Eco-economic Analysis Of Pear Tree-grass-chicken Farming System On The Foothill In The South Of Zhejiang Province

Agroforestry ecosystem is a traditional soil utilization and management. The pear- grass- chicken system is a jumped-up agriculture pattern. Based on a survey of field investigation, ecological economic principles were applied to analyze the economic and ecological effects of the newly introduced and built pear-grass- chicken system on sloping land in the south of Zhejiang province in this paper. Comparing with the pear mono-cropping system, the experiment result from the newly designed pear- grass- chicken system indicated that:1. This system is one that has multi-population, multi-levels, multi-performance and multi-benefits;2. This system improved the microclimate environment and soil fertility, reduced soil and water losses and decreased the soil erosion, reduced soil and water losses and decreased the soil erosion, changed the physical property and increased the content of the readily available fertilizer in soil.3. In the aspect of short period of economic benefits, this system possesses low cost, few diseases, short periodic time and quick economic returns. In addition, it can cover efficiently the low economic benefits of the juvenile pear period.4. In the period of juvenile pears, soil erosion is extraordinarily severe if the earth surface is not covered with other crops. The rye grasses growing in the pear forest can preserve moisture and fertility quite well. Furthermore, they can provide feedstuff to the chicken.5. This pear-grass-chicken farming system stimulated and cultivated one industrialized demonstration area. The Ecological fruit tree planting was demonstrated and spreaded in the mountain area with an elevation of 800 meters above sea level in Zhejiang province. As a result, the ecological fruit tree glowing and extensive planting were attained. In addition, about 667hm~2 industrialized planting areas were realized. This is the largest ecological demonstration area with the highest altitude above sea level in Zhejiang province, even in the south area of the Changjiang River. The pearsproduced there have been passed through the green product authentication by Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China.6. This pear-grass-chicken farming system increased the chlorophyll content and fresh leaves in different degrees. This research matches the study results that the pear tree-upland rice ecosystem improved significantly the photosynthesis of the crops proposed by Wu Ronglan in 2003.7. The pool of labor power resolved by this tree-grass-chicken fanning system was 2.5 times of that by stripping field or monoculture planting. As a result, the employment rate was enhanced greatly in the country.8. The excrement of chicken is recycled in this pear-grass-chicken farming system. Therefore, the chemical energy input is decreased significantly. In addition, the system is becoming more organic and the chemical energy consumption is saved.