Czech Case Study for Land Use and Agricultural Production Optimization.

This paper examines soil degradation in the Czech Republic. It describes a process of identifying the most critical areas with the highest levels of degradation using methods of GIS raster analysis. The degradation under consideration is both natural and human-induced, where soil and water erosion, dehumification, acidification, heavy metal content and soil compaction are considered. The geographical distribution of each of these forms of soil degradation is described, as independently monitored by research institutes in the Czech Republic over the last decades. Our model combines this data and creates models of chemical and physical degradation of soil, and then the resulting model of soil degradation of land in the Czech Republic. This helps to pinpoint areas where current or past management policy has not been set up accordingly for the ascertained levels of degradation. The model enables land in the Czech Republic to be categorized into individual parts according to prevailing form of degradation – which could be useful for a quick preview of impending degradation. The model is also useful for optimizing agricultural production in specific areas, respecting both the needs of production and protection of the environment. The paper also describes how degradation relates to many agricultural and geographical variables e.g. the slope of land, altitude, soil productivity, soil price, LFA areas and others in the hope of finding a pattern applicable to the Czech Republic. As results show, the most serious degradation in the Czech Republic is water erosion. The paper gives a model analysis of this problem in areas which seem to be distinctly problematic in terms of erosion, particularly in relation to historical development of the area.