Application Comparison of Association Rules and C4.5 Rules in Land Evaluation

Association rules and C4.5 rules can overcome the shortage of the traditional land evaluation methods and improve the intelligibility and efficiency of the land evaluation knowledge.In order to compare these two kinds of classification rules in the application,two fuzzy classifiers were established by combining with fuzzy decision algorithm especially based on Second General Soil Survey of Guangdong Province.The results of experiments demonstrated that the fuzzy classifier based on association rules obtain a higher accuracy rate,but with more complex calculation process and more computational overhead;the fuzzy classifier based on C4.5 rules obtain a slightly lower accuracy,but with fast computation and simpler calculation.

Land Evaluation Method Based on Decision Tree Produced by C4.5 and Fuzzy Decision

[Objective]The aim was to overcome the shortage of being difficult to build land evaluation model when the impact factors had continuous value in the traditional land evaluation process,as well as to improve the intelligibility of the land evaluation knowledge.[Method] The land evaluation method combining classification rule extracted by C4.5 algorithm with fuzzy decision was proposed in this study.[Result] The result of Second General Soil Survey of Guangdong Province had demonstrated that the method was convenient to extract classification rules,and by using only 100 rules,quantity correct rate 86.67% and area correct rate 84.80% of land evaluation could be obtained.[Conclusions] The use of C4.5 algorithm to obtain the rules,combined with fuzzy decision algorithm to build classifiers had got satisfactory results,which provided a practical algorithm for the land evaluation.

Mining Weights of Land Evaluation Factors Based on Cloud Model and Correlation Analysis

The veracity of land evaluation is tightly related to the reasonable weights of land evaluation fac- tors. By mapping qualitative linguistic words into a fine-changeable cloud drops and translating the uncertain factor conditions into quantitative values with the uncertain illation based on cloud model, and then, inte- grating correlation analysis, a new way of figuring out the weight of land evaluation factors is proposed. It may solve the limitations of the conventional ways.

Spatial Land Evaluation for Oil Palm Cultivation Using GIS （Geographic Information System）

The objective of the study was to establish spatial land evaluation for oil palm cultivation using GIS （geographic information system）. The study area is situated in the KESEDAR region in the state of Kelantan, Malaysia. The evaluation of the land in terms of the suitability classes were based on the method of FAO （Food and Agriculture Oganization of the United Nations）. Five land qualities are important for determining the physical land suitability for oil palm; these are nutrient availability, oxygen availability, water availability, workability and availability of foothold for roots. Each of the above mentioned land qualities with associated attribute data were digitally encoded in a GIS database to create thermatic layers. Overlay operation on the layer produced resultant polygonal layer each of which is a land unit with characteristics of the land. The results from GIS overlay analyses showed that Bungor, Chat, Chempaka, Alluvium, Musang and Tok Yong series are highly suitable while Kawang series is moderately suitable for oil palm cultivation. The same results were obtained by using parametric-limitation method.

Evaluation and Driving Force Analysis of Cultivated Land Quality in Black Soil Region of Northeast China

Cultivated land is an important natural resource to ensure food,ecological and economic security.The cultivated land quality evaluation(CQE)is greatly significant for protecting and managing cultivated land.In this study,320 counties in the black soil region of Northeast China(BSRNC)represent the research units used to construct the CQE system measuring the soil properties(SP),cultivated land productivity(CLP),ecological environment(EE)and social economy(SE).The total of 19 factors were selected to calculate the integrated fertility index(IFI)and divided into grades.Simultaneously,we used the coupling coordination degree model to comprehensively analyze the spatial pattern of the cultivated land quality(CLQ)in the BSRNC,and use the structural equation model(SEM)to analyze the driving mechanism.The results show the following:1)The CLQ of 262 counties in the BSRNC is in a state of coupling and coordination,and the coupling and coordination degree presents a spatial distribution pattern of‘high in the southwest and northeast,low in the northwest and southeast’.The coordinated development degree of 271 counties is between 0.4 and 0.6,which is in a transitional state between coordination and disorder.2)The CLQ in the BSRNC is generally good,with an average grade of 3.High-quality cultivated land accounts for 58.45%of all counties,middle-and upper-quality cultivated land accounts for 27.05%,and poor-quality cultivated land accounts for 14.49%.3)The SEM analysis shows that the SP,CLP,EE,and SE all influence the CLQ.Among them,the SP has the largest driving force on the CLQ,while the SE has the smallest driving force on it.The results confirm that the main factors affecting the evaluation results are crop productivity level,normalized difference vegetation index,ratio vegetation index,difference vegetation index,and organic carbon content.When implementing protection measures in counties with a low CLQ,considering a balanced coordination of multiple systems and reasonably controlling the quality degradation are important.This study provides the current situation and driving factors of the CLQ in the BSRNC and will play an important role in black soil governance and utilization.

