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Course: BFM 101 Biofuels Fundamentals > Section: BFM 101 Biofuels Fundamentals

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Landscape Diversity

Bioenergy Crop Production: Best Management Practices for Protecting Soil, Water & Wildlife
Bioenergy Crop Production: Best Management Practices for Protecting Soil, Water & Wildlife
There are a number of concerns and issues to be addressed before biomass crops can be produced on a large scale. It is crucial to understand  the environmental impacts of annual and perennial cropping systems and to determine both the amount of input/output from various cropping systems and the impact these systems might have on the environment. The following video introduces some of these potential impacts:

BIOEN2: Environmental Benefits and Implications, by AgEnergy, Standard YouTube License

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Perennial crops generally require lower inputs, have higher energy output per unit of input, and sequester carbon more effectively than annual crops. Polycultures, a mixture of two or more crop species, create a richer environment and provide wildlife habitat and microbial diversity. While perennial polyculture crop systems may have the greatest environmental benefits, they may not have the highest economic return. Annual crops have higher yield potential and are more easily adapted to the cropping systems typically utilized by most farmers. The tradeoffs and management practices for each system need to be carefully evaluated.
Resources provided by the eXtension Farm Energy Community of Practice at http://www.extension.org/ag+energy

Landscape Diversity