Land Resources Research Articles

Impact of Sustainable Land Management Program on the Livelihoods of Smallholder Farmers in Semen Bench District, South West Ethiopia

The Sustainable Land Management Programme was launched in 2008 to address to reduce land degradation, improve land productivity, contribute significantly to adaptation to and mitigation of climate change, to protect of soil erosion, conserve to natural resources, and improve of smallholder farmers' standard of living. The overall objective of the study is to impact of a sustainable land management program in southwest Ethiopia's Semen Bench district on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. The study used to cross-sectional survey study design. Two Kebeles were purposively selected based on participation and coverage of soil and water conservation practices implemented by sustainable land management program established in the study area. systematic sampling techniques was used to select 124 respondents from the Kebeles household heads. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and independent sample t-test. The study revealed significant differences in maize yield, taro and coffee yields. The results also showed a highly significant difference (p<0.05) in the mean total yearly income of adopter and non-adopter households, at 24,963.8±2783.12 and 14,927.9±2200.2 birr, respectively. It is determined that the implementation of a sustainable land management program enhances agricultural productivity and household income by conserving land resources. To improve household income, crop productivity, and land resource conservation, this study suggests that farmers be incentivized and supported to adopt integrated sustainable land management approaches.

Community perceptions on land and water acquisitions in the Okavango Delta: implications for rural livelihoods

ABSTRACT Large-scale land acquisitions in Africa are increasing, reported often as the transfers of land for food and biofuel crop production. Only reporting agricultural acquisitions underplays potential impacts of other forms of acquisitions like tourism and conservation, which are new engines for economic growth in Southern Africa. While this shift has complex social-ecological implications, there is limited evidence of the multiple ways that land acquisitions unfold in wetland ecosystems, and implications for people and nature. This study aims to investigate local perceptions of implications of land and water acquisitions on local livelihoods in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, using in-depth interviews with 116 local respondents in Etsha 6, Khwai and Tubu villages. Findings revealed that the primary drivers of land acquisitions in the Okavango Delta were tourism and subsistence agriculture, and a new and unique land exchange (we termed land borrowing) was prevalent in Tubu, involving the borrowing of farmland in flood recessions between locals. Concessions, borrowings, and rentals were key perceived land acquisition types. Both positive and negative impacts of land acquisitions on livelihoods surfaced. The diversity of cultural grouping influenced locals’ intricate connection with riparian waters and affected how land was exchanged and governed. The disparities in benefits from land resources have negative implications for equitable resource distribution and natural resource governance, in policy and practice. This research highlights the importance of an expanded view of acquisitions and associated impacts with closer attention to power dynamics which can facilitate more nuanced implementation of targets of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity framework.

Arahan Sistem Pertanian Ideal Berbasis Potensi Sumberdaya Lahan: Komponen Dasar Cukilan Smart Village

In recent years, the concept of smart villages has gained increasing prominence as a means of encouraging sustainable development in rural areas. This is particularly relevant in the agricultural sector, where the potential of land resources is crucial. Cukilan Village, located in Suruh District, Semarang Regency, Central Java, is primarily an agricultural area, with over 80% of its land designated for agricultural purposes. The village government has expressed a desire to develop Cukilan as a smart village through an FGD process. Based on this background, a community service program was implemented with the aim of designing Cukilan Village as a smart village in stages, to enhance economic growth and prosperity by leveraging the potential of agricultural resources and human resources, as well as accelerating the village development process. The method for implementing this PKM (Community Service) program utilized the Assets-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, which involved outreach, discussion, mapping of agroecological zones, as well as land suitability and evaluation. As a result of this initiative, the Cukilan Village government received guidance for an ideal agricultural system based on land resource potential, which serves as a basic component towards the realization of Cukilan Smart Village.

Contribution of seaweed farming to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and microplastics pollution

In recent decades, human activities have caused many adverse environmental issues that continue to pose a threat to the earth's ecosystems. Global warming and the widespread detection of microplastics are examples of these activities, both of which are largely associated with the use of fossil fuels. Farming and utilization of seaweeds for commercial and industrial applications presents a potential solution to alleviate these problems. Seaweed farming can sequester CO2 from the atmosphere without competing with human activities that rely on agricultural land and water resources and will therefore not contribute to deforestation. Polysaccharides extracted from seaweeds are raw materials for some biodegradable bioplastics and their use may limit the generation of microplastics in the environment. Under the right conditions, the degradation of seaweed bioplastics also produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to the degradation of conventional plastics. However, the commercial acceptance of seaweed polymers is currently hindered by the relatively high manufacturing cost and quality of the final products. Therefore, further research is essential to advance the development of seaweed farming and the use of seaweed polymers as potential replacements for fossil-fuel based polymers.