Integrating landscape ecological principles and land evaluation for sustainable land use

Many existing methods for appraisal of agricultural areas and farming systems are short of dynamics and spatial analysis. The main objective of this paper is to merge approaches in classical land evaluation, largely based on soil science, and newer approaches in landscape ecology, which are rather based on the relationships between spatial patterns (physiography, land use and farming system design, vegetation etc.) and processes (farming activities, scale changes, geomorphological processes, bio ecological processes). Rapid changes in rural areas have an impact on both processes and patterns. Planning for sustainable use of these areas should include the assessment of the interrelations between these patterns and processes.

SUSTAINABLE USE OF LAND RESOURCE AND ITS EVALUATION IN COUNTY AREA—A Case of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

Sustainable use of natural resources is different from sustainable development. As the most important natural resource, sustainable use of land resource is the essential guarantee of sustainable development. The nature of sustainable use of land resource is to retain the quantity and productivity of land resource from generation to generation.The evaluation of sustainable use of land resource is an important method to ensure land use to get onto the sustainable track. Furthermore, building index system is the key of the evaluation. In view of tendency of the evaluation indexes chosen so widely, the evaluation indexes should include only three kinds in the researches on the evaluation of sustainable use of land resource. The first is the stock and structure index of land resource, viz. Areas quantity structure of land resources. In China, it is especially paid attention to the per person index of land quantity and rate between cultivated land and farmland. The second is the productive index of land, which includes the productivity, potentiality, stability and renewal situation of land. The third is the sustained index of land environment. On the evaluation research of area level, we should lay particular emphasis on statistic indexes. With a case of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China, the evaluation index system of sustainable land use in county area has been built in this thesis. Using the weighted average method to calculate the means of sustainable land use in each county, according to the land using situation, all counties in the autonomous region have been divided into three types. (1) Sustainable Pattern contains 18 counties, which have higher land resource productivity, stronger sustained abilities of land environment .The economic benefits of land using in these counties are obviously higher. These counties have gotten highly intensive farming, and they are all in the good circumstance. (2) Basically Sustained Pattern contains 48 counties, which productivity of land resource is of middle level. In part of counties and cities, the stock of land resource inclines to lower level, but their land using potentialities are still greater. Through changing land using pattern, these counties can rapidly enter in a good circumstance. (3) Critically Sustained Pattern contains 14 counties, which are mostly in the karst mountain areas. They have less stock of land resource, lower productivity and more extensive cultivation. The productivity of land renewing has been hindered, so it urgently need to be renovated. At last, the writers have explored the basic ways of sustainable use of land resource in Guangxi, China — (1) Retain the stock of land resource and strictly manage farmland uses. (2) Strengthen the value accounting of land resource, and control the farmland occupation of non agricultural construction. (3) Depend on technology advanced, optimize the land using structure, and promote the productive level. (4) Carry out land management all round, and improve the ecological environment of land resource. (5) Enhance evaluation researche and land monitoring, and promote the sustainable utilization level of land resource.

Research of Comprehensive Evaluation of Agricultural Land Suitability in Typical Area of Huanghuaihai Plain based on GIS

The paper aims to study agricultural land suitability in typical agricultural area in Huanghuaihai plain by the comprehensive evaluation of natural factors and environmental conditions of agricultural land with Liaocheng area in Shangdong Province in the center of Huanghuaihai plain as a case.The results suggested that the land quality in Liaocheng was above the average and accorded with the local practical situation.The authors validated the scientificity of agricultural land suitability study by using GIS technology and proposed some suggestions on analysis results.

