Digitalization of agro-landscapes of Altai arid territories

Abstract

The assimilation of digital technologies for the effective use of agricultural landscapes is becoming an integral part of the preservation and reproduction of the soil fertility. To form the attributes of geological information systems that allow assessing the agrarian landscapes of Altai arid territories, we suggest using climatic, geomorphological, hydrological and soil attributes as natural ones. We suggest creating anthropogenic attributes on the basis of the farming system elements, which is the final stage in the GIS attributes creation. We propose using not only the farming system, but also its elements, such as the organization of territories, crop rotations, seed production, technologies, chemical plant protection products, mineral nutrition, measures to protect soil from wind and water erosion, chemical reclamation, reconstruction and creation of shelter forest plantations. For landscapes assessment, we propose using data describing the qualitative and quantitative parameters of natural and anthropogenic factors, such as a scale of dynamism, indicators of agricultural soil properties, the degree of dynamism and levels of ecological state “Norm”, “Risk”, “Crisis” and “Disaster”. Such approach to the agricultural landscapes fertility assessment allows us to determine its current state, to establish the degradation processes taking place in each soil, and to highlight the levels of the ecological state. We believe that digitalization based on geographic information systems can reduce the costs of agricultural production and increase the soil productivity.