Abstract
AbstractAgricultural land in the Midwest is a source of food and fuel, as well as biodiversity. It is also a cause of excess nutrients that make their way to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. To address unsustainable changes to biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem functions, a multidisciplinary approach involving social science, natural science, and engineering is often effective. Given the potential of second‐generation biofuels, and capitalizing on the deep‐rooted perennial bioenergy crops capable of thriving in poor soils, we demonstrated an integrated socio‐environmental analysis of the impacts of growing switchgrass within row‐crop landscapes in Illinois. In this study, we model land use scenarios that incorporate switchgrass as a biofuel crop in a Midwest corn‐belt watershed using the Soil Water Assessment Tool coupled with an economic analysis for the Vermilion Basin in Illinois. We estimated the values of ecosystem services under an alternative bioenergy landscape, including commodity and bioenergy crops, changes in biogeochemistry, and recreational services. The estimated annual values of nitrate and sediment reduction attributed to bioenergy crops range from $38 million to $97 million and $16,000 to $197,000, respectively. The annual value of carbon dioxide emission reduction ranges from $1.8 million to $6.1 million based on the initial crop rotation pattern. Estimated average annual values for wildlife viewing, water‐based recreation, and pheasant hunting are $1.24 million, $0.17 million, and $0.3 million, respectively. To our knowledge, this study represents the first effort to comprehensively quantify ecosystem services using a process‐based model, and estimate their value in an alternative bioenergy landscape. The information we generate could aid in understanding the potential for biomass production from marginal land and the total economic value of the landscape at various spatial scales. The framework is useful in fostering alternative bioenergy landscapes with synergies in a food, energy, and conservation nexus.
Highlights
Balancing a food, energy and environmental nexus in agricultural land needs innovative solutions
Coupling a process-based biophysical model with economic analysis in an integrated assessment framework, we identified marginal land potentially converted to bioenergy crops production, quantified the corresponding reduction in sediments and nitrate leaching, estimated the habitat creation for important faunal species, and estimated the value of ecosystem services of the alternative bioenergy landscape
The marginal land area currently planted under continuous corn, a cornsoybean rotation and pasture that can be converted to switchgrass in the Upper
Summary
Energy and environmental nexus in agricultural land needs innovative solutions. Bioenergy production in marginal land has gained increasing attention with the recognition of its potential in converting the competitive sectors of food and energy production into synergies with the additional benefits of improved ecological functions (Dauber et al, 2012; Ssegane et al, 2015; Stoof et al, 2015; Valentine et al, 2012; Werling et al, 2014). Identification and valuation of the total economic benefits of bioenergy production in marginal land may turn the equation of otherwise unprofitable pursuit into an economically beneficial industry. Internalization of the economic benefits through payment of ecosystem services can inform improved decision-making for investments in new industries and land management practices to increase food, energy, and environmental sustainability. Switchgrass provides important cover and nesting sites for quail, pheasants, rabbits, deer, and turkey (which use switchgrass stands for winter bedding)
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