Mapping of land use capacity of lands through multicriteria analysis

Abstract

Improper use of natural resources and intensification of agricultural use, disrespecting land use capacity, without taking into account the potential of agroecosystems, is one of the main reasons for environmental degradation. The aim is to establish the land use capacity of lands by using multicriteria analysis at municipality of Itaberá-SP, discriminating main annual crops. The method used to classification of land for agricultural use was the Land Aptitude Assessment System and the methodology based on the use of geotechnologies was adopted, applying information plans such as land use, soil, slope, temperature and pluviometric data. These variables were combined using maps algebra using a weighted linear combination technique in which for each of them a conditioning factor that determines use capacity of the land was estimated. The normalization of the weights was based on the land use capacity classes that present scores ranging from one to four, and the determination of weights by the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP). This methodology proved to be effective for classification of land use capacity. By this method, it was possible to assure that the study area presents in almost totality land use capacity for corn and soybean crops.