LAND USE CAPABILITY CLASS DATA WITH LAND FORMS USING GIS CASE STUDY, SAMSUN-BAFRA DISTRICT

Abstract

Land use capability class (LUCC) is of great importance in guiding on land uses in terms of their potential and conserving natural resources for next generations. The concept of land capability is useful in this respect because it is a composite assessment of land and soil, which incorporates the key physical characteristics that limit sustainable land management. Such an approach is simple and logical in approach, is widely known and accepted in the rural community and has been applied widely. LUCC system the range of suited crops decreased from class 1 to 8 and the management inputs required to produce suited crops increases from class 1 to class 8. However, the combination of soils, climate and types of agriculture in a particular area or region may make certain lower capability lands valuable for agriculture. Join analysis of LUCC with topography offers a precious tool to agricultural practices and land use planners revealing the most suitable land for agricultural aims both from LUCC and physiographic point of view. The main objective of this study was to determine relationship LUCC and land forms using GIS in Bafra Plain and near district found in the Kizilirmak Delta and located in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. The study area covers about 77796.1 ha. In this study, LUCC information derived from soil database prepared by the Rural Affairs General Directory and topographic maps scaled 1:25.000 to generate digital elevation model (DEM) were used. According to LUCC distribution of the study area, suitable land for agricultural application ranged from class 1 to class 4 is 53244.4 ha whereas, 24551.7 ha of the total area is non suitable (from class 5 to 8) for tillage. Land slope, aspect, hill shade, drainage network, creation of a three dimensional network structure of earth surface are among application of DEM. In finally, LUCC map painted in various colors was combined by the hill-shade image to generate three dimensional view images.