Agriculture in the Inner Hebrides

1983 ◽  
Vol 83 ◽  
pp. 567-575
Author(s):  
J. W. Grant ◽  
A. MacLeod
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Transport Costs ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
Livestock Population ◽  
The Past ◽  
The North ◽  
Grazing Cattle ◽  
The Many

SynopsisThe Inner Hebrides consist of a long chain of islands varying greatly in topography and extending from Skye in the North to Islay off the southern coast of Argyll. The group includes the islands of Raasay, South Rona, Soay. Scalpay, Pabay, Canna, Rhum, Eigg, Muck, Coll, Tiree, Colonsay, Oronsay, Jura, Gigha, Luing, Scarba, Mull, Ulva, Gometra, Lismore, Kererra, Shuna and Iona.There are in addition numerous small islands which, although no longer cultivated or inhabited are utilised for grazing stock by farmers and crofters from adjacent islands and from the mainland.Agricultural land use and livestock production on the islands is governed largely by soil type, elevation, exposure and grazing quality. An aspect of increasing importance is the proportion of arable land relative to hill and mountain grazing. Cattle stocks in particular tend to be limited to the quantity of winter fodder which can be home-conserved since the prohibitive costs of importing fodder by road and sea are a serious constraint on the profitability of cattle raising.Until recent times cropping on the arable land of many of the islands followed a traditional seven year rotation of oats, roots and potatoes, sow-out to grass under a cereal nurse crop followed by three years of hay conservation or grazing. During the past ten years there has been an increasing swing from mixed cropping towards grasslands production. On many farms and crofts the emphasis on conservation lies in hay-making but silage has become increasingly popular particularly on larger farm units in Islay, Gigha, Luing and Mull.Current statistics indicate that the livestock population of the islands consists of 166,250 breeding ewes, 13,850 beef type breeding cows and 1,770 dairy cows together with their followers.Sheep are mainly of Blackface breed but on Skye are found some 12,000 Cheviots with further Cheviot flocks located on Eigg, Canna, Rhum, Scalpay and Soay.On the fertile machairs of Tiree and Iona sheep stocks are composed of Leicester/Down X ewes which are mated usually with Suffolk and X Suffolk rams.Dairy farming is centred mainly on Islay and Gigha. There is a creamery on each of those islands, the Islay Creamery processing some 3,043 million litres of milk annually while the creamery unit on Gigha has a throughput of 1·431 million litres.Transport costs, ageing population in the crofting sector and the vast number of small units all contribute to the many problems which face islands agriculture at the present time.

Prospects for increasing the volume of agricultural production for export due to the expansion and intensification of the use of Russian land resources

2021 ◽  
pp. 40-47
Author(s):  
Gennadiy A. Polunin ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
Land Resources ◽  
The Past ◽  
Federal Districts ◽  
Near Future

The article is devoted to substantiating the prospects for increasing the marginal volumes of agricultural production for export in the next four years. Two scenarios of such production are considered: 1) expansion and 2) intensification of the use of land resources. As part of the development of the first scenario, an analysis of the distribution of unused agricultural land, including arable land, by federal districts was carried out. Also, based on the forecast of the introduction of additional annual volumes of acreage in the subjects of the Federation, the calculation of additional volumes of agricultural production, which can be expected in the next four years, was carried out. The analysis of data on the increase in the yield of export-oriented crops over the past five years has been carried out, in the framework of the second scenario, the calculation of the projected additional yield due to the intensification of agriculture is presented. The results of the study indicate that the intensification of agriculture will have the greatest impact on the growth of production and export of agricultural products in the near future.

Non-Chernozem land: problems and ways of rational use

2020 ◽  
pp. 5-20
Author(s):  
G. A. Polunin ◽  
V V. Alakoz
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
European Part ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Producers ◽  
The Real Estate ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Agricultural Organizations ◽  
Land Economic

The results of scientifi c research on the state of agricultural land use in the subjects of the Russian Federation included in the Non-Chernozem Economic Zone of the European part of the country are considered in this article. The paper consists of data on distribution of currently unused arable land; the area of land plots in common shared ownership, the boundaries of which are not available in the Real Estate Cadastre; information about especially valuable productive agricultural land; economic prerequisites for the use of land by agricultural producers on the basis of lease or ownership, as well as changes over the past fi ve years in sown areas, the productivity of arable land in farms of all categories, data on the level of profi tability of agricultural organizations, unprofi table agricultural organizations etc.