Sustainable (balanced) land use development is the basic foundation for the formation of Ukraine’s land system

The article examines the key aspects of sustainable land use as a foundation for the effective development of rural areas and communities. Balanced land use should be viewed through the lens of land management development and the implementation of integrated land resource management. The excessive intensification of agriculture and the rapid expansion of cities lead to the loss of beneficial land functions, causing land degradation. The study assessed the ecological stability of territories and revealed an unsatisfactory state of ecological stability in Ukraine, associated with the high level of land plowing (68.4%). It is noted that preserving and restoring land as a unique natural resource requires active intervention by government bodies to stimulate measures for the protection and restoration of land resources through the implementation of effective environmental initiatives. Due to progressing erosion, approximately 40–50 billion hryvnias are lost annually. It is proposed to develop a conceptual strategy for enhancing the ecological sustainability of land management at the legislative level, as well as during the reform of land relations, with a focus on the ecological reorganization of the land management system in the country, regions, and newly established territorial communities. Ecologically sustainable land use is possible only with the implementation of scientific and technological advancements and the orientation of the economy towards ecological principles at the national, regional, and local levels. Sustainable land use development means not only the effective utilization of land resources but also the creation of an appropriate land institutional structure and a favorable environment for land resource management, as well as the formation of social relations that promote the rational use of ecosystems while maintaining a balance between environmental, economic, and social components. In recent years, the practice of farming under market conditions has confirmed that the productivity and efficiency of agricultural activities primarily depend on the effective use of agricultural land. Modern research presents various approaches to identifying factors that influence the efficiency of agricultural land use. It should be noted that effective land use in agricultural enterprises must be combined with economic efficiency in land management. One of the important ways to achieve this is by enhancing the operation of agricultural producers, as well as improving the mechanism based on the integration of ecological and economic components, which ensure the quality use of agricultural land.

Carnivore space use behaviors reveal variation in responses to human land modification

BackgroundSpatial behavior, including home-ranging behaviors, habitat selection, and movement, can be extremely informative in estimating how animals respond to landscape heterogeneity. Responses in these spatial behaviors to features such as human land modification and resources can highlight a species’ spatial strategy to maximize fitness and minimize mortality. These strategies can vary on spatial, temporal, and individual scales, and the combination of behaviors on these scales can lead to very different strategies among species.MethodsHarnessing the variation present at these scales, we characterized how species may respond to stimuli in their environments ranging from broad- to fine-scale spatial responses to human modification in their environment. Using 15 bobcat-years and 31 coyote-years of GPS data from individuals inhabiting a landscape encompassing a range of human land modification, we evaluated the complexity of both species’ responses to human modification on the landscape through their home range size, habitat selection, and functional response behaviors, accounting for annual, seasonal, and diel variation.ResultsBobcats and coyotes used different strategies in response to human modification in their home ranges, with bobcats broadly expanding their home range with increases in human modification and displaying temporal consistency in functional response in habitat selection across both season and time of day. Meanwhile, coyotes did not expand their home ranges with increased human modification, but instead demonstrated fine-scale responses to human modification with habitat selection strategies that sometimes varied by time of day and season, paired with functional responses in selection behaviors.ConclusionsThese differences in response to habitat, resources, and human modification between the two species highlighted the variation in spatial behaviors animals can use to exist in anthropogenic environments. Categorizing animal spatial behavior based on these spatiotemporal responses and individual variation can help in predicting how a species will respond to future change based on their current spatial behavior.

Investigating the impact of urban growth on land use using spatial autocorrelation methods in Konya/Türkiye.

Land use land cover (LULC) change, global environmental change, and sustainable change are frequently discussed topics in research at the moment. It is important to determine the historical LULC change process for effective environmental planning and the most appropriate use of land resources. This study analysed the spatial autocorrelation of the land use structure in Konya between 1990 and 2018. For this, Global and Local Moran's I indices based on land use data from 122 neighbourhoods and hot spot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) methods were applied to measure the spatial correlation of changes and to determine statistically significant hot and cold spatial clusters. According to the research results, the growth of urban areas has largely destroyed the most productive agricultural lands in the region. This change showed high spatial clustering both on an area and a proportional basis in the northern and southern parts of the city. On the other hand, the growth in the industrial area suppressed the pasture areas the most in the north-eastern region of the city, and this region showed high spatial clustering on both spatial and proportional scales.

