A Quantitative Survey of Effect of Semi-Natural Habitat Composition and Configuration on Landscape Heterogeneity in Arable Land System

Xiaoyu Guo, Minghao Guan, Zhenxing Bian and Qiubing Wang
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Xiaoyu Guo: College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
Minghao Guan: College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
Zhenxing Bian: College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
Qiubing Wang: College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: Arable land systems are complex ecosystems composed of cultivated land and semi-natural habitats. Retaining an appropriate proportion of semi-natural habitats in arable land systems is beneficial for enhancing landscape heterogeneity and biodiversity. However, it is unclear how many semi-natural habitats need to be retained in arable land systems to improve landscape heterogeneity. In this study, the land use data of four counties were used as the data source in the Lower Liaohe Plain, Liaoning Province, and Rao’s quadratic entropy index (Q) was used to quantitatively characterize the landscape heterogeneity. We aimed to explore the minimum proportion of semi-natural habitat required to maintain high landscape heterogeneity and determine the independent and interactive effects of semi-natural habitat composition and configuration on landscape heterogeneity. We found that (1) maintaining a 5% proportion of semi-natural habitats is the minimum threshold for achieving high landscape heterogeneity in arable land systems. Retaining a 10% share of semi-natural habitats is beneficial for both agricultural production and land ecology. (2) The combination of woodland, water and ditches was good for improving landscape heterogeneity. Connectivity in semi-natural habitats is critical to improving landscape heterogeneity. (3) The interaction of semi-natural habitat composition and configuration had a strong effect on landscape heterogeneity (53.1%). Semi-natural habitat configuration was found to be more important than composition for landscape heterogeneity. The role of semi-natural habitat composition and configuration in maintaining landscape heterogeneity and supporting the sustainability of land use therefore needs to be considered in arable land systems.

Keywords: arable land system; semi-natural habitats; landscape heterogeneity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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