Land Suitability Evaluation for Oil Palm (<i>Elaeis guineensis</i>Jacq.) in Coastal Plains of Southwest Cameroon

Declining yields in oil palm fresh fruit bunch (FFB) have been recorded over the past years in the coastal lowlands of southwest Cameroon and current actual yields are very low (<12 t FFB ha−1•yr−1) compared to the potential yields (25 t FFB ha−1•yr−1). One of the problems limiting optimum oil palm production is lack of detailed pedological information to guide plantation establishment and management. A land suitability evaluation was carried out for some major oil palm producing areas of southwest Cameroon to identify land qualities limiting optimal production. Thirteen sites (9 with sedimentary parent materials and 4 with volcanic parent material) were evaluated using a parametric method. Results indicate that climate was not a major limiting factor for oil palm production in coastal plains of southwest Cameroon. However, soil physical characteristics (mainly clayey texture and poor drainage) and soil fertility constitute limitations to oil palm production. Specifically, limitations in cation exchange capacity (CEC), base saturation (BS), organic carbon (OC) and pH were slight to moderate while K mole fraction was the most severe and the most limiting in all the sites. The fertility limitations were more pronounced in soils derived from sedimentary parent materials where 33% had limitations caused by soil pH and OC compared to none for volcanic soils. In addition, 77.8% of sedimentary soils had limitations caused by CEC compared to 25% for volcanic soils. Considering the overall suitability, soils derived from volcanic parent materials were potentially more suitable for oil palm cultivation ((S3)—50%, (S2)—50%) compared to sedimentary soils ((N)—11%, (S3)—78% and (S2)—11%). Based on the suitability classes of the different soils derived from dissimilar parent materials, appropriate site-specific soil management is needed to improve oil palm yields, especially with emphasis on K fertilization and improved soil water management. Plantation management in coastal plains of South West Cameroon therefore should factor in differences in soil parent material.

The Application of BP Networks to Land Suitability Evaluation

The back propagation (BP) model of artificial neural networks (ANN) has many good qualities comparing with ordinary methods in land suitability evaluation.Through analyzing ordinary methods’ limitations,some sticking points of BP model used in land evaluation,such as network structure,learning algorithm,etc.,are discussed in detail,The land evaluation of Qionghai city is used as a case study.Fuzzy comprehensive assessment method was also employed in this evaluation for validating and comparing.

Urban Construction Land Suitability Evaluation Based on Improved Multi-criteria Evaluation Based on GIS(MCE-GIS): Case of New Hefei City,China

Urban construction land suitability evaluation （UCLSE） is a complex system engineering and the basis for rational use of the limited urban land resources in China. It has an important practical value on urban construction land use planning and management from the angle of methodology. As a widely used technique, traditional multi-criteria evaluation based on GIS （MCE-GIS）, is not suitable for UCLSE. This study develops an improved MCE-GIS method which could be more suitable for UCLSE based on urban complex ecological system theory and the summary of the shortcomings of traditional MCE-GIS. The improvements include three aspects： a composite evaluation index system rather than natural indexes alone, an index weight calculated by using fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process （AHP） method rather than the common AHP method, and the integrated overlay rule, which includes selecting the minimum value, weighted linear combination （WLC） and simple summation. The main advantage of this improved technique is that it can make UCLSE more comprehensive, more operational and more reasonable. It can provide a scientific basis for decision making in the planning and management of urban construction land use. The improved MCE-GIS system has been adopted in the New Hefei City, Anhui Province, China. Based on the results of UCLSE in New Hefei, three functional areas including construction-appropriate areas, construction-restricted areas and construction-forbidden areas could be worked out, in which 36.90% of the total study area could be developed as urban construction land and the remaining 63.10% should be protected as reserves land or as ecological land. Furthermore, the results can orovide scientific decision suooort for spatial planning and eco-environment nrotection in New Hefei.

