Estimation of maize yield incorporating the synergistic effect of
climatic and land use change: A case study of Jilin, China
Abstract
Yield forecasting can give early warning of food risks and provide
theoretical support for food security planning. Climate change and land
use change directly influence the regional yield and planting area of
maize, but few existing studies have examined their synergistic impact
on maize production. In this study, we combine system dynamic (SD), the
future land use simulation (FLUS) and a statistical crop model to
predict future maize yield variation in response to climate change and
land use change. Specifically, SD predicts the future land use demand,
FLUS simulates future spatial land use patterns, and a statistical maize
yield model based on regression analysis is utilized to adjust the per
hectare maize yield under four representative concentration pathways
(RCPs). A phaeozem region in central Jilin Province of China is taken as
a case study. The results show that the future land use pattern will
significantly change from 2030 to 2050. Although the cultivated land is
likely to reduce by 862.84 km2, the total maize yield in 2050 will
increase under all four RCP scenarios due to the promotion of per
hectare maize yield. RCP4.5 will be more beneficial to maize production
than other scenarios, with a doubled total yield in 2050. Notably, the
yield gap between different counties will be further widened, which
necessitates the differentiated policies of agricultural production and
farmland protection, e.g., strengthening cultivated land protection and
crop management in low-yield areas, as well as taking adaptation and
mitigation measures to coordinate climate change and crop production.