Rural Settlement Optimization for Ecologically Sensitive Area Evaluations Based on Geo-Proximity and the Soil‒Water Conservation Capacity

Rural communities in ecologically sensitive areas are confronted with environmental challenges and land waste. The hollowing out of villages because of the steady loss of young people has brought these problems to the fore. Research on the remediation of rural settlements in ecologically sensitive regions is scarce. This paper focuses on Tong Yu County, a region located in the agricultural and pastoral intertwined zones of western Jilin, which is known for its ecological sensitivity. On the basis of the results of the geographical assessment of the area via hierarchical analysis (AHP method)and soil and water conservation capacity evaluation via the revised universal soil loss equation model(RUSLE) and the net primary production quantitative index model(NPP model), we propose a rural development program that divides the study area into three different zones with different development orientations, namely, potential enhancement, agglomeration development, and expansion restrictions. Moreover, we conceived a rural settlement remediation scheme using the kernel density estimation method and provided remediation strategies for rural settlements of various density levels. The rural settlement development program and the rural settlement remediation scheme led to the optimization of rural settlements. Notably, with increasing kernel density, the area of rural settlements tends to increase and then decrease. Our research helps save 5.059 km2 of land resources in the study area and offers guidance for improving the rural settlement layout in Tong Yu County.

A Model to Analyze Industrial Clusters to Measure Land Use Efficiency in China

An understanding of how land use efficiency and industrial clusters interact helps one to make informed decisions that balance economic benefits with sustainable urban development. The emergence of industrial clusters is a result of market behavior, while the determination of administrative boundaries is a result of government behavior. When these two are not consistent, it can lead to distortions in the allocation of land resources. However, current research on industrial development and land use efficiency is based on agglomeration within administrative regions rather than on industrial clusters. This study addresses this gap by identifying industrial clusters based on the spatial distribution of enterprises and analyzing their impact on land use efficiency. This study uses the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) algorithm to identify industrial clusters, the convex hull algorithm to study their morphology, and spatial econometrics to measure the relationship between land use efficiency and the scale of industrial clusters. The results indicate the following: (1) the density of manufacturing industry (MI) clusters is significantly higher than that of information technology industry (ITI) clusters, and larger industrial clusters tend to be more circular in shape; (2) there is a positive correlation between the scale of industrial clusters and land use efficiency, and industrial clusters with varying levels of land use efficiency are interspersed throughout; (3) significant differences exist between the boundaries of industrial clusters and administrative regions, which could lead to biases when analyzing land use efficiency based on administrative regions. This study provides theoretical support for government policies on improving land use efficiency in China.

Investigating spatiotemporal patterns and determinants of land resource misallocation in prefecture‐level China

AbstractThe misallocation of land resources is an important factor restricting the high‐quality development of China's economy. Based on the perspective of supply and demand matching, this study proposed a measurement method for the spatial misallocation of land resources and constructed two models for the testing and decomposition of factors affecting land resource spatial misallocation. We used this measurement method and these two models to explore the spatiotemporal characteristics and determinants of the spatial misallocation of land resources in China from 2000 to 2018 with the aim of providing policy recommendations for the correction of land resource misallocation in China and other developing countries. The results showed that the spatial misallocation of land resources in China showed an upward trend with evident spatial differentiation and the proportion of cities with high and severe misallocation increased. Industrial isomorphism and market misallocation are the main driving factors of land misallocation. Government misallocation and factor market abnormal development aggravate land resource misallocation. Extensive economic development and excessive factor agglomeration have a small effect on land resource spatial misallocation. Therefore, strengthening the land supply‐side reform, and implementing differentiated land allocation policies are effective pathways to control land resource misallocation in China.

