Journal of Environmental Biology

Relations between the land use and land capability classification

in Küçük Menderes River Basin

 

 

Ali Ekber Gülersoy¹*, Nevzat GümüÅŸ¹, M. Emin Sönmez² and Gökhan GündüzoÄŸlu³

¹Social Studies Department, Buca Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, 35150, Turkey

²Geography Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Kilis 7 Aralık University, Kilis, 79000, Turkey

³KarÅŸiyaka Municipality, Izmir, 35530, Turkey

*Corresponding Authors Email : gulersoy74@gmail.com

 

 

 

 Publication Data

Paper received:

15 July 2013

 

Revised received:

10 October 2013

 

Re-revised received:

18 June 2014

 

Accepted:

22 September 2014

 

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the relation between land use and land classes in Kucuk Menderes river basin in terms of sustainable utilization of natural resources. Landsat satellite images were used to determine the current land use, and remote sensing method was used for processing these images.  Land capability classification reflects the natural environment potential of an area. The area occupied by agriculturally important lands depends on this classification.  According to this, 34% were included in the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd class lands, 3% in the 4^th class land, 7% in the 6^th class land, 53% in the 7^th class land, and 3% in the 8^th class land. The most important land covers in the basin were; forest (21%), dry farming (21%), irrigated farming (17%), maquis – garrigue (11%), exposed surface (8%), settlements (3%) and water surface (2%).There was an inconsistency between the land capability classes and their usage. While the area occupied by 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th class lands, which should be used as agricultural lands covered 37%, the area occupied by the agricultural lands already covered 38%. This situation seemed consistent in terms of ratio, however, the fact was that 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th class lands were used for settlement (6%) and meadow-pasture (20%); while the 5^th, 6^th, 7^th and 8^th class lands were used for agriculture (32 %) and settlements (3%). This leads to some negative consequences. The massive erosion (60%) on the basin affects the lands that were inclined and lacking vegetation-cover. Basin lands became useless as a result of land degradation and erosion. To prevent this, a land use pattern suitable for the natural environment potentials of the region (land capability classes) should be used.  

 

 

 Key words

Land capability classes, Land use, GIS, Kucuk Menderes river basin, Remote sensing

 

 

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