In an effort to feed a growing world population, agriculture has rapidly intensified over the last six decades, relying heavily on agrochemicals (fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides) to increase and maintain desired crop yields. Despite environmental concerns in Canada’s agricultural regions, long-term patterns of changing crops and the associated trends in the proportion of cropland treated with agrochemicals are poorly documented. Using the Canadian Census of Agriculture, we compiled historical data over 35 years (eight census periods: 1981–2016) on agrochemical applications, measured as the proportion of cropland treated with pesticides and fertilizers and the associated crop classes, to identify and interpret spatial and temporal trends in Canada’s agricultural practices across 260 census units. Due to differences in agricultural practices, soil, and climatic conditions across the country, the Pacific (British Columbia), Prairie (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba), Central (Ontario, Quebec), and Atlantic (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland/Labrador, Prince Edward Island) regions were analyzed separately. Most of the agrochemicals in Canada were applied in the Prairie and Central regions, which combined comprise 97% of the total cropland. Fertilizers were the dominant agrochemicals across Canada applied on 48% (Pacific) to 78% (Prairie) of the total cropland area, followed by herbicides, which were applied on 30% (Pacific) to 81% (Prairie) of the total cropland area in 2016. Notably, we observed significant changes between 1996 and 2016 in area treated with fungicides and insecticides, which increased by 412% and 50% in the Prairie region and by 291% and 149% in the Central region, respectively. The proportion and distribution of crops shifted in favor of more oilseeds and soybeans in the most intensive Prairie and Central regions, whereas cereals decreased over the same time period. Our analysis of past and current trends of agrochemicals and cropping patterns within Canada indicates a rapid and systemic increase in chemical use, and policies that promote a shift toward lower chemical reliance through sustainable agricultural practices are urgently needed.

中文翻译：

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加拿大 35 年来作物和农用化学品的时空格局

为了养活不断增长的世界人口，过去六十年来农业迅速集约化，严重依赖农用化学品（肥料、杀虫剂、杀真菌剂和除草剂）来增加和维持所需的作物产量。尽管加拿大农业地区存在环境问题，但长期变化的作物模式以及使用农用化学品处理的农田比例的相关趋势鲜有记录。使用加拿大农业普查，我们汇编了 35 年（八个普查期：1981-2016 年）的历史数据，以使用农药和化肥处理的农田比例以及相关作物类别来衡量，以识别和解释空间和加拿大 260 个人口普查单位农业实践的时间趋势。由于全国各地农业实践、土壤和气候条件的差异，太平洋（不列颠哥伦比亚省）、草原（艾伯塔省、萨斯喀彻温省、马尼托巴省）、中部（安大略省、魁北克省）和大西洋（新斯科舍省、新不伦瑞克省、纽芬兰/拉布拉多、爱德华王子岛）地区分别进行了分析。加拿大的大部分农用化学品用于草原和中部地区，这两个地区加起来占总耕地的 97%。肥料是加拿大的主要农用化学品，占农田总面积的 48%（太平洋）至 78%（草原），其次是除草剂，占农田总面积的 30%（太平洋）至 81%（草原） 2016 年。 值得注意的是，我们观察到 1996 年至 2016 年间使用杀菌剂和杀虫剂处理的面积发生了显着变化，其中，草原地区分别增长了 412% 和 50%，中部地区分别增长了 291% 和 149%。在集约化程度最高的草原和中部地区，作物的比例和分布转向更多的油籽和大豆，而同期谷物减少。我们对加拿大过去和现在的农用化学品和种植模式趋势的分析表明，化学品使用迅速和系统地增加，迫切需要通过可持续农业实践促进向降低化学品依赖转变的政策。