Digital educational content compilation sources

The development of digitalization of higher education leads to the emergence of new methods and means of learning. At present, information technologies are increasingly used, including distance learning, digital sources are used to create educational content, which opens new prospects for increasing motivation to study disciplines, activation of students’ activity in the learning process and, in general, for the professional success of university graduates. The article analyzes digital sources of spatial educational content compilation in mastering ecological and environmental educational disciplines and materials (by the example of bachelor’s training in the direction 21.03.02 Land management and cadastres). It is important for future specialists in the field of land management and cadastre to be able to use a variety of digital sources of data on the current state of land resources in their daily activities. The information sources in the form of spatial positioning public services, interactive topographic, geological and hydrological map, the map of dangerous exogenous geological processes manifestation, the map of territory functional zoning, the website of the Russian Federation hydrometeorological service management are shown and verified. It is important to use up-to-date geo-ecological and land-cadastral information when studying natural science disciplines, it is inadmissible to study outdated literary materials, inaccurate and unreliable data from electronic sources.

Revealing the scarcity-weighted land-water-energy nexus of urban China: Tele-connection and node-strength pattern

Urbanization and economic growth together exacerbate land, water and energy (LWE) resource scarcities and demand-supply conflicts in global cities. In highly urbanized regions like the megacity Beijing, these challenges induce changes of the cross-regional LWE nexus in key resource nodes and strength. This study presents an integrated model that combines the multi-regional input-output model with modified scarcity-weighted and nexus node-strength indicators to better understand this phenomenon. The results highlight the central role water plays within the urban LWE nexus, despite a 61.3 % decrease in its scarcity-weighted footprint from 2007 to 2017. In the local context, over half of economic sectors exhibit a two-node nexus pattern, with the water-energy nexus being particularly prominent. Regarding the tele-connection pattern, the three-node nexus is the most common type with higher strength. The spatial distribution of provinces with three-node nexus has shifted from the northeast and neighboring provinces of Beijing in 2007 to the central region in 2017. Moving forward, prioritizing changes in consumption patterns, diversifying supply sources, improving resource use efficiency, and optimizing industrial and regional trade structures are crucial for regional sustainable development. These findings provide valuable insights for formulating effective solutions to address demand-supply conflicts for cities from a broader nexus perspective.

Predicting Land Use Changes under Shared Socioeconomic Pathway–Representative Concentration Pathway Scenarios to Support Sustainable Planning in High-Density Urban Areas: A Case Study of Hangzhou, Southeastern China

Amidst the challenges posed by global climate change and accelerated urbanization, the structure and distribution of land use are shifting dramatically, exacerbating ecological and land-use conflicts, particularly in China. Effective land resource management requires accurate forecasts of land use and cover change (LUCC). However, the future trajectory of LUCC, influenced by climate change and urbanization, remains uncertain. This study developed an integrated multi-scenario framework by combining system dynamics and patch-generating land use simulation models to predict future LUCC in high-density urban regions under various Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP)–Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. The results showed the following: (1) From 2020 to 2050, cultivated land, unused land, and water are projected to decrease, while construction land is expected to increase. (2) Future land use patterns exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity across three scenarios. Construction land will expand in all districts of Hangzhou, particularly in the main urban areas. Under the SSP585 scenario, the expansion of construction land is most significant, while it is the least under the SSP126 scenario. (3) Distinct factors drive the expansion of different land use types. The digital elevation model is the predominant factor for the expansion of forest and grassland, contributing 19.25% and 30.76%, respectively. Night light contributes the most to cultivated land and construction land, at 13.94% and 20.35%, respectively. (4) The average land use intensity (LUI) in central urban districts markedly surpasses that in the surrounding suburban areas, with Xiacheng having the highest LUI and Chun’an the lowest. Under the SSP126 scenario, the area with increased LUI is significantly smaller than under the SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios. These findings offer valuable guidance for sustainable planning and built environment management in Hangzhou and similarly situated urban centers worldwide.

Optimal agricultural structure allocation based on carbon source/sink accounting

China has implemented policies to promote fuel ethanol development and achieve its dual-carbon goal. Under the policy, the significant modifications will occur in the allocation of land use resources within ethanol raw material cultivation regions. In the process of land use change, ensuring food provision and protecting the regional carbon sink are also crucial for sustainable development. This study explores carbon distribution in the Guiping section of the Yujiang River basin, where bioethanol raw materials are cultivated. Using the CLUE-S model, a multi-objective model prioritizing economic and ecological benefits is constructed. Four scenarios (i.e., the natural expansion scenario (NES); the food conservation scenario (FCS); the bioethanol feedstock conservation scenario (BCS), and the carbon sinks conservation scenario (CCS) are simulated, predicting land resource distribution by 2030. The total carbon sink decreased by 285.60 gC·m−2·a−1, showing a seasonal trend of higher levels in summer and lower levels in winter. In 2030, the total carbon sink decreased in the NES scenario, while it increased in the FCS and BCS scenarios. The CCS scenario had the largest increase, approximately 582.27 × 103 tC. These simulated scenarios consider various economic and environmental factors, providing a scientific basis for the efficient allocation of regional land resources. They also have significant implications for local energy, economic, and environmentally sustainable development, as well as promoting the achievement of carbon neutrality.

