Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Biodiversity-Conscious Farming: A Case of Stork-Friendly Farming in Japan

Daisuke Sawauchi,Yasutaka Yamamoto

doi:10.4236/lce.2015.61002

Abstract

Although agriculture can contribute to ecosystem services, it can also be a source of disservices, including loss of biodiversity and emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants. In this study, we evaluate the biodiversity-conscious farming method in terms of the impact on global warming by using the life cycle assessment (LCA) taking stork-friendly farming in Japan as a case of farming method. The results show that efforts for biodiversity conservation and countermeasures against global warming may be in a trade-off relationship. The results suggest that expansion of the farming scale and switch from low-agrichemical to agrichemical-free farming may be two possible paths towards a lower carbon dioxide emission than the current level.

Highlights

Agriculture represents humankind’s largest engineered ecosystem, and agricultural ecosystems are managed to meet food, fiber and fuel needs [1] [2]
Agriculture can contribute to ecosystem services, it can be a source of disservices, including loss of biodiversity and emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and pollutants [3]
Stork-friendly farming, which has been practiced in Toyooka City in the prefecture of Hyogo in Japan, is a biodiversity-conscious farming method

Summary

Introduction

Agriculture represents humankind’s largest engineered ecosystem, and agricultural ecosystems are managed to meet food, fiber and fuel needs [1] [2]. Agriculture can contribute to ecosystem services, it can be a source of disservices, including loss of biodiversity and emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and pollutants [3]. Agricultural management can be designed to host wild biodiversity of many types [4]-[6], and to reduce GHG emissions [7]-[9]. Stork-friendly farming (hereinafter referred to as SF farming), which has been practiced in Toyooka City in the prefecture of Hyogo in Japan, is a biodiversity-conscious farming method. (2015) Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from BiodiversityConscious Farming: A Case of Stork-Friendly Farming in Japan.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion