GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN THE ANALYSIS OF ARABLE LAND AND GRASSLANDS FROM THE TIMIS PLAIN

Abstract

In Romania, the diversity and specificity of the pedoclimatic systems (in approximately equal proportions - plain, hill, mountain) and the historical and socio-economic particularities generated a land fund structure dominated by the share of agricultural lands (over 61%), being present in all relief units. Romania is one of the European countries with important land resources, per capita returning 0.68 ha of agricultural land and 0.43 ha of arable land. In the last 30 years, in Banat and not only, under the impact of socio-economic, political and natural factors, there have been significant changes in the structure of land use. The general trend was to increase agricultural land and built at the expense of forests and natural grasslands. This paper aimed to make an empirical analysis of land use categories in the Timiş Plain, focusing on grasslands and arable land, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the 2018 Corine Land Cover database. The experimental site is constituted in the form of a transect formed by five territorial administrative units (Lovrin ATU, Cenei ATU, Peciu Nou ATU, Pădureni ATU and Moşniţa Nouă ATU), representative for the geographical unit of which they are part, respectively Timiş Plain. The relief conditions, as well as the geographical position of the analyzed territory, are reflected in the land use and the agricultural activities carried out. The five ATUs analyzed have a significant agricultural potential, characterized by large areas of covered arable land, mostly fertile soils, which allow crop diversification. The area has agricultural potential, the market access being an important factor of development in terms of livestock growth, even if the grassland areas are small. Filling with fodder is made from fodder crops and arable sown grasslands (complex crops).