Integrating the land–water–climate nexus approach with spatial-based sustainable agriculture production

CONTEXTA policy on agricultural land zoning, based on land suitability maps, has been introduced to optimize the use of resources for crop production in Thailand. However, the impact of activities occurring during cultivation in different land suitability classes has not been considered. A land–water–climate nexus index (LWCNI) has therefore been introduced as a holistic analysis that integrates three indicators––land-use intensity, water-use intensity, and climate change impact in terms of GHG emissions. This can guide resource allocation by highlighting areas that need improvement. OBJECTIVEWe aimed to assess the land–water–climate nexus in different land-suitability classes for sugarcane and cassava in Thailand in order to compare the nexus performances and improve the planning and management of resources for sustainable production. METHODSThe LWCNI was developed and assessed by combining it with geographic information system–based tools for evaluating the nexus performances of sugarcane and cassava cultivation as per the agricultural zoning policies. The scope of the work was “from cradle to farm-gate”, and the final products considered were sugarcane and fresh cassava. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe results revealed that sugarcane cultivation in moderate-suitability areas is the most effective, with the best LWCNI score being 0.87, suggesting efficient cultivation practices with a minimal use of land and water resources, and a minimal climate change impact. The three indicators of land-use intensity, water-use intensity, and GHG emissions for sugarcane were estimated at 0.010 ha/t, 108 m3/t, and 6.2 kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)/t, respectively. Cassava cultivation in the high-suitability area was the most efficient, with the best LWCNI score, at 0.95, and using less land, fewer water resources, and having less of a climate change impact. The land-use intensity, water-use intensity, and GHG emissions of cassava were estimated at 0.030 ha/t, 255 m3/t, and 35.7 kgCO2e/t, respectively. Growing crops in marginal and unsuitable areas presented a risk of a high climate change impact as well as competition for water resources due to limited local resources. We found that, even in the same land-suitability class, the amount of fertilizer used by the farmers varied depending on their knowledge, experience, and finances. Excessive fertilizer application increased GHG emissions, which in turn brought about a decrease in the LWCNI score, leading to a poorer nexus performance. SIGNIFICANCEThe findings emphasize the relationship between land and water use and climate change impact across varying spatial contexts. The LWCNI approach offers valuable insights for supporting agricultural zoning policy.

Effect of Gender and Generation on the Adoption of Irrigation and Good Farming Practices in Bontanga and Golinga Irrigation Schemes in Northern Ghana

This study examined the challenges faced by men, women, and different age groups in irrigation water management and farming practices in the Bontanga and Golinga irrigation schemes. The results of the study revealed that there are significant differences in irrigation and farming practices between men and women as well as between older and younger farmers. For men, the main challenges were; limited access to financial resources for investing in modern irrigation technologies and equipment, inadequate knowledge and awareness of sustainable farming practices and water management insufficient government support, and lack of policies tailored to their specific needs. For women, these were gender inequalities and limited access to land, water, and productive resources, lack of control and decision-making power over irrigation water allocation, and limited access to training and extension services to enhance their farming skills. Youth recognized limited interest and involvement in agriculture due to the perception of low profitability and lack of modernization, inadequate access to education and training opportunities in agricultural practices and water management, and insufficient support and mentorship programs to encourage youth participation in farming.

Transportation Machinery and Feeding Systems for Pigs in Multi-Storey Buildings: A Review

In recent years, in order to save land resources and ensure biosecurity, multi-storey buildings for pig rearing are replacing traditional flat-floor methods in pig farms domestically and internationally. However, the precision, stability, and adaptability of pig feed transportation in multi-storey buildings have brought certain challenges to the development of large-scale pig raising. The uniqueness of this paper lies in the comprehensive review of recent research advances in various transportation machinery and feeding systems from the perspective of both pig feed transportation and feeding systems compared to other papers that singularly present pigs’ feed transportation machinery or feeding systems. In addition, this paper provides an outlook on the potential for coupling power sources for pig feed transportation and pig transportation, providing insights for future research and development. First, the paper comprehensively reviews feed transportation machinery in multi-storey pig rearing, highlighting their advantages and challenges. Then, it explores the commonly used feeding systems in large-scale pig rearing and their limitations. Finally, the paper summarizes the current issues in pig feed transportation in multi-storey buildings and examines future development trends.

