Assessing Spatial Variability of Soil Properties in Mediterranean Smallholder Farming Systems
Smallholder farming systems are typical of the European Mediterranean region. Small farms of less than 2 hectares cover approximately 15% of cropland in the southern EU and only 5% across the EU. The greater variability of cultivated species per unit of cropland (ha), the different approaches, and e...
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/4/557 |
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| author | Chariklia Kosma Vassilios Triantafyllidis Anastasios Zotos Antonios Pittaras Varvara Kouneli Stella Karydogianni Antonios Mavroeidis Ioanna Kakabouki Dimitrios Beslemes Evangelia L. Tigka Ioannis Roussis Dimitrios Bilalis |
| author_facet | Chariklia Kosma Vassilios Triantafyllidis Anastasios Zotos Antonios Pittaras Varvara Kouneli Stella Karydogianni Antonios Mavroeidis Ioanna Kakabouki Dimitrios Beslemes Evangelia L. Tigka Ioannis Roussis Dimitrios Bilalis |
| author_sort | Chariklia Kosma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Smallholder farming systems are typical of the European Mediterranean region. Small farms of less than 2 hectares cover approximately 15% of cropland in the southern EU and only 5% across the EU. The greater variability of cultivated species per unit of cropland (ha), the different approaches, and empirical application of cultivation practices by smallholder farmers increase the spatial variability of soil properties. Therefore, a decision support tool for effective management practices was formed based on a soil indicators set, which is sensitive to changes under agricultural management practices and different LUs. The data for this task were collected from 364 crop fields. The data were clustered and correlated based on (a) the existing soil units (SU): Fluvisols, Cambisols, Luvisols, and Calcisols, and (b) the LU: pastureland, annual, and permanent crops. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified up to seven main components that can better explain soil variability properties. The results indicated that the selected soil indicators can explain only 70.98% of soil variability. Clustering the parameters based on LU and SU can explain up to 80% and 82% of soil properties’ variability, respectively. Factor analysis could function as a decision support tool for soil fertility management by farmers or policy makers, who aim to achieve higher yields, promote sustainable practices, maintaining, at the same time, a low cost of cultivation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:32:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1424c6b875334232a17387ab22fd4b91 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:32:42Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-1424c6b875334232a17387ab22fd4b912023-12-01T21:09:37ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2022-04-0111455710.3390/land11040557Assessing Spatial Variability of Soil Properties in Mediterranean Smallholder Farming SystemsChariklia Kosma0Vassilios Triantafyllidis1Anastasios Zotos2Antonios Pittaras3Varvara Kouneli4Stella Karydogianni5Antonios Mavroeidis6Ioanna Kakabouki7Dimitrios Beslemes8Evangelia L. Tigka9Ioannis Roussis10Dimitrios Bilalis11Department of Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering, University of Patras, 30200 Messolonghi, GreeceDepartment of Business Administration of Food & Agricultural Enterprises, University of Patras, G. Seferi 2, 30100 Agrinio, GreeceDepartment of Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering, University of Patras, 30200 Messolonghi, GreeceDepartment of Business Administration of Food & Agricultural Enterprises, University of Patras, G. Seferi 2, 30100 Agrinio, GreeceFaculty of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, GreeceFaculty of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, GreeceFaculty of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, GreeceFaculty of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, GreeceResearch and Development Department, Alfa seeds ICSA, 10 km Mesorachis-Agiou Georgiou, 41500 Larissa, GreeceInstitute of Soil and Water Resources, Department of Soil Science of Athens, Hellenic Agricultural Organization DEMETER, Sofokli Venizelou 1, 14123 Lykovrissi, GreeceFaculty of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, GreeceFaculty of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, GreeceSmallholder farming systems are typical of the European Mediterranean region. Small farms of less than 2 hectares cover approximately 15% of cropland in the southern EU and only 5% across the EU. The greater variability of cultivated species per unit of cropland (ha), the different approaches, and empirical application of cultivation practices by smallholder farmers increase the spatial variability of soil properties. Therefore, a decision support tool for effective management practices was formed based on a soil indicators set, which is sensitive to changes under agricultural management practices and different LUs. The data for this task were collected from 364 crop fields. The data were clustered and correlated based on (a) the existing soil units (SU): Fluvisols, Cambisols, Luvisols, and Calcisols, and (b) the LU: pastureland, annual, and permanent crops. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified up to seven main components that can better explain soil variability properties. The results indicated that the selected soil indicators can explain only 70.98% of soil variability. Clustering the parameters based on LU and SU can explain up to 80% and 82% of soil properties’ variability, respectively. Factor analysis could function as a decision support tool for soil fertility management by farmers or policy makers, who aim to achieve higher yields, promote sustainable practices, maintaining, at the same time, a low cost of cultivation.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/4/557smallholder farming systemsspatial soil variabilityland usesoil indicators |
| spellingShingle | Chariklia Kosma Vassilios Triantafyllidis Anastasios Zotos Antonios Pittaras Varvara Kouneli Stella Karydogianni Antonios Mavroeidis Ioanna Kakabouki Dimitrios Beslemes Evangelia L. Tigka Ioannis Roussis Dimitrios Bilalis Assessing Spatial Variability of Soil Properties in Mediterranean Smallholder Farming Systems Land smallholder farming systems spatial soil variability land use soil indicators |
| title | Assessing Spatial Variability of Soil Properties in Mediterranean Smallholder Farming Systems |
| title_full | Assessing Spatial Variability of Soil Properties in Mediterranean Smallholder Farming Systems |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Spatial Variability of Soil Properties in Mediterranean Smallholder Farming Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Spatial Variability of Soil Properties in Mediterranean Smallholder Farming Systems |
| title_short | Assessing Spatial Variability of Soil Properties in Mediterranean Smallholder Farming Systems |
| title_sort | assessing spatial variability of soil properties in mediterranean smallholder farming systems |
| topic | smallholder farming systems spatial soil variability land use soil indicators |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/4/557 |
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