Abstract
The purpose of this study was to prepare a cropland suitability map of Mongolia based on comprehensive landscape principles, including topography, soil properties, vegetation, climate and socio-economic factors. The primary goal was to create a more accurate map to estimate vegetation criteria (above ground biomass AGB), soil organic matter, soil texture, and the hydrothermal coefficient using Landsat 8 satellite imagery. The analysis used Landsat 8 imagery from the 2016 summer season with a resolution of 30 meters, time series MODIS vegetation products (MOD13, MOD15, MOD17) averaged over 16 days from June to August 2000-2016, an SRTM DEM with a resolution of 30 meters, and a field survey of measured biomass and soil data. In total, 6 main factors were classified and quality evaluation criteria were developed for 17 criteria, each with 5 levels. In this research the spatial MCDM (multi-criteria decision-making) method and AHP based GIS were applied. This was developed for each criteria layer’s value by multiplying parameters for each factor obtained from the pair comparison matrix by the weight addition, and by the suitable evaluation of several criteria factors affecting cropland. General accuracy was 88%, while PLS and RF regressions were 82.3% and 92.8%, respectively.
Highlights
Science-based agricultural production has been developing intensively in Mongolia since 1960 [1]
The purpose of this study was to prepare a cropland suitability map of Mongolia based on comprehensive landscape principles, including topography, soil properties, vegetation, climate and socio-economic factors
We have previously studied this topic: “Land suitability evaluation for cropland based on Geographic information system (GIS) between 2014 and 2016”, was funded by the Mongolian Agency of Administration of Land Affairs, Geodesy and Cartography
Summary
Science-based agricultural production has been developing intensively in Mongolia since 1960 [1]. Between 1960 and 1989 the total sown area increased from 267.1 to 846.1 thousand hectares. From 1989 the total sown area fell, reaching 165.0 thousand hectares in 2006 [2]. The sown areas rose steadily by 440.6 thousand hectares between the years 2006 and 2016. Cropland remains 405.5 thousand hectares less than in 1989. In this same time period, the total population increased 3.19 times while the amount of sown area declined by half as compared with the population growth. There is a significant difference in vegetable consumption between the urban and rural population. Urban population vegetable consumption is double that of the rural population [3]
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