their dominant factors is of great significance in guiding the high-yield, low-carbon, and sustainable development of maize production in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This study quantitatively evaluated the interannual evolution characteristics of the carbon and nitrogen footprints in maize production and their dominant factors in Inner Mongolia from 2003 to 2022 based on statistical yearbook data and emission parameter models. The results showed that from 2003 to 2022, the maize planting area, yield, and total yield in Inner Mongolia all increased, with an average annual increase of 97 kg ha−1 in yield and 1.23 × 106 Mg in total yield. The carbon and nitrogen footprints of Inner Mongolia maize production over the past 20 years had overall decreasing trends, while the nitrogen fertilizer bias productivity, net ecosystem carbon balance, and sustainability index had increasing trends. Carbon footprint reduced by an average of 5.2 kg CO2 eq Mg−1 per year, and nitrogen footprint reduced by an average of 0.21 g N eq kg−1 per year. Currently, the transportation and production of fertilizer and field application of N fertilizer are the main controlling factors of GHG emissions from maize production. NO3−-N, NH4+-N leaching, and NH3 volatilization from field application of N fertilizer are the main sources of reactive N losses. The application of simplified processes, such as phased regulation of nitrogen and controlled-release fertilizers, as well as conservation tillage, have broad prospects for emission reduction in maize production in Inner Mongolia.

Keywords

• maize
• carbon footprint
• nitrogen footprint
• life cycle assessment