Improving Land Resource Evaluation Using Fuzzy Neural Network Ensembles

Land evaluation factors often contain continuous-, discrete- and nominal-valued attributes. In traditional land evaluation, these different attributes are usually graded into categorical indexes by land resource experts, and the evaluation results rely heavily on experts＇ experiences. In order to overcome the shortcoming, we presented a fuzzy neural network ensemble method that did not require grading the evaluation factors into categorical indexes and could evaluate land resources by using the three kinds of attribute values directly. A fuzzy back propagation neural network （BPNN）, a fuzzy radial basis function neural network （RBFNN）, a fuzzy BPNN ensemble, and a fuzzy RBFNN ensemble were used to evaluate the land resources in Guangdong Province. The evaluation results by using the fuzzy BPNN ensemble and the fuzzy RBFNN ensemble were much better than those by using the single fuzzy BPNN and the single fuzzy RBFNN, and the error rate of the single fuzzy RBFNN or fuzzy RBFNN ensemble was lower than that of the single fuzzy BPNN or fuzzy BPNN ensemble, respectively. By using the fuzzy neural network ensembles, the validity of land resource evaluation was improved and reliance on land evaluators＇ experiences was considerably reduced.

Model of Land Suitability Evaluation Based on Computational Intelligence

A novel model of land suitability evaluation is built based on computational intelligence (CI). A fuzzy neural network (FNN) is constructed by the integration of fuzzy logic and artificial neural network (ANN). The structure and process of this network is clear. Fuzzy rules (knowledge) are expressed in the model explicitly, and can be self-adjusted by learning from samples. Genetic algorithm (GA) is employed as the learning algorithm to train the network, and makes the training of the model efficient. This model is a self-learning and self-adaptive system with a rule set revised by training.

Evaluation of Potential Land Productivity in Wulushan, West China

The general situation of the total land resources in Wulushan, West China was studied by field investigations with the aid of a GIS software, called Region Manager. The current status of land use in Wulushan is described. The potential land productivity was evaluated by a fuzzy comprehensive method, We take each plot as a basic unit of evaluation on the basis of an index system of land resources in Wulushan which was developed from the investigation data. Evaluation of potential land productivity is the key part of land management. A guideline is presented in this paper for a proper utilization of the land resources and to develop the productive capacity of the land.

Application of Bayesian Network Learning Methods to Land Resource Evaluation

Bayesian network has a powerful ability/or reasoning and semantic representation, which combined with qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis, with prior knowledge and observed data, and provides an effective way to deal with prediction, classification and clustering. Firstly, this paper presented an overview of Bayesian network and its characteristics, and discussed how to learn a Bayesian net- work structure from given data, and then constructed a Bayesian network model for land resource evaluation with expert knowledge and the dataset. The experimental results based on the test dataset are that evaluation accuracy is 87.5%, and Kappa index is 0. 826. All these prove the method is feasible and efficient, and indicate that Bayesian network is a promising approach for land resource evaluation.

Land Degradation Evaluation in North Hebei Province Based on Remote Sensing and GIS

Land degradation is one of the serious environmental problems that can lead to poverty, and is especially prominent in eco-fragile areas in developing countries and increases the risk of environmental safety. North Hebei Province belongs to an ecologically fragile region in North China, which has great impact on the eco-safety of Beijing and Tianjin. Using Landsat TM data and GIS, this paper evaluates land degradation in North Hebei province of China from the the 1960′s to 1987 and 2000. Land use/cover change pattern from 1987 to 2000, its regional difference and forest change characteristics will also be analyzed; soil erosion intensity and arable land suitability were also evaluated. Results revealed that land use/cover pattern in this study area did not change greatly from 1987 to 2000. The structure and function of regional land ecosystem was at a level of local improvement and integral deterioration. Land above medium soil erosion intensity reached 21 percent, which was also the area with a serious soil erosion and land degradation problem. Soil erosion and land degradation intensity of grassland was the biggest. For the present arable land, the proportion of high suitability was 13 percent.

