The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of different land use systems on soil erosion rates, surface evolution processes and physico-chemical properties on a moraine hilly topography in Lithuania. The soil of the experimental site is Bathihypogleyi – Eutric Albeluvisols (abe–gld–w) whose texture is a sandy loam. After a 27-year use of different land conservation systems, three critical slope segments (slightly eroded, active erosion and accumulation) were formed. Soil physical properties of the soil texture and particle sizes distribution were examined. Chemical properties analysed for were soil ph, available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (N). We estimated the variation in thickness of the soil Ap horizon and soil physico-chemical properties prone to a sustained erosion process. During the study period (2010–2012) water erosion occurred under the grain– grass and grass–grain crop rotations, at rates of 1.38 and 0.11 m3 ha–1 yr–1, respectively. Soil exhumed due to erosion from elevated positions accumulated in the slope bottom. As a result, topographic transfiguration of hills and changes in soil properties occurred. However, the accumulation segments of slopes had significantly higher silt/clay ratios and SOC content. In the active erosion segments a lighter soil texture and lower soil ph were recorded. Only long-term grassland completely stopped soil erosion effects; therefore geomorphologic change and degradation of hills was estimated there as minimal.
The aim of this research was to evaluate and describe agricultural land handicapped by steep slope and to assess agricultural experts' attitude towards impact of terrain factor on the generic farming activity. This paper analyses differences and similarities between Lithuanian rural elderships affected by steep slope constraint (i.e. ≥ 7° (15%) slope gradient) with the subsequent evaluation in selected agronomical variables. In total 514 rural elderships were classified into five groups by percentage of agricultural land with steep slope. The assessment of agricultural variables by steep slope groups revealed that the best developed are elderships (60.12%) falling into Group I, where mean value of area under steep slope was 0.32%. Very unfavourable conditions, especially for intensive farming, were identified in Group V (7.59% elderships), where the topographical character has a dominantly hilly terrain. Agricultural experts' (scientists) for survey was used assessing the respondents attitude (6-point Likert Scale) towards terrain impact on the items related to generic farming sector, i.e., "Agricultural development", "Farming systems use", "Land utilization possibilities" and "Soil erosion". The surveyed experts considered that terrain is a factor influencing land-use decisions and the item "Land utilization possibilities" has assumed the highest mean score (3.77). Therefore it should be a good overview of agricultural land with steep slope, as one of the most important natural agri-environmental constraint affecting generic farming possibilities in Lithuania.
Eksperimentai daryti 2011-2012 m. Lietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro (LAMMC) Vėžaičių filialo trijuose Kaltinėnų dirvožemio erozijos stacionarų laukuose, esančiuose 7-9°, 9-11° ir 7-8° statumo šlaituose. Dirvožemis-menkai ir vidutiniškai eroduotas, giliau glėjiškas, pasotintasis balkšvažemis-Jlg4-b-el ir Jlg4-b-e2 (Endohypogleyic-Eutri Albeluvisol-Abe-gld-el ir Abe-gld-e2). Kiekviename stacionaro šlaite yra po 10 laukelių. Tyrimo metais stacionaruose augintos daugiametės žolės, vasariniai miežiai, bulvės, laikytas juodasis pūdymas ir ilgaamžiai šienaujami bei nešienaujami žolynai. Nustatyta, kad vandeninės dirvožemio erozijos nuostoliai, vandens nuotėkis ir prarastų maisto medžiagų kiekis labiausiai priklausė nuo šlaito dirvožemio apželdinimo augalais ir granuliometrinės dirvožemio sudėties. Šlaitai, apauginti ilgalaikiais žolynais, kuriuose susiformavusi stipri velėna, atsparūs ardymui. Kai dirvožemis be augalų, pūdymuoja, dirvožemio nuostoliai didžiausi lengvo priemolio 9-11° šlaite (229,34 t ha-1), o vandens nuotėkis-vidutinio ir sunkaus priemolio šlaituose. Mažiausias vandens nuotėkis (308,3-843,6 hl ha-1) ir minimalūs sauso dirvožemio nuostoliai (0-1,56 t ha-1) nustatyti 9-11° lengvo priemolio šlaite, apželdintame ilgalaikiais daugiakomponenčiais žolynais. Esant juodajam pūdymui arba dirvožemiui be augalinės dangos, jautriausias nuardymui ir N, P, K maisto medžiagų netekimui buvo lengvo priemolio statesnio (9-11°) šlaito dirvožemis: per dvejus metus su dirvožemiu ir vandens nuotėkiu judriojo fosforo prarasta 34,39 kg ha-1 , azoto-12,16 kg ha-1 , judriojo kalio-32,86 kg ha-1. Tyrimais nustatyta, jog tarp paviršinio vandens nuotėkio ir mėnesio kritulių kiekio buvo vidutinė priklausomybė (r = 0,61*-0,69* (2011 m.), r = 0,54-0,64* (2012 m.)). Dirvožemio nuostoliai kalvų šlaituose mažai priklausė nuo mėnesio kritulių kiekio.
