title: The phosphorus footprint of China's food chain: implications for food security, natural resource management, and environmental quality.
abstract: Efficient use of phosphorus (P) for producing food, preventing water pollution, and managing a dwindling rock P reserve are major challenges for China. We analyzed P stocks and flows in the Chinese food chain to identify where P use efficiency can be improved, where P leaks to the environment, and the research, technologies, and policies needed to improve P use. We found a high degree of inefficiency; of 6652 Gg P entering the food chain, only 1102 Gg P (18%) exit as food for humans. The greatest inefficiencies were a large build-up of soil P (3670 Gg P yr; 52% of P inputs) and high P losses to the environment from animal production (1582 Gg P yr; 60% of excreted P). Improving P use in China must focus on national-scale nutrient management strategies, better animal nutrition, and adoption of technologies and policies to reduce P discharges from the animal sector and recycle P as manures in agriculture.
authors.affiliation: China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dou
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000191:economics; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000191:economics; D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000032:analysis / Q000191:economics; D005523:Food Supply; D008372:Manure; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D057766:Policy
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D008372:Manure; D010758:Phosphorus