Qualitative and quantitative land evaluations

Abstract

Land evaluation operated in a traditional or modern system can focus on qualitative or quantitative aspects. Traditional systems are most often qualitative assessments depending largely on experience and intuitive judgement; they are real empirical systems. Parametric systems allocate a numerical value on the most significant land characteristics, and the account for interactions between such significant factors are expressed through a simple multiplication or an addition of single-factor indexes. In statistical systems, correlation and multiple-regression analyses are used to investigate the relative contributions of the selected land characteristics on land suitability. The single-factor systems try to quantify the influence of individual land characteristics on the performance of the land-use system.