Land Evaluation and Ancient Maya Land Use in the Upper Belize River Area, Belize, Central America

1995 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott L. Fedick
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Central America ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Land Evaluation ◽  
Land Resource ◽  
Type I ◽  
Archaeological Survey ◽  
Geographic Scale ◽  
Local Soil

In this study I examine local-scale associations between land resources and the density distribution of Maya residential sites for the prehistoric population maxima of the Late Classic period (ca. A. D. 600-900). Methods involve agricultural land evaluation following USDA guidelines, under assumptions of hand-cultivation technology. I give specific attention to the issue of concordance between the geographic scale of household agricultural production and the scale at which agricultural land evaluation is conducted. The focus is the upper Belize River area of Belize, Central America, where intensive archaeological survey and local-scale land-resource mapping provide the data necessary for a detailed analysis of ancient land-use patterns. The analysis reveals a strong and consistent relationship between prehistoric Maya settlement density and the agricultural productive capability of local soil types. For each land type, I discuss the amount of land available for each residential locus and probable cultivation methods used. I argue that the ability to identify clearly and quantitatively the association (or lack of association) between household settlement pattern and agricultural land capability is a necessary component of regional studies that seek to test models of Maya political economy and social change.

scholarly journals Developing Integrated Web-based Information System for Land Resources to Support Agricultural Land-use Planning (A Case Study of the Gunung Mas Regency, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia)

2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Amelia ◽  
Soaloon Sinaga ◽  
Andy Bhermana
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Information System ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
General Procedure ◽  
Database System ◽  
Land Evaluation ◽  
Land Resource ◽  
Land Resources ◽  
Web Based

Land use planning is an important topic in the view of spatial land management. One of the significant elements that should be taken into account for land use planning includes the availability of land resource information/data. Well-organized data was then required for planning. In the Gunung Mas regency case, the data was available, but it has not been organized properly for land use planning. Land resources information systems should then be developed for planning purposes such as plan formulation and decision making. The objective of this study was to organize land resources information making the information system integrated within a web-based GIS. The general procedure involved data collection and compilation to be organized into a database system. The information system of land resources integrated into web-based GIS can provide a database system. This system can represent graphical systemic spatial or coordinate information in the form of digital maps. Furthermore, the web-based GIS practically facilitates various database operations such as querying, analyzing, and displaying based on location geographically. It can be accessed anytime and anywhere by the planner and decision-maker. The database system integrated into land units can then be used as basic consideration and analysis for land evaluation and the land-use planning process.

scholarly journals Spatial Distribution and Evaluation of Arsenic and Zinc Content in the Soil of a Karst Landscape

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6976
Author(s):  
Dimitrios E. Alexakis ◽  
George D. Bathrellos ◽  
Hariklia D. Skilodimou ◽  
Dimitra E. Gamvroula
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Urban Soil ◽  
Agricultural Soil ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Land Evaluation ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
North West ◽  
Total Study Area

Karst features such as polje are highly vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic pollution. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the soil quality in the Ioannina polje (north-west Greece) concerning arsenic (As) and zinc (Zn), and delineate their origin as well as compare the As and Zn content in soil with criteria recorded in the literature. For this purpose, the geomorphological settings, the land use, and the soil physicochemical properties were mapped and evaluated, including soil texture and concentrations of aqua-regia extractable As and Zn. The concentration of elements was spatially correlated with the land use and the geology of the study area, while screening values were applied to assess land suitability. The results reveal that 72% of the total study area has a very gentle slope. This relief favors urban and agricultural activity. Thus, the urban and agricultural land used cover 92% of the total area. The spatial distribution for As and Zn in the soil of the study area is located on very gentle slopes and is strongly correlated with the geological parent materials and human-induced contamination sources. Arsenic and Zn can be considered enriched in the soil of the area studied. The median topsoil contents (in mg kg−1) for As (agricultural soil 16.0; urban soil 17.8) and Zn (agricultural soil 92.0; urban soil 95.0) are higher compared to the corresponding median values of European topsoils. Land evaluation suitability concerning criteria given from the literature is discussed. The proposed work may be helpful in the project of land use planning and the protection of the natural environment.

scholarly journals Integrating an Expert System, GIS, and Satellite Remote Sensing to Evaluate Land Suitability for Sustainable Tea Production in Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 4136
Author(s):  
Animesh Chandra Das ◽  
Ryozo Noguchi ◽  
Tofael Ahamed
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Satellite Remote Sensing ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Multicriteria Analysis ◽  
Land Evaluation ◽  
Land Policy ◽  
Tea Production

Land evaluation is important for assessing environmental limitations that inhibit higher yield and productivity in tea. The aim of this research was to determine the suitable lands for sustainable tea production in the northeastern part of Bangladesh using phenological datasets from remote sensing, geospatial datasets of soil–plant biophysical properties, and expert opinions. Sentinel-2 satellite images were processed to obtain layers for land use and land cover (LULC) as well as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) were used to generate the elevation layer. Other vector and raster layers of edaphic, climatic parameters, and vegetation indices were processed in ArcGIS 10.7.1® software. Finally, suitability classes were determined using weighted overlay of spatial analysis based on reclassified raster layers of all parameters along with the results from multicriteria analysis. The results of the study showed that only 41,460 hectares of land (3.37% of the total land) were in the highly suitable category. The proportions of moderately suitable, marginally suitable, and not suitable land categories for tea cultivation in the Sylhet Division were 9.01%, 49.87%, and 37.75%, respectively. Thirty-one tea estates were located in highly suitable areas, 79 in moderately suitable areas, 24 in marginally suitable areas, and only one in a not suitable area. Yield estimation was performed with the NDVI (R2 = 0.69, 0.66, and 0.67) and the LAI (R2 = 0.68, 0.65, and 0.63) for 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. This research suggests that satellite remote sensing and GIS application with the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) could be used by agricultural land use planners and land policy makers to select suitable lands for increasing tea production.

