Establishment of Optimized Eco-productive Paradigm in the Farming-Pastoral Zone of Northern China

The farming-pastoral zone of northern China plays a dual role in ecological conditions and production and occupies an important position in the national economy. In this paper, the methodology of system engineering is introduced to construct and optimize an eco-productive paradigm system for the typical areas of the farming-pastoral zone. The system was constructed in the following steps: (1) design the framework of the paradigm system based on the data of physical site characteristics, biocommunities, production and economy, social culture and historical changes; (2) analyze the vegetation patterns, the interactions between vegetation and environmental factors (natural, social, economic, etc.) and the contributions of vegetation to the area, including the synthesis of the existing researches; and (3) provide the spatial arrangements of ecosystems and planning of each area, raise a comprehensive indicators of evaluation, evaluate the feasibility and soundness, and determine the optimum eco-productive paradigms for policy-makers which were land-use patterns within the threshold of ecological conservation. Three primitive paradigms of Maowusu (Mu Us) Ssandy Land, Loess Plateau and Huailai Basin in the farming-pastoral zone of northern China were proposed according to this paradigm system.

Effects of Urbanization and Industrialization on Farmland System in Shandong Peninsula

[Objective] The aim was to study the effects of urbanization and industrialization on farmland system in Shandong Peninsula. [Method] In Shandong Peninsula, the effects were studied and analyzed using remote sensing and image interpretation with spatial data analysis and statistic data analysis. [Result] During researching periods in Shandong Peninsula, wasteland area changed from decreasing to increasing; farmland area was declining; orchard and forestry areas were increasing, mainly resulting from political policies and benefits maximization of farmers. Meanwhile, chemical fertilizers and agricultural mechanization are more frequently applied with industrialization and urbanization, leading significant effects on environment, industry and urban. [Conclusion] More policies should be formulated to promote harmonious development of society, economy and environment.

The Use of Life Cycle Management Principles in Biosystems Engineering： A Pragmatic Approach to Solving Agri-industrial Sustainability Problems

LCM （life cycle management） is a systematic approach, mindset and culture that considers economic, social, and environmental factors among other factors in the decision making process throughout various business or organizational decisions that affect both inputs and outputs of a product or service life cycle. It is a product, process, or activity management system aimed at minimizing environmental and socio-economic burdens associated with an organization＇s product or process during its entire life cycle and value chain. LCM＇s application is gaining wider acceptance both in the corporate and governmental organizations as an approach to reduce ecological footprints and to improve the sustainability of human activities. But where and how can it be used in agricultural engineering applications？ This study highlights the potential areas of LCM application in agricultural and allied sectors and how it can be utilized. The study revealed that LCM tools such as design for environment and life cycle analysis can be used to evaluate the environmental impacts of-and to improve the products, equipment, and structures produced by biosystems engineers as well as the processes used to generate them.

Ergonomic Aspects of Operation of IT Systems in Precision Agriculture

The operation of IT systems is a sine qua non condition in precision agriculture. In the traditional approach, professional competencies of a farmer comprise the ability to operate machines and technical equipment in production technologies for biological raw materials. Precision agriculture increases this range of professional competencies with the ability to use computer IT systems that are complex and, by their very nature, much differing in their content and scope from typical farming knowledge. The ergonomic problem can be brought down to determination whether the operation of IT systems in precision agriculture is adjusted to the predispositions, needs and skills of the farmers. Generally, in the IT system of precision agriculture, three phases can be differentiated： data collection, processing and application. To what extent should they be operated by the farmer, and to what extent by the IT specialist, is the problem that determines effective functioning of precision farming. The ergonomic assessment of some software for equipment operation, generation of harvesting maps and applications points to： （1） the need for standardisation in construction and operation of IT systems; （2） the division of the function-farmer and IT specialist （e.g. from an agriculture consulting institution） in the precision agriculture system.

Land consolidation engineering and modern agriculture: A case study from soil particles to agricultural systems

Land consolidation engineering is one of the very important ways to improve the quality of farmland and the level of agricultural productivity. Studies of land consolidation and crop cultivation still mainly focus on single land functional optimization or crop breeding and yields. However, whether the improved crop varieties were sown on healthy and fertile soils is still a question. This paper introduces new ideas and engineering measures for sandy land rehabilitation and modern agricultural development in the Mu Us Sandy Land, Shaanxi Province, Western China. The important roles of particles and aggregates in soil reconstruction were confirmed following three innovative microscopic theories, including micro-structure, micro-morphology and micro-mechanism. New soil was constructed based on the physical complementarity of sandy, clay and loess particles in the Yulin area, northern Shaanxi Province. Field experiments were carried out to study the appropriate mixture ratio of different soils and their suitability for different crops. The improved crop varieties were sown on healthy and fertile soils, which were chosen by coupling according to its soil ecological suitability and crop physiological adaptability. The fertility improvement practices in the new constructed soils with different crops integrated water and fertilizer management measures, which were also provided in the experiment. Overall, an integrated land optimization configuration with improved and optimized crop variety selection was suggested for engineering sandy land-oriented consolidation from the soil particles to the agricultural system.

Synergic Relationship between the Grain for Green Program and the Agricultural Eco-economic System in Ansai County based on the VAR model

Understanding the synergic relationship between the Grain for Green Program(GGP)and the agricultural eco-economic system is important for designing an optimized agricultural eco-economic system and developing a highly efficient structure of an agricultural industry chain and a resource chain.This study used Ansai County time series data from 1995 to 2014,applied vector autoregressive(VAR)models and used tools such as Granger causality,impulse response analysis and variance decomposition,to explore the synergy between the GGP and the agricultural eco-economic system.The results revealed a synergic and reciprocal relationship between the GGP and the agroeconomic system.The contribution of the GGP to the agroecosystem reached 34%,which was significantly higher than either its largest contribution to the agroeconomic system(20.8%)or its peak contribution to the agrosocial system(26.7%).The agroeconomic system had the most prominent influence on the GGP,with a year-round stable contribution of up to 55.3%.These results were consistent with reality.However,the impact of the GGP on the agricultural eco-economic system was weaker than the effect of the agricultural eco-economic system on the GGP.The lag of variable stationarity after the shock was relatively short,indicating that optimal coupling had not formed between the GGP and the agricultural eco-economic system.On the basis of enhancing the ecological functions,we should construct the agricultural industry-resource chain such that it focuses on promoting the effective utilization of resources in the region.In addition,the development of a carbon sink industry can be used to manifest the ecological values of ecological functions.