Exploring suitability for tropical crop cultivation in Hainan Island by SOTAL methodology

PDF(1750 KB)

Journal of Geographical Sciences ›› 2001, Vol. 11 ›› Issue (4) : 420-426.

Land Use

Exploring suitability for tropical crop cultivation in Hainan Island by SOTAL methodology

ZHANG Xue-lei1¹, S. Mantel2², ZHANG Gan-lin

Author information +

History +

Abstract

A SOTER-based automatic procedure for qualitative land evaluation is developed. This procedure was created in the automated land evaluation system (ALES). The objective was to design a procedure that allows for a quick separation of potentially suitable from non-suitable SOTER units for the intended land use, indicating constraints to different kinds of land use. Different kinds of land are unequal1y suited to various uses, land eva1uation is the assessment of the suitability of a tract of land for a specified kind of land use. In practice this implicates the comparison (matching) between the requirements of a specified land use and the properties of the land. Land evaluation concepts and definitions are treated in the paper. The ALES is a computer program that allows land evaluators to build their own knowledge-based system with which they can compute the physical and economical suitability of map units in accordance with FAO framework for land evaluation. The ALES program works with so-called decision trees, being hierarchical multiway keys in which the leaves are results (e.g., severity levels of land qualities), and the interior nodes of the tree are decision criteria (e.g., land characteristic values). These trees are traversed by the program to compute an evaluation using actual land data for each map unit. SOTAL is a SOTER-based qualitative model developed in ALES for physical land evaluation in which presently three land utilization types (LUTs) are distinguished, i.e., cultivated banana, coffee and rubber under different input and technological conditions. These LUTs are characterized by 11 landuse requirements and evaluated by matching the land use requirements with the corresponding land qualities. The paper elaborates on the criteria used in SOTAL for land quality assessment and how a final suitability rating is achieved on the basis of the rated land qualities. Results are visualized through G1S-generated maps as products in response to the specific information and data needs of decision and policy makers.

Key words

evaluation / tropical crops / HaiSOTER / Hainan Island

Cite this article

EndNote

Ris (Procite)

Bibtex

Download Citations

ZHANG Xue-lei, S. Mantel, ZHANG Gan-lin, VWP. van Engelen. Exploring suitability for tropical crop cultivation in Hainan Island by SOTAL methodology[J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2001, 11(4): 420-426

References

[1] Oldeman L R, Hakkeling R T A, Sombroek WG. World Map of Status of Humam-Induced Land Degradation: An Explanatory Note. (2nd revised edition), ISRIC, Wageningen and UNEP, Nairobi, 1991.

[2] FAO. A framework for land evaluation. Soil Bulletin, 1976, 32, FAO Rome.

[3] Danalatos N G, Kosmas C S, Driessen P M et al. Estimation of the draining soil moisture characteristics from standard soil survey data as recorded in routine soil surveys. Geoderma, 1994, 64: 155-165.

[4] Wagner B, Tarnawski V R, Wessolek G et al. Suitability of models for the estimation of hydraulic parameters. Geoderma, 1998, 86: 229-239.

[5] Smaling E M A, Van De Weg R F. Using soil and climate maps and associated data sets to select sites for fertilizer trials in Kanya. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 1990, 31: 263-274.

[6] Mantel S. The automated land evaluation system applied to SOTER, with an example from West Kenya. Working Paper and Preprint, 1995, 95/03. ISRIC, Wageningen.

[7] Mantel S, Van Engelen V W P. Assessment of the impact of water erosion on productivity of maize in Kenya, an integrated modelling approach. Land Degradation and Development, 1999, 10: 577-592.

[8] Mantel S, Van Engelen V W P. Exploring biophysical potential and sustainability of wheat cultivation in Uruguay at the national level. Soil Use and Management, 2000, 16: 370-278.

[9] Rossiter D G. ALES: a framework for land evaluation using a micro-computer. Soil Use and Management, 1990, 6: 7-20.

[10] Van Engelen VWP. SOTER: The World Soils and Terrain Database. In: EM Sumner (ed.). Handbook of Soil Science. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1999, H19-H28.

[11] Van Engelen V W P, Wen T T. Global and National Soils and Terrain Digital Databases (SOTER). Procedures Manual (revised edition). UNEP, FAO, ISSS, ISRIC. Wageningen, 1995.