GIS based land suitability assessment along Laos-China border

Assessment of the forest land use change and proposed land suitability for tea for the area along Laos – China Border were the main purpose of this research paper. An integrated GIS-based analysis system （IGAS）, supporting assessment of forest land-use and land suitability for the study area where along Laos-China border was developed. Multi criteria analysis and system dynamics techniques were used to assess forest land use and land suitability and to forecast potential land-use for tea. The total study area is estimated at 10 325.07 km2 according to the field data collection and data analysis. The area of current forest cover decreased rapidly from 6337.33 km2 （61.38%） in 1992 to 5106.28 km2 （49.46%） in 2002 in the study area. The current forest was mainly trans-ferred to potential forest and permanent agriculture especially to rubber plantation areas even in the National Conservation Biodiversity Conser-vation Areas. The main causes of forest land use change are poverty. In order to address the problems, land suitability classification for tea was developed based on the multi-criteria. And finally two options of land suitability classification for tea for the study areas were developed.

Land Suitability Assessment and Land Use Change in Fujian Province,China

To present the current status of land quality and distribution and the trends in land use change, the physical suitability of cropland and forestland and the associated changes in Fujian Province were evaluated and analyzed using data obtained from geographical information systems (GIS) and remote sensing (RS).Of the total land area of Fujian Province,first class suitable cropland accounted for only 4.21%, whereas unsuitable cropland accounted for 84.78%. The percentage of first class suitable cropland in the southeastern region (5.32%) was much higher than that in the northwestern area (2.91%).Only 13.63% of the existing cropland area consisted of first class cropland and 70.08% was classified as unsuitable for cultivation.Of the total land area of Fujian Province,the first class forestland comprised 55.25% and the unsuitable forestland (including third class) comprised 21.2%.The percentage of unsuitable forest area in the existing forestland was only 5.5%.From 1996 to 2001, cropland and unused land decreased significantly, whereas forestland and land used for urban and transport increased rapidly.Therefore,the major tasks ahead will be the land development for full grain production potential,the better coordination of allocating land to different uses, and the regulation inappropriate activities that damage agricultural ecosystems.

Identification of Potential for Banana in Hainan Island, China

Land use alternatives are sought to boost agricultural income and productivity in Hainan Island, China.Regional differences exist in crop limitations, such as typhoon risk, low temperatures, poor soil fertility, and drought. In this study a crop zonation was made for a range of crops, among which is banana, as a way to: 1)establish areas for potential expansion for banana, and 2) identify limitations and options for crop and land management. A spatial soil and terrain database of Hainan Island (1:250 000) was linked to the automated land evaluation system (ALES). The qualitative models were verified by comparing suitability maps with actual land use. The results may support policy formulation on issues such as alternatives to current land use, assessment of best management practices, and the need for fertilizer programmes.

Studies on Land Resource Inventory for Agricultural Land Use Planning in Northern Transition Zone of India through Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques

Land suitability analysis is a prerequisite to achieving optimum utilization of available land resources. Hence, a study on land resource inventory for agricultural land use planning was conducted in the Northern Transition Zone of India to determine land capability and develop a suitability map for wheat and sorghum-based on physical and climatic factors of production using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Detailed soil survey information was used for this exercise. Four series (Singhanhalli, Mugli, Bogur and Venkatapur series) were identified and mapped into seventeen mapping units. Land capability classification showed that a greater portion of the study area belonged to class III followed by class IV with limitations of erosion, wetness and varying soil properties. Four land capability classes viz., II, III, IV, and VI, and seven subclasses viz., IIsf, IIItsf, IVs, IVt, IVts, IVtsf and VIt were identified. Major limitations of these subclasses were slope, erosion, depth, texture, coarse fragments, pH, organic carbon and base saturation. Soil suitability assessment revealed that the soils are moderately suitable to permanently not suitable. About 234 ha (31.6%) is moderately suitable, 494 ha (65.0%) marginally suitable and 10.2 ha (1.3%) permanently not suitable for wheat;while 78.5 ha (10.3%) is moderately suitable, 633.4 ha (82.3%) marginally suitable and 32.6 ha (4.3%) permanently not suitable for sorghum respectively. The moderate, marginal and permanent non-suitability was due to moderate, severe and very severe limitations respectively. However, it is possible to achieve potential yield of the crops in the study area if these limitations are addressed.