Abstract
This chapter outlines the environmental aspects of kenaf production and utilization, focusing on the impact on biotic and abiotic resources, through the analysis of the crop’s interaction with its environment and management practices. In this study, the assessment of data retrieved from literature was supplemented with results obtained from the Biokenaf project. As a bioenergy and biomaterials carrier, kenaf offers ecological advantages over fossil sources by contributing to reduction of greenhouse gases and energy savings. Nevertheless, a negative impact may be perceived in terms of acidifying emissions. Although the different indicators did not yield a common pattern, overall results suggest that kenaf crop have an advantage over other annual energy crop systems, namely regarding pesticides and fertilizers inputs. However, risks associated with soil quality, erodibility, use of resources, and biodiversity are equivalent to most annual energy crops. Crop management options can influence the outcomes, but site specific factors should be accurately assessed to evaluate the adequacy between crop and location. In addition, environmental hot spots in the systems are detected and options for improvement are presented.
Keywords
- Acidification potential
- Acidifying emissions
- Avoided greenhouse gas emissions
- Biodiversity
- Bioenergy
- Biological diversity
- Biomaterials
- Bioproducts
- C2H4 equivalent
- Carbon savings
- Carbon sequestration
- CFC-11 equivalent
- CO2 emissions
- Desertification
- Drought toleration
- Emission of gases
- Energy balance
- Energy crops
- Energy efficiency
- Energy savings
- Environment
- Environmental aspects
- Environmental impact
- Erodibility
- Erosion risk
- Eutrophication
- Eutrophication potential
- Fiber crops
- Fiber materials
- Fossil energy sources
- Greenhouse gas emissions
- Groundwater depletion
- Kenaf
- Land use
- Landscape diversity
- LCA
- Marginal land
- Mineral resources
- N2O emissions
- Natural fibers
- NH3 volatilization
- NH4 leaching
- NO3 leaching
- NOx emissions
- Nutrient status
- Ozone depletion
- Pesticide emissions
- Photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP)
- Phytodepuration
- Phytoremediation
- Salinity tolerance
- SO2 emissions
- Soil pH
- Soil quality
- Soil salinity
- Summer smog
- Surplus land
- Sustainability
- Waste generation
- Waste production
- Waste utilization
- Water consumption
- Water quality
- Water requirements
- Water resources
- Water use
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Fernando, A.L. (2013). Environmental Aspects of Kenaf Production and Use. In: Monti, A., Alexopoulou, E. (eds) Kenaf: A Multi-Purpose Crop for Several Industrial Applications. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5067-1_5
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