[Emergy analysis of four typical planting modes in Karst faulted basins of Yunnan Province, China.]

Accurate evaluation of typical cropping patterns in faulted basins can provide scientific guidance for planting in the area. The planting modes of marigold, pomegranate, pomegranate+grass+sheep in Mengzi City of Yunnan Province were compared with the traditional corn planting mode. The ecological benefits and economy benefits of these rocky desertification control modes were analyzed by the method of emergy analysis. The environmental loading ratio (ELR) and emergy restoration ratio (ERR) were 13.80 and 0.41 in pomegranate planting mode, respectively, while 0.30 and -2.87 in marigold planting mode. The ecological benefits in pomegranate planting mode and marigold planting mode were lower than that of corn, and ELR and ERR were 1.30 and 4.64, respectively. However, the economic pure benefit per unit (EPBU) in pomegranate planting mode and marigold planting mode were 3.05 and 59.98 times of that in corn mode, respectively, indicating that pomegranate planting mode and marigold panting mode had higher economic benefits than that of corn. Pomegranate+pasture+sheep mode had the highest ecological and economic benefits among the four modes. The plus of forage+livestock subsystem to pomegranate planting mode had high eco-efficiency (ELR of 4.95, ERR of 0.63) and economic benefit (EPBU of 71.38 times than that of corn). Thus, we recommend that the local government should increase technical support for marigold planting mode and pomegranate+pasture+sheep mode, which including optimizing structures of fertilizer input, and crop cultivation and livestock breeding processes. Meanwhile, government could establish short-term labor markets for picking of fruits and flowers.