scholarly journals Coastal archaeologies: settlement on the changing North Sea littoral

Antiquity ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (358) ◽  
pp. 1095-1097
Author(s):  
Hans Peeters
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
North Sea ◽  
British Isles ◽  
Prehistoric Archaeology ◽  
Sea Floor ◽  
The Past ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Sea ◽  
The Many ◽  
Rising Sea Level

Over the past decade or so, the submerged prehistoric archaeology and landscapes in the area that is known to us today as the North Sea have received increasing attention from both archaeologists and earth scientists. For too long, this body of water was perceived as a socio-cultural obstacle between the prehistoric Continent and the British Isles, the rising sea level a threat to coastal settlers, and the North Sea floor itself an inaccessible submerged landscape. Notwithstanding the many pertinent and pervasive problems that the archaeology of the North Sea still needs to overcome, recent research has made clear that these rather uninspiring beliefs are misplaced.

Proprietary Mutations and the Mutiny in Rohilkhand

1969 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 667-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. I. Brodkin
Keyword(s):  
East India Company ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
The Past ◽  
The North ◽  
The World ◽  
Complete Revolution ◽  
North Western

Rohilkhand, at the time of the Mutiny of 1857, was a division of the North-Western Provinces comprising the districts of Bijnor, Moradabad, Budaun, Bareilly, and Shahjahanpur. It was here and in neighboring Oudh that the uprising achieved its greatest intensity. Hitherto, it has been assumed that the proprietary mutations which occurred in Rohilkhand after its cession in 1801 by the Nawab of Oudh to the East India Company are highly significant as a cause of the uprising. G. J. Christian, the Secretary to the Sudder Board of Revenue of the North-Western Provinces, reported in 1854 that “in no other country in the world probably do landed tenures so certainly, constantly, and extensively change hands. These mutations are effecting a rapid and complete revolution in the position of the ancient proprietors of the soil.” William Edwards, the Collector of Budaun at the time of the Mutiny, wrote:To the large number of these sales during the past twelve or fifteen years, and the operation of our revenue system, which has had the result of destroying the gentry of the country … I attribute solely the disorganization of this and the neighbouring districts in these provinces. By fraud or chicanery, a vast number of the estates of families of rank and influence have been alienated, either wholly or in part, and have been purchased by new men … without character or influence over their tenantry. … I am fully satisfied that the rural classes would never have joined in rebelling with die sepoys … had not these causes of discontent already existed.

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF LAND USE CHANGES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON SOIL FEATURES. CASE STUDY: SECAȘ VILLAGE, TIMIȘ COUNTY (ROMANIA)

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-166
Author(s):  
Loredana Copăcean ◽  
Ionut Zisu ◽  
Valentina Mazăre ◽  
Luminiţa Cojocariu
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Soil Features ◽  
The North

The soil, regarded as a natural resource, but also as a determinant element of the living standards of rural communities, manly agricultural, may be influenced, directly and indirectly, by the modality of land organizing and use. Starting from this consideration, through this study, the spatial and temporal evolution of land use is being pursued, particularly that of forest areas and wooded grasslands. The goal is to notice the changes that have occurred over a 30-year period and the manner how these changes are reflected on the soil features. The researches presented in this paper have been taking place in the north-eastern hilly area of Timiş County, that area having entirely a rural character. For realizing this study satellite images, topographical and cadastral maps, from different time periods, national and international databases, data from specialty literature were used. To all these we should add direct observations in the field, topographic surveys and information collected from local authorities. The processing of cartographic materials and data and scientific information has been realized with Geographical Information Systems specific applications. The obtained result has been expressed in the form of thematic maps, in graphic form or as statistical analysis. At the level of the analyzed area, the obvious changes in the land use, registered over time, are caused by a number of factors, such as: the organization form, from communist to capitalist policies, leaving agricultural land as fallow ground, reduction in livestock, changing land use etc. All these changes have caused the extension of the wooded grasslands, reduction of arable land, installing inferior forest vegetation in qualitative and quantitative terms etc. As a result, the soil, one of the most important natural resources, is degraded qualitatively, underexploited, and on the other hand, its role as a direct and indirect food producer for local communities is significantly reduced.

