Assessment of net ecosystem services of plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation in China

Plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation is rapidly expanding in China and elsewhere worldwide. In order to comprehensively understand the impacts of plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation on agricultural ecosystem services and dis-services, we developed an assessment framework for the net ecosystem services and used China as a case study. Our results showed that, compared to conventional vegetable cultivation, plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation has higher fresh vegetable production, greater CO2 fixation (3.61 t CO2 ha− 1 yr− 1), better soil retention (23.1 t ha− 1 yr− 1), and requires less irrigation (2132 m3 water ha− 1 yr− 1), maintains similar soil fertility, but also has higher NO3− accumulation and N2O emissions. In 2004, plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation in China provided an overall net economic benefit of 67,956 yuan ha-1 yr− 1 (8.28 yuan = 1 USD in 2004), where 68,240 yuan ha− 1 yr− 1 represented ecosystem services and 284 yuan ha− 1 yr− 1 for dis-services. The transition from conventional vegetable cultivation to plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation resulted in a net economic benefit of 24,248 yuan ha− 1 yr− 1. A cost-benefit analysis suggests that plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation in China has the potential to optimize social benefits in addition to increasing annual economic income to farmers directly.

Research Highlights► We assess the plastic greenhouse (PGVC) and conventional vegetable cultivation (CVC). ► We find PGVC has higher net ecosystem services than CVC. ► Transition from CVC to PGVC result in a net economic benefit. ► PGVC has the potential to optimize both farmers' and social benefits.