Jarasiunas G., Kinderiene I., Bašić F.: Delineation Lithuanian agricultural land for agro-ecological suitability for farming using soil and terrain criteria. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 36, No. 1, p. 88-100, 2017.The aim of investigation is to analyse and classify the state of agricultural land affected by naturalbiophysical, that is, soil and terrain-slope, handicaps on its overall agro-ecological suitability for agricultural use. For the classification of land for suitability with respect to sustainable use and efficient protection, the following actual criteria were selected: soil texture, soil drainage and terrainslope. For identifying the relatively homogeneous areas, the Ward hierarchical cluster method was used. According to our estimates, Lithuanian agricultural land with unfavourable soil texture, poorly soil drainage and steep slopes covers an area of 33.59, 4.76 and 1.03% of total agricultural area, respectively. On the basis of functional classification of state of agro-ecological conditions of Lithuania, two orders of suitability (S-suitable, N-not suitable) and five land suitability classes were identified and delineated: S1 (highly suitable) included 10 district municipalities, S2 (moderately suitable) included 12 district municipalities, S3 (marginally suitable) included 15 district municipalities, N1 (currently not suitable) included 10 district municipalities and N2 (permanently not suitable) included 4 district municipalities. S3 occupies the largest (29.80%) share of the Lithuanian territory and N2 the least (5.66%). The land suitable for agriculture means with suitability classes S1, S2 and S3 was found on an area of 2,960,562 ha, which is 81.6% of the total land. In addition, soil texture was the most important factor causing differences in the classes of suitability. On the basis of natural limiting factors from an agronomic and eco-environmental perspective, the optimal sustainable development in agrosphere and a balanced-practical concept of land management and proper land use policy is presented. It is a reasonable base for agroecological regionalisation of Lithuania.Key words: land suitability for agriculture, natural limiting factors, cluster analysis, suitability classes of agricultural land, land use policy.
Agricultural experts' perception and knowledge towards farming conditions and natural agro-environmental problems are important to develop a sustainable rural strategy and may serve when planning land use in sloping agricultural areas to avoid land abandonment. The objective of investigations was to analyze the attitudes of agricultural experts in the Eastern Lithuania region towards the state of the generic agrarian sector, soil erosion processes and natural handicaps. Replies of respondents indicated that the means (the Likert Scale) of the evaluation towards the items "Soil quality", "Agricultural sector development" and "Land suitability for generic agricultural activity" were 2.68, 3.11 and 2.73, respectively. The evaluations indicating that the mean score perceived by respondents towards impact of soil erosion on common farming activity in the region was 2.63. A questionnaire study showed that respondents recognized that the impact of terrain and soil texture factors on the potential of soil erosion processes is the highest in the region, thus the factor of soil type has been evaluated as the least important. The most frequently noticed topographical parameter of the terrain influencing the intensity of soil erosion was slope steepness (63.1% of respondents), followed by slope aspect (21.1%) and length (15.8%). Hilly terrain and soil acidity constraints by frequency 24.5 and 18.9%, respectively, have showed the most important attitude of respondents, in the content of the natural handicaps limiting successful farming activity in the region. However, the study disclosed that unfavourable climate conditions and soil cover diversity were the two least crucial natural constraints for farming. These empirical findings intended to bring benefits and can help in decision-making framework in order to decide the best soil conservation measures and improving farming conditions in agricultural areas under natural handicaps.
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