An improved evaluation scheme for performing quality assessments of unconsolidated cultivated land

Abstract

Socioeconomic factors are extrinsic factors that drive spatial variability. They play an important role in land resource systems and sometimes are more important than that of the natural setting. The study aims to build a comprehensive framework for assessing unconsolidated cultivated land (UCL) in the south-central and southwestern portions of Hubei Province, China, which have not experienced project management and land consolidation, to identify the roles of natural and especially socioeconomic factors. Moreover, the study attempts to identify the attributes and indicators that describe the characteristics of the extrinsic factors affecting land spatial variability. Assessment supplement 12 proposed land use indicators on the basis of natural factors using the method of gradation of agricultural land quality (GALQ). The overall level of cultivated land quality (CLQ) in the two study areas is moderate, and this quantity is significantly correlated with topography. Excellent and high-quality UCL are mainly distributed in the south-central plain division of Hubei Province (SCPDHP), whereas lower grades are mainly distributed in the area of the southwestern mountainous division of Hubei Province (SWMDHP). These results suggest that the pattern of small-scale agricultural development depends strongly on the labor force and is the key land use-related factor that limits the improvement of regional CLQ. Such assessments and their findings are essential for the protection of cultivated land and the adjustment of agricultural structure to promote the sustainable use of UCL.