scholarly journals Meadows and pastures in the agricultural landscapes of the Karelian province of the Middle Taiga zone of the North-West of Russia

2021 ◽  
Vol 901 (1) ◽  
pp. 012037
Author(s):  
I A Trofimov ◽  
L S Trofimova ◽  
E P Yakovleva ◽  
D M Teberdiev ◽  
A A Kutuzova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Middle Taiga ◽  
Leningrad Region ◽  
Taiga Zone ◽  
North West ◽  
Podzolic Soils ◽  
The North ◽  
Mixed Grass

Abstract In order to take into account the territorial differences of natural and economic conditions, to identify biological and ecological patterns, the agro-landscape and ecological zoning of natural forage lands (NFL) of the North-Western natural and economic region of the Russian Federation has been developed. The Karelian province occupies 23% of the area in the north of the Leningrad region, bordering Karelia and Finland. The Karelian province is located in the western part of the Middle Taiga zone, which is characterized by Eastern European Middle Taiga plains. Most of the area of the province (65%) is covered by forests. Agricultural land occupies only 4% of the total area of the province. Including arable land – 2%, hayfields and pastures – 1% each. The territory of the province is significantly moistened and swampy. Swamps occupy 11% of the area, under water – about 11%. Shrubs occupy 3% of the area of the province, other land – about 6%. The structure of NFL is dominated (53%) by normally moistened dry-grass grasslands on sod-podzolic soils. Fine-grained sweet-scented and finegrained grasslands with a large participation of various grasses are common. The yield of hay is 9–13 c/ha, feed is 70 c/ha. Grass-mixed grass and grass-sedge-mixed grass lowland and swampy meadows on swamp-podzolic soils occupy 44%. Grass stands with the dominance of the sod pike are common. Swampy depressions are occupied by large-seeded grass stands. The yield of hay is 10–15 c/ha, feed is 9–11 c/ha. The ecological state of the province’s landscapes is satisfactory-tense.

scholarly journals Historical changes in dispersed kopanitse land type and changes in use of agricultural land on Kysuce region example

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 371-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Barančok ◽  
Mária Barančoková
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Forest Vegetation ◽  
Landscape Changes ◽  
Ruderal Vegetation ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Land Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Basic Characteristics

Abstract Territory of Kysuce is characterised by a high proportion of the traditional agricultural landscape (TAL), which occupy almost 12% of the area. Two types of TAL were allocated here. The first type is represented by TAL with dispersed settlement. The second type is represented by TAL of arable land and grassland landscape. The largest representation has typical forms of anthropogenic relief (FAR). TALs represent the most diverse mosaic of man-made habitats and natural habitats too. In the past, there were the largest representations of arable land and regularly mown meadows. Currently, these areas are dominated by abandoned meadows (fallow meadows), occasionally grazed pastures and meadows. Arable land is represented only minimally. The large part of areas is overgrown by non-forest woody vegetation or passes to the forest vegetation. In this process of landscape changes, significant changes in biodiversity of the areas are realised. Successively, the species of segetal and ruderal vegetation are less represented and species of forest vegetation obtained greater representation. In the process of mapping and evaluation, FAR - shape and orientation of plots, types of balks and some of their basic characteristics - were monitored.

scholarly journals Mapping dynamics of agricultural land use in the dry steppe zone of the Northern Кazakhstan

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 5-18
Author(s):  
Tatiana Vorobyova ◽  
Yelaman Smagulov
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Past Century ◽  
The Past ◽  
Northern Kazakhstan ◽  
Dry Steppe

