Quantitative assessment of bioenergy from crop stalk resources in Inner Mongolia, China
نویسندگان
چکیده
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) is one of China’s strategic energy bases for the 21st century. While bioenergy in IMAR may play an important role in securing future energy supply, little research has been done so far, particularly for crop stalk resources as a potential source of bioenergy in this region. In this study we systematically analyzed the temporal and spatial patterns of crop stalk resources, evaluated the bioenergy potential of crop stalk resources, and explored possible pathways of developing stalk-based energy strategies in Inner Mongolia. Our results show that the total crop stalk yield in IMAR increased consistently from 1980 to 2008, with an average annual increase of 16.3%. Between 2004 and 2008, 26.14 million tons of crop stalks were produced each year in IMAR, 8.82 million tons of which could be used for biofuel production. Grain crops contributed most to the total amount of stalks for energy production, of which corn stalks were the largest contributor, accounting for 62% of the total crop stalk yield. Based on the current trend, crop stalk yields may continue to increase in the future. Geographically, the abundance of biofuelable crop stalk resources, either on a per capita or per unit of area basis, had a spatial pattern of ‘‘high on East and West and low in the middle’’. Our findings suggest that IMAR has the potential for developing stalk-based bioenergy to improve its current overwhelmingly coal-dominated energy structure. However, more detailed and comprehensive studies are needed to figure out how exactly such bioenergy development should be carried out in a way that would promote the regional sustainability of Inner Mongolia – i.e., simultaneously providing social, economic, and ecological benefits. 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
منابع مشابه
Orexin A promotes granulosa cell secretion of progesterone in sheep
Background: Orexin A, a small-molecule peptide, can regulate female hormones, but limited evidence for its mechanism of activity exists in ovine. Aims: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of orexin A on progesterone (P4) secretion in cultured granulosa of sheep follicles. Methods: Sheep ovarian granulosa were isolated and ...
متن کاملSpatial-temporal variation of marginal land suitable for energy plants from 1990 to 2010 in China
Energy plants are the main source of bioenergy which will play an increasingly important role in future energy supplies. With limited cultivated land resources in China, the development of energy plants may primarily rely on the marginal land. In this study, based on the land use data from 1990 to 2010(every 5 years is a period) and other auxiliary data, the distribution of marginal land suitab...
متن کاملPhysiological basis of drought tolerance in potato grown under long-term water deficiency
Coping with water shortages without compromising tuber yield is a majorchallenge for potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production in northern China. In thisstudy, we used three potato cultivars with different sensitivities to drought toevaluate the effect of long-term drought stress on morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics under field conditions during three growing seasons (2009-2011).Our...
متن کاملImmunizing mice using different combination antigens of the PI-2a fimbria subunit of Streptococcus agalactiae
Background: Streptococcus agalactiae is the main causal pathogen of bovine mastitis (BM), causing considerable economic loss to the dairy industry worldwide. Vaccines against S. agalactiae play an important role in preventing disease. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunoprotection of S. agalactiae pilus isla...
متن کاملAn integrated assessment of wild vegetable resources in Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, China
BACKGROUND This paper was based on ethnobotanical investigations conducted from 2004-2006 in Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of northern China. Today, due to their nutritious and relatively pollution-free characteristics, wild vegetables are playing an increasingly important role in peoples' health and well-being. This paper aims to provide scientific clues for the selection of special and hi...
متن کامل