Regionalization of Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution over China with a Combination of Qualitative and Quantitative Method

Qiang Fu, Yunqiang Zhu and Shengli Huang
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Qiang Fu: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100101, China
Yunqiang Zhu: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100101, China
Shengli Huang: ASRC Research and Technology Solutions, Contractor to the USA Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, Sioux Falls, SD 47914, USA

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Agricultural nonpoint source pollution has been a serious problem in China; however, currently a lack of basic data and quantitative analysis hinders control and reduction of agricultural nonpoint source pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to explore a regionalization method in the study of nationwide agricultural nonpoint source pollution over China. This paper proposes a method of combining both quantitative calculation and qualitative analysis. Based on agricultural nonpoint source pollution mechanism, we first proposed the natural environment index, which was calculated from relief degree of land surface, thermal humidity index, water resources quantity and precipitation index, and land cover index. Second, we proposed basic agricultural environment index, which was calculated based on the area of cultivated land use and the quality of integrated soil fertility. Third, we simplified the spatial distribution of natural environment and basic agricultural environment with the method of choropleth map classification, thematic map series, and gravity centers curve. Fourth, we conducted a qualitative analysis for both the natural environment and basic agricultural environment by overlaying the classification and existing regionalization maps to reveal the intra-region homogeneity and inter-region heterogeneity with a high reliability. The regionalization method used in this study resulted in a nationwide regional zoning of agricultural nonpoint source pollution over China, and China can be divided into 10 regions, which can be a trustworthy reference for agricultural nonpoint source pollution study and management.

Keywords: regionalization; agricultural nonpoint source pollution; mechanism; index system; spatial analysis; GIS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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