Microleis 3.2: a set of computer programs, statistical models and expert systems for land evaluation

Abstract

Although increasing consideration is being given to agricultural diversification and to lower input agriculture, it is still important to identify optimum land use systems for resource sustainability and environmental quality. Land evaluation makes it possible to use land according to its potential. During the last few years, increasing application of information technology to land evaluation procedures has led to the development of land evaluation information systems. For these computerised applications, the microcomputer (PC platform) has become an essential tool. Since 1975, several land evaluation projects have been developed by the Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología, Sevilla (formerly, Centro de Edalología y Biología Aplicada del Cuarto), and the Agencia de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Andalucía, Spain. MicroLEIS is based on the results of these projects. The principal objective of MicroLEIS was to establish an interactive and user-friendly system for the optimal allocation of land use and management systems under Mediterranean agroforestry conditions. The MicroLEIS system must be considered a tool lfr land use planning rather than an accurate predictive model.