This document discusses landscape approaches for agricultural clean production in China. It notes that agricultural pollution contributes over half of water pollution in China. Examples of landscape approaches are given, including cropland-ditch landscapes where ditches planted with vegetation can reduce nutrient levels in runoff by 20-64%, cropland-pond landscapes where ponds intercept runoff and nutrients and reduce them by up to 100%, and village-pond-cropland landscapes where ponds and wetlands can treat rural domestic sewage. The document argues that recognizing the ecosystem services provided by agro-ecosystems beyond crop yields, such as water purification, is important for promoting agricultural clean production.

1. Landscape Approach for
Agricultural Clean Production
Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture (IEDA)
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)
Zhang Qingzhong
E-mail: zhangqingzhong@caas.cn

2. Outline
• Introduction
• Examples
• Summary

3. Introduction
• Agricultural clean production (ACP) is the win-win resolution
for food security and non-point source (NPS ) pollution
control
• TN and TP discharged from agriculture contribute 57.2%
and 67.3% of total pollutants in China, respectively. (The
First National Census of Pollution Sources, 2007 )
• It is an urgent task to promote ACP in China.

4. ACP and NPS Pollution control
Prevention
Treatment
Agro-
ecosystem
(self-restoring,
self-
purification)
More attentions were given to anthropogenic forces
than intrinsic forces of agro-ecosystem
Fertilization
Irrigation
Pest control
Tillage
Breeding
Dams
…
anthropo
genic intrinsic

5. Examples of Landscape approach
for ACP
• Cropland-ditch landscape
• Cropland-pond landscape
• Village-pond-cropland landscape

6. Ditches

7. Eco-ditches
• Plants absorption and adsorption
• Sedimentation of suspended particles
site TN NH4-N NO3-N TP Length Duration Reference
Anhui 29.95 9.47 6.34 32.19 40 m 5 days Hu et al,2010
Hunan 64.3 -- -- 69.7 200 m 1 year Zhang et al, 2015
Shaanxi 20.04 31.11 14.5 9.52 -- 3 months Liu et al., 2016
Jiangsu 53.8 81.6 Wang et al, 2015
Hunan 48.6 76.8 59.6 -- 200m 2 years Wang et al, 2016
Jiangsu 48.36 6.98 42.54 40.53 Yang et al.,2005
Nutrients reduced by eco-ditch (%)
Mechanisms for self-purification
20.0-64.3 9.5-69.7

8. Bei Tang(陂塘)
landscape
Paddy field
wetland
Pond
Pond
Pond
Cropland-Ponds
landscape

9. Cropland-Pond landscape
• Ponds functions: irrigation, interception of
runoff and nutrients, and purification
• Ponds can reduce runoff by 48% (Reinhardt et al., 2011 ).
• Ponds reduced runoff and nutrients by 100%
when rainfall was <28 mm in Liucha River
catchment, Anhui. (Sun et al., 1998)

10. Village-Cropland landscape
/house-garden ecosystem
cropland can use or purify rural domestic wastewater

11. Rural domestic
sewage
Paddy
field
wetland
Village-wetland-cropland landscape
Calamus

12. Summary
• Agro-ecosystem is an extensive and closely coupled
natural–human system and can provide ecosystem
services other than yield, such as: a clean and well-
regulated water supply, biodiversity, natural
habitats for conservation and recreation, climate
stabilization, and aesthetic and cultural amenities,
which should be recognized.
• Rural landscape protection and research are
important in ACP promotion.

13. Thanks for your attention.