Research on the Effective Sheltering Rates of Public Buildings in Villages in Western Sichuan, China—A Case Study of Ganbao Tibetan Village

The western region of Sichuan Province, located in the Hengduan Mountains, is one of China’s most seismically active zones. Due to limited land resources, many villages in western Sichuan Province are situated in mountainous and valley areas, facing harsh climatic conditions, lagging economic development, and insufficient infrastructure. After experiencing seismic disasters, these villages often encounter challenges, such as cut-off mountain roads, difficulties in delivering relief supplies, and sharply a significant drop in nighttime temperatures due to the high-altitude climate. Consequently, in the case of the economic underdevelopment and limited resources, how to repurpose existing buildings for disaster relief has become a crucial issue for disaster prevention and mitigation in these villages. This paper takes Ganbao Tibetan Village, located in the alpine gorge regions of western Sichuan Province, as a case study. It evaluates the interior space utilization status of different types of existing public buildings during disasters, calculates the effective utilization rate of interior space disaster reduction conversion based on the spatial layout model, and extracts the typical interior space dimensions that are conducive to disaster relief and conversion of public buildings based on the interior space utilization characteristics of disaster relief. This study provides a reference for the design of public service buildings considering the requirements of disaster resilience transformation.

Modeling the Cadastral Value of Land Plots of Gardening and Horticultural Non-Profit Partnerships Taking into Account the Influence of Local Factors of the Territory

Concerning the dependence of land taxation on the cadastral or market value of lands in developed and developing countries, the role of land resources in the system of socio-economic development is quite high. World studies show the presence of methodological problems related, among other things, to the composition of price-forming factors of mass assessment. In relation to garden and vegetable garden lands, the issue of taking into account factors related to the immediate environment and soil quality is especially relevant, which is associated with the social justice of land taxation. The current paper aims to determine the influence of factors of the immediate environment and soil fertility on the cadastral value of the lands under consideration by determining which methodological apparatus has been built. Modeling of the specific indicator of cadastral value (SICV) of land plots is performed on the example of five gardening and vegetable gardening partnerships of the Belgorod district, where 79% of the territory is occupied by agricultural lands, which are quite diverse in soil composition, relief, and other studied factors. A linear model of dependence between local factors and the UPCS is proved. The reliability of the model is confirmed by testing for homoscedasticity, autocorrelation, and statistical significance of factors. The results of determining the cadastral value demonstrated an average change of 10%.

Mechanical Properties of Adjacent Pile Bases in Collapsible Loess under Metro Depot

Metro transit construction has begun to develop rapidly in northwest China because of the acceleration of urbanization. Accordingly, metro depots are also regarded as an essential auxiliary facility for stopping, operation, and maintenance of trains. Meanwhile, many commercial buildings are constructed over metro depots to improve the utilization rate of land due to the increasingly scarce urban land resources, known as transit-oriented development (TOD). These buildings have a large covered area and transfer concentrated loads to the bases. Therefore, pile bases under metro depots have the bearing characteristics of undertaking large concentrated loads, while lesser loads are placed on the soil between the adjacent pile bases. Additionally, the main ground in northwest China is collapsible loess, so the collapsibility should also be considered. Based on the above background, this research performed static loading tests with and without immersion in a reduced scale of adjacent pile bases under a metro depot in Xi’an. The remolding process of natural loess could destroy its structure and the anisotropy of natural loess could also affect the test results. Therefore, four kinds of artificial collapsible loess with different mass ratios of barite powder, kaolin, river sand, cement, industrial salt, and calcium oxide were made by the free-drop method. This method could make the artificial loess simulate the structure of natural loess reasonably. Then, the artificial loess with the most similar properties to intact loess was selected by comparison. Finally, static loading tests with this artificial loess were implemented. The results showed that the ultimate bearing capacity was 4.5 kN. At the same time, the axial force decreased along depth, since the pile shaft friction was positive, and the load sharing ratio of pile tip force increased to 0.58 when the load exceeded 4.5 kN in the situation without immersion; the settlement of pile bases increased significantly after immersion, while the negative shaft friction occurred at the depth of −8 cm~−35 cm, and the load sharing ratio of pile tip force reached 0.92.