Development of a Web-based land evaluation system and its application to population carrying capacity assessment using .Net technology

The multi-disciplinary approach used in this study combines the state-of-the-art IT technology with an elaborated land evaluation methodology and results in a Web-based land evaluation system (WLES). The WLES is designed in such a way that the system operates both as a Web Application and as a Web Service. Implemented on top of the .NET platform, the WLES has a loosely coupled multi-layer structure which seamlessly integrates the domain knowledge of land evaluation and the soil database. The Web Service feature makes the WLES suitable to act as a building block of a larger system such as that of the population carrying capacity (PCC) assessment. As a reference application, a framework is made to assess the PCC on the basis of the production potential calculations which are available through the WLES Web Service interface

Exploring the potential offered by legacy soil databases for ecosystem services mapping of Central African soils

C

Population carrying capacity and sustainable agricultural use of land resources in Caoxian County (North China)

In this study, an attempt is made to assess the potential sustainable agricultural use of the land resources in Caoxian County in north China. Based on a land resources inventory (physiography, climate, soil, land use and management), the rotation of winter wheat-summer maize was selected as the major land utilization type of grain production in the study area. Land use requirements were adapted to the local conditions and hierarchical production potentials were estimated using the collected data. Satisfactory results have been achieved for six scenarios combining local management practices and input levels. The population carrying capacity has been obtained and guidelines for a sustainable use of land resources were formulated. Conclusions were drawn with regard to the methodologies applied

Baseline concentration levels of trace elements as a function of clay and organic carbon contents in soils in Flanders (Belgium)

A

Effect of substrates on germination and seedling emergence of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) at the Yongka Western Highlands Research/Garden Park, Bamenda-Cameroon

A study was carried out at the Yongka Western Highlands Research Garden Park, Nkwen­Bamenda in Cameroon to evaluate the effect of substrates on the germination and seedling emergence of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Seeds of African Giant variety were used with six substrate media (sawdust, sand, soil, sawdust­sand, sawdust­soil and sand­soil). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design in three replications. Germinated seeds were counted daily for a 15 days period. To estimate seedling emergence from two Weeks After Sowing (WAS) up to four WAS, data on seedling height and number of leaves were recorded. The results showed that germination started 8 days after sowing for all substrates. Germination rate was significantly affected by the substrates but the rates were less than 80%. The highest germination rate was recorded on the soil substrate (75%) while the lowest rate (25%) was recorded on the sawdust substrate. Seedlings on the sawdust substrate were also less vigorous and had less leaves (12.67 cm height and 4.7 leaves) than those on other substrates at four WAS (50–63 cm and 12.6–15.3 leaves). Based on the results, it is recommendable to use the soil substrate to nurse African Giant seeds

The inverse relationship between farm size and productivity in rural Rwanda

The Rwandan government has recently adopted new agricultural and land policies that strive to increase productivity in the agricultural sector though land consolidation and concentration, and through the promotion of regional crop specialisation and monocropping. This paper, however, identifies the strong inverse relationship between farm size and land productivity under the current land management system; also when taking into account farm fragmentation, crop diversification, frequency of multicropping and household size. In addition, it concludes that increased farm fragmentation, higher frequency of multicropping, and more crop diversification do not necessarily have a significant negative impact upon productivity, on the contrary. The paper reflects upon the implications of Rwanda’s agrarian and land policies