Evaluación agroecológica de suelos representativos de la provincia de Huelva, España. Aplicación y Validación del Sistema MicroLEIS

Abstract

Biophysical land evaluation is the most appropriate way for predicting potentials and limitations of land for selected uses. The major aims are natural resources sustainability and environmental quality. Land evaluation is an interface between land resources survey and land use planning. For this interpretative process, land characteristics, such as soil, climate, hydrology and topography factors, are considered diagnostic criteria. Presently, computer-based land evaluation methods, along with land databases, geographycal information systems and remote sensing techniques, are being widely developed. MicroLEIS is a PC computer-based land evaluation information system for optimal allocation of agricultural and forestry land use systems, under Mediterranean conditions. The global outline of this methodology, which is in general accordance with FAO-Framework for Land Evaluation, integrates several land capability, suitability and yield prediction methods. This work, as practical training by the author within the "XXVIII Curso Internacional de Edafología", contains the results of MicroLEIS application in the seven benchmark natural areas from Huelva province. Input data referring to the most representative relief, climate and soil units were used. The soil data, from existing soil survey reports, were previously re-structured and computerized according to the FAO-ISRIC Soil Database. The evaluation results were finally compared with dominant present uses in the benchmark areas. Therefore, the current version of MicroLEIS system appears to be a useful tool to predict suitable agricultural and forestry uses. Refining of evaluation models and interfacing to other computerized land information systems are future recommendations to improve MicroLEIS. Also, although this methodology developed for Mediterranean regions can not be transferred directly to other regions of the world, the principies are considered universal.