Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crops and Agrochemicals in Canada Over 35 Years
© Frontiers in Environmental Science | www.frontiersin.org This work was supported by postdoctoral funding for EM through Global Water Futures (Prairie Water) and NSERC Discovery Grant to CM. Publication funds were provided from the University of Saskatchewan. Peer Reviewed In an effort to feed a gr...
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10388/14847 https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.556452 |
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ftusaskatchewan:oai:harvest.usask.ca:10388/14847 2023-08-20T04:08:05+02:00 Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crops and Agrochemicals in Canada Over 35 Years Malaj, Egina Levi, Freistadt Morrissey, Christy 2020 https://hdl.handle.net/10388/14847 https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.556452 en eng Frontiers Media SA Malaj E, Freistadt L and Morrissey CA (2020) Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crops and Agrochemicals in Canada Over 35 Years. Front. Environ. Sci. 8:556452. doi:10.3389/fenvs.2020.556452 https://hdl.handle.net/10388/14847 doi:10.3389/fenvs.2020.556452 TC-SSU-14847 Attribution 2.5 Canada http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ca/ Canadian Census of Agriculture cropping system agricultural intensification sustainable agriculture land cover change fertilizers pesticides Article 2020 ftusaskatchewan https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.556452 2023-07-29T22:10:22Z © Frontiers in Environmental Science | www.frontiersin.org This work was supported by postdoctoral funding for EM through Global Water Futures (Prairie Water) and NSERC Discovery Grant to CM. Publication funds were provided from the University of Saskatchewan. Peer Reviewed In an effort to feed a growing world population, agriculture has rapidly intensified over the last six decades, relying heavily on agrochemicals (fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides) to increase and maintain desired crop yields. Despite environmental concerns in Canada’s agricultural regions, long-term patterns of changing crops and the associated trends in the proportion of cropland treated with agrochemicals are poorly documented. Using the Canadian Census of Agriculture, we compiled historical data over 35 years (eight census periods: 1981–2016) on agrochemical applications, measured as the proportion of cropland treated with pesticides and fertilizers and the associated crop classes, to identify and interpret spatial and temporal trends in Canada’s agricultural practices across 260 census units. Due to differences in agricultural practices, soil, and climatic conditions across the country, the Pacific (British Columbia), Prairie (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba), Central (Ontario, Quebec), and Atlantic (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland/Labrador, Prince Edward Island) regions were analyzed separately. Most of the agrochemicals in Canada were applied in the Prairie and Central regions, which combined comprise 97% of the total cropland. Fertilizers were the dominant agrochemicals across Canada applied on 48% (Pacific) to 78% (Prairie) of the total cropland area, followed by herbicides, which were applied on 30% (Pacific) to 81% (Prairie) of the total cropland area in 2016. Notably, we observed significant changes between 1996 and 2016 in area treated with fungicides and insecticides, which increased by 412% and 50% in the Prairie region and by 291% and 149% in the Central region, respectively. The proportion ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Newfoundland Prince Edward Island University of Saskatchewan: eCommons@USASK Newfoundland Canada Pacific British Columbia ENVELOPE(-125.003,-125.003,54.000,54.000) Frontiers in Environmental Science 8 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Saskatchewan: eCommons@USASK |
op_collection_id |
ftusaskatchewan |
language |
English |
topic |
Canadian Census of Agriculture cropping system agricultural intensification sustainable agriculture land cover change fertilizers pesticides |
spellingShingle |
Canadian Census of Agriculture cropping system agricultural intensification sustainable agriculture land cover change fertilizers pesticides Malaj, Egina Levi, Freistadt Morrissey, Christy Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crops and Agrochemicals in Canada Over 35 Years |
topic_facet |
Canadian Census of Agriculture cropping system agricultural intensification sustainable agriculture land cover change fertilizers pesticides |
description |
© Frontiers in Environmental Science | www.frontiersin.org This work was supported by postdoctoral funding for EM through Global Water Futures (Prairie Water) and NSERC Discovery Grant to CM. Publication funds were provided from the University of Saskatchewan. Peer Reviewed In an effort to feed a growing world population, agriculture has rapidly intensified over the last six decades, relying heavily on agrochemicals (fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides) to increase and maintain desired crop yields. Despite environmental concerns in Canada’s agricultural regions, long-term patterns of changing crops and the associated trends in the proportion of cropland treated with agrochemicals are poorly documented. Using the Canadian Census of Agriculture, we compiled historical data over 35 years (eight census periods: 1981–2016) on agrochemical applications, measured as the proportion of cropland treated with pesticides and fertilizers and the associated crop classes, to identify and interpret spatial and temporal trends in Canada’s agricultural practices across 260 census units. Due to differences in agricultural practices, soil, and climatic conditions across the country, the Pacific (British Columbia), Prairie (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba), Central (Ontario, Quebec), and Atlantic (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland/Labrador, Prince Edward Island) regions were analyzed separately. Most of the agrochemicals in Canada were applied in the Prairie and Central regions, which combined comprise 97% of the total cropland. Fertilizers were the dominant agrochemicals across Canada applied on 48% (Pacific) to 78% (Prairie) of the total cropland area, followed by herbicides, which were applied on 30% (Pacific) to 81% (Prairie) of the total cropland area in 2016. Notably, we observed significant changes between 1996 and 2016 in area treated with fungicides and insecticides, which increased by 412% and 50% in the Prairie region and by 291% and 149% in the Central region, respectively. The proportion ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Malaj, Egina Levi, Freistadt Morrissey, Christy |
author_facet |
Malaj, Egina Levi, Freistadt Morrissey, Christy |
author_sort |
Malaj, Egina |
title |
Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crops and Agrochemicals in Canada Over 35 Years |
title_short |
Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crops and Agrochemicals in Canada Over 35 Years |
title_full |
Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crops and Agrochemicals in Canada Over 35 Years |
title_fullStr |
Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crops and Agrochemicals in Canada Over 35 Years |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crops and Agrochemicals in Canada Over 35 Years |
title_sort |
spatio-temporal patterns of crops and agrochemicals in canada over 35 years |
publisher |
Frontiers Media SA |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10388/14847 https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.556452 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-125.003,-125.003,54.000,54.000) |
geographic |
Newfoundland Canada Pacific British Columbia |
geographic_facet |
Newfoundland Canada Pacific British Columbia |
genre |
Newfoundland Prince Edward Island |
genre_facet |
Newfoundland Prince Edward Island |
op_relation |
Malaj E, Freistadt L and Morrissey CA (2020) Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crops and Agrochemicals in Canada Over 35 Years. Front. Environ. Sci. 8:556452. doi:10.3389/fenvs.2020.556452 https://hdl.handle.net/10388/14847 doi:10.3389/fenvs.2020.556452 TC-SSU-14847 |
op_rights |
Attribution 2.5 Canada http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ca/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.556452 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Environmental Science |
container_volume |
8 |
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1774720162009710592 |