Role of Land Use Changes on Ammonia Emissions from Agricultural Ecosystems in the Yangtze River Delta Region from 2000 to 2018

Abstract

Based on Landsat satellite remote sensing images, this study interprets land use changes in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region from 2000 to 2018. Combined with changes in nitrogen fertilizer application, the changes in ammonia emissions from farmland ecosystem due changes in land use and nitrogen fertilizer application were further investigated. The results show that along with the rapid urbanization process, the area of cultivated land in the YRD region has gradually decreased from 276269 km2 (49% of total land area) in 2000 to 244001 km2 (44%) in 2018. The effects of changes in land use and nitrogen fertilizer application on ammonia emissions from farmland ecosystems mainly include emissions from soil background and nitrogen fertilizer application. From 2000 to 2018, ammonia emissions due to the application of nitrogen fertilizer decreased from 690 kt·a-1 to 541 kt·a-1 (relative decrease by 22%), while the ammonia emissions from the soil background reduced from 32 kt·a-1 to 29 kt·a-1 (decrease by 9%). During the past 20 years, urbanization in the YRD region has accelerated, and the area of cultivated land and the total amount of nitrogen fertilizer application have significantly reduced, thus resulting in reductions in ammonia emissions from the farmland ecosystem.