The agricultural use of land resources in the dry steppe regions of Northern Kazakhstan has undergone significant changes over the past century and continues to change at the present time. The middle position in the region is occupied by the Akmola region, one of the leading agricultural regions, where 9.3 % of the country’s gross agricultural output is produced. The main branches of agriculture in the region are grain farming and dairy and beef cattle breeding. The study of the change in the ratio of the areas of arable and pasture lands, the changes that have occurred in the state of agricultural landscapes as a result of long-term use is important for the further development of the agricultural industry in the region. Using the example of the Astrakhan district of the Akmola region, typical for the dry steppe zone, an analysis of changes in the structure of agricultural land from 1953 to 2020 was carried out. with the help of a series of digital maps compiled from detailed maps of scientific reference atlases of Northern Kazakhstan in 1964, 1970, remote sensing data of different times, archival materials and data of modern statistics. The resulting maps visualize significant changes in cropland areas within the study area over the past 70 years. Seven main periods were identified, during which the most significant changes in the structure of land use occurred as a result of political, economic and natural factors. During the years of development of virgin and fallow lands, the highest rates of increase in arable land were observed, which continued on a smaller scale until 1990. The period from 1991-1999 characterized by a large-scale reduction of arable land and abandonment of pastures. This was followed by two periods of gradual restoration of the use of arable and rangelands. Compiled comprehensive map of the dynamics of agricultural land use from 1988 to 2020 made it possible to identify spatial and temporal patterns in changes in the structure of agricultural land use, to determine to which specific natural types of lands the abandoned lands belonged and to which restored ones. Spatial analysis showed that over the past 30, more than half of the area’s area has not changed the type of land use. The results obtained are used to select the optimal ratio of arable and pasture lands in the structure of agricultural land use, as well as to develop a strategy for the rational use of agricultural land in the zone of risky farming.

scholarly journals Changes in the hydrographic characteristics of rivers in steppe agrolandscapes over the past decades (on the example of the Beysug river, Krasnodar territory)

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 19-32
Author(s):  
Anatoly Pogorelov ◽  
Dmitry Lipilin ◽  
Evgeny Kiselev
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
River Basins ◽  
River Network ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
The Past ◽  
Exchange Processes

In the Krasnodar territory, agricultural land occupies 62 % of the territory; of which 79 % is arable land. Most of the agricultural land is located on the Azov-Kuban Plain in the northern part of the region in the steppe river basins. The basin of the Beysug river with an area of about 6,000 km2, in terms of its geographical characteristics, should be attributed to representative basins from the standpoint of the modern dynamics of agricultural landscapes and transformations of the river network. The article analyzes the changes in the steppe agricultural landscapes in the Beysug river basin for the period 1999–2020 in terms of changes in the structure of land use and hydrographic characteristics, based on the data of satellite images. The transformation of agrolandscapes is accompanied by redevelopment of the territory, massive construction of dams on rivers, violation of the conditions of natural drainage, which leads to the restructuring of water exchange processes in river basins. Changes in water exchange processes under semi-arid conditions can be sensitive to local landscapes and agriculture. Until now, insufficient attention has been paid to the hydrological aspects of the transformation of steppe landscapes. According to the DEM ASTER GDEM, 15 river basins were identified with the subsequent determination of land use types on the surface of the basins. In each of the basins, a land use structure has been established, which directly affects the hydrographic indicators, and a decrease in the length of watercourses and the density of the river network has been revealed. Over the past 20 years, in the studied basins, the total length of watercourses due to plowing and redevelopment of the surface has decreased by 8–37 %, and in general in the Beysug river basin—by 469 km.

scholarly journals Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: The Spolia of Late Antique and Early Christian Rome

2021 ◽  
pp. 61-70
Author(s):  
Jacqueline D. Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
The Political ◽  
Late Antique ◽  
Economic Decline ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Early Christian ◽  
The Past ◽  
The North ◽  
The Many ◽  
The City ◽  
Transitional Phase

The architectural landscape of present-day Rome is a physical history lesson in the use of spolia; ancient marble blocks lie embedded in medieval fortresses, pieces of aqueducts appear in walls, and decorative columns sit recontextualized in grand cathedrals. Spolia refers to the intentional reuse of materials or artifacts in the creation of new structures, and when examined critically it can reveal the history surrounding the many lives the materials have lived. During the transitional phase between late antique Rome and early Christian Rome, the use of spolia reached an all time high. The emergence of Christianity in Rome coupled with the political and economic decline of the empire created a demand for large amounts of cheap building material. With Gaulish invaders to the north, Romans found themselves in dire need of fortification. In addition to the convenience of spolia in mass building projects like the Aurelian Wall, the use of spolia emerged as a way to reconcile the past and present of Rome amidst its rapidly shifting social climate. Clergymen and emperors alike had to recontextualize the physical landscape of the city to fit a modern, Christian framework.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document