Land take in the Italian Alps

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Salata
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Land Resource ◽  
Ecological Compensation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Soil Sealing ◽  
Alpine Regions ◽  
Land Use Decisions

Purpose – Land use change in the Alpine Regions is dominated by two main factors: a process of re-naturalization and a process of expansion for settlements with the relevant occupation of low-valley areas. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of land take measures in the Lombardy Alpine context and the recent proposals of spatial planning instruments for land resource management. New solutions to limit soil sealing have to be confronted with qualitative proposals at local scale. Design/methodology/approach – The paper collects different research outputs regarding land take in the Italian Alpine context and carried out by GIS software and tries to show the new methodologies available for limiting and mitigating soil sealing, in accordance with DIAMONT aims. Findings – The paper argues that the data are now available to analyze the problem and new operative methods have to be settled in the recent context of European Union (Soil Sealing Guidelines) to support decision making in planning, suggesting land use allocation and possible ecological compensation. Research limitations/implications – The new qualitative decision models have to be assessed for a better ecological integration in supporting land use decisions. Practical implications – An evaluation of land take at local scale caused by land use changes is a good support in the decision-making process of planning. Originality/value – In this paper a method based on a local scale is reported, which can be used for the specific assessment of land take in order to support land-use decisions.

scholarly journals APTIDÃO AGRÍCOLA DOS SOLOS DO ESTADO DO PIAUÍ

Nativa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 233
Author(s):  
Karla Nayara Santos de Almeida ◽  
João Batista Lopes da Silva ◽  
Júlio César Azevedo Nóbrega ◽  
Rafael Felippe Ratke ◽  
Kaíse Barbosa de Souza
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Land Evaluation ◽  
Soil Profiles ◽  
Suitability Map ◽  
Exploratory Survey ◽  
Agricultural Potential ◽  
Agricultural Use ◽  
System Assessment

A avaliação da aptidão agrícola das terras estabelece o uso dos recursos naturais de modo a evitar situações de subutilização ou sobreutilização, pois consiste na interpretação das qualidades do ecossistema, baseando-se nas suas limitações para o uso agrícola e nas alternativas e possibilidades de correção ou redução dessas limitações através de diferentes níveis de manejo. Esse trabalho objetivou realizar o mapeamento da aptidão agrícola das terras do estado do Piauí. O método utilizado para a avaliação da aptidão agrícola das terras foi o Sistema de Avaliação da Aptidão Agrícola das Terras. Foram analisados: dados de 120 perfis descritos no Boletim Técnico N° 63 do Estudo Expedito de Solos no Estado do Piauí elaborado pelo Serviço Nacional de Levantamento e Conservação de Solos da EMBRAPA; a atualização da nomenclatura de perfis de solos descritos no Levantamento Exploratório –Reconhecimento dos solos do Piauí; e o mapa de solos, na escala de 1:500.000, representando a área de estudo e a ocorrência e distribuição das classes de solos predominantes no Estado. A maioria das terras do Piauí possui aptidão agrícola para pastagem plantada (54,57%), possuindo assim áreas menores para utilização agrícola em usos mais intensivos como lavouras (26,74%).Palavras-chave: avaliação de terras, mapa de aptidão agrícola, planejamento do uso da terra. AGRICULTURAL LAND SUSTAINABILITY SOIL OF PIAUÍ STATE, BRAZIL ABSTRACT: The evaluation of the agricultural potential of the land establishes the use of natural resources to avoid situations of underuse or overuse, it consists in the interpretation of ecosystem qualities based on their limitations for agricultural use and alternative and correction or reduction possibilities these limitations through different management levels. The aims of this work were mapping of the agricultural potential of the Piauí state land soils. The method used to find the agricultural potential of the land was called the System Assessment of Agricultural Lands Fitness. It analyzed: 120 profiles data described in Technical Bulletin No. 63 of Estudo Expedito de Solos no Estado do Piauí prepared by the Serviço Nacional de Levantamento e Conservação de Solos of EMBRAPA; updating the naming soil profiles described in Exploratory survey-recognition of Piauí soil; and the soil map in the scale of 1:500,000, representing the study area and the occurrence and distribution of soil classes prevailing in the state. Most of Piauí land has agricultural potential for planted pastures (54,57%), thus having smaller areas for agricultural use in more intensive uses such as crops (26,74%).Keywords: land evaluation, agricultural suitability map, planning of land use.

Land management of the protection and rational use of agricultural land

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (93) ◽  
pp. 3-7
Author(s):  
V.F. Kaminskyi ◽  
I.P. Shevchenko ◽  
L.P. Kolomiets
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Economic Regulation ◽  
Land Resource ◽  
Resource Potential ◽  
Scientific Analysis ◽  
Land Relations ◽  
Methodological Approaches

Goal. To carry out a scientific analysis of approaches to the determination of the effectiveness of land use in the context of the transformation of land relations. Methods. System-structural analysis of approaches to optimization of land use of rural territories. Results. The theoretical and methodological approaches to increase the efficiency of use of agricultural land potential potential in the development of decentralization processes are substantiated. Conclusions. The complex system of measures concerning the ecological and economic regulation of the use of land- resource potential by the development of a system of land management projects on the basis of ecologically safe land use is substantiated and proposed.

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