The yield gap of global grain production: A spatial analysis

Neumann, Kathleen; Verburg, Peter H.; Stehfest, Elke; Müller, Christoph

doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2010.02.004

Cited by 481 publications

(332 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…The common 0.5°pixels classified by their dominant land cover are insufficient and can be replaced by units with a higher resolution. Many global studies now aim at a 5 arcminute (*10 9 10 km) spatial resolution consistent with many recent datasets (Monfreda et al 2008;Licker et al 2010;Neumann et al 2010;. This higher resolution leads to a much better representation of the variation in land cover and especially to a better representation of the smaller land cover types that are hardly ever dominant at the 0.5 degree resolution.…”

Section: Ways Forwardmentioning

confidence: 99%

The representation of landscapes in global scale assessments of environmental change

Verburg¹,

Asselen²,

Zanden³

et al. 2012

Landscape Ecol

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Landscape ecology has provided valuable insights in the relations between spatial structure and the functioning of landscapes. However, in most global scale environmental assessments the representation of landscapes is reduced to the dominant land cover within a 0.5 degree pixel, disregarding the insights about the role of structure, pattern and composition for the functioning of the landscape. This paper discusses the contributions landscape ecology can make to global scale environmental assessments. It proposes new directions for representing landscape characteristics at broad spatial scales. A contribution of landscape ecologists to the representation of landscape characteristics in global scale assessments will foster improved information and assessments for the design of sustainable earth system governance strategies.

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Section: Ways Forwardmentioning

confidence: 99%

The representation of landscapes in global scale assessments of environmental change

Verburg¹,

Asselen²,

Zanden³

et al. 2012

Landscape Ecol

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“…The best places to improve crop yields may be on underperforming landscapes, where yields are currently below average. Recent analyses 57,58 have found large yield variations across the world, even among regions with similar growing conditions, suggesting the existence of 'yield gaps' (Supplementary Fig. 4a).…”

Section: Close Yield Gapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solutions for a cultivated planet

Foley

Ramankutty

Brauman

et al. 2011

Nature

6,624

3,980

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“…There have been many quantitative analyses of yield gaps (3,5,7,9,10), with an emerging consensus in their determination. As an indicator of the prospects for potential productivity increases, a potential yield gap can be established between actual farm yield (Y) and potential yield (Y p ) (Fig.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems

Carberry

Liang

Twomlow³

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Global food security requires eco-efficient agriculture to produce the required food and fiber products concomitant with ecologically efficient use of resources. This eco-efficiency concept is used to diagnose the state of agricultural production in China (irrigated wheat–maize double-cropping systems), Zimbabwe (rainfed maize systems), and Australia (rainfed wheat systems). More than 3,000 surveyed crop yields in these three countries were compared against simulated grain yields at farmer-specified levels of nitrogen (N) input. Many Australian commercial wheat farmers are both close to existing production frontiers and gain little prospective return from increasing their N input. Significant losses of N from their systems, either as nitrous oxide emissions or as nitrate leached from the soil profile, are infrequent and at low intensities relative to their level of grain production. These Australian farmers operate close to eco-efficient frontiers in regard to N, and so innovations in technologies and practices are essential to increasing their production without added economic or environmental risks. In contrast, many Chinese farmers can reduce N input without sacrificing production through more efficient use of their fertilizer input. In fact, there are real prospects for the double-cropping systems on the North China Plain to achieve both production increases and reduced environmental risks. Zimbabwean farmers have the opportunity for significant production increases by both improving their technical efficiency and increasing their level of input; however, doing so will require improved management expertise and greater access to institutional support for addressing the higher risks. This paper shows that pathways for achieving improved eco-efficiency will differ among diverse cropping systems.

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The yield gap of global grain production: A spatial analysis

Cited by 481 publications

References 67 publications

The representation of landscapes in global scale assessments of environmental change

The representation of landscapes in global scale assessments of environmental change

Solutions for a cultivated planet

Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems

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