Geospatial evaluation of the agricultural suitability and land use compatibility in Europe's temperate continental climate region

Abstract

Land suitability assessment is used in conjunction with geographic information systems to spatially model diverse aspects of soil functions, having the potential to facilitate a sustainable increase in agricultural production, reduce land degradation, or aid humans in adapting to climate change. Compared to the existing datasets, this study provides a new higher resolution geospatial assessment of the agricultural land suitability for several crops and land uses in the temperate continental climate across Europe. To model the land suitability we used geospatial data depicting seventeen eco-pedological indicators (e.g. soil texture, pH, porosity, temperature, precipitation, slope). To evaluate how the land is utilized, the suitability maps have been spatially cross-tabulated with a crop map. Over the entire study area, wheat and barley showed significant suitable land in the southern part, potatoes, and sugar beet exhibited the highest extent of suitable land in the northern parts, while corn and sunflower exhibited a much lower extent of suitable land. Water table depth, precipitation, temperature, terrain slope, soil porosity, SOC, and topsoil texture emerged as the limiting factors for agricultural suitability in the study area. Our results show that the suitable arable land does not have space left for the expansion of crops, however, we have identified regions with extensive cultivation of wheat and corn on unsuitable land with the potential for cultivation of more suitable crops such as barley, sunflower, sugar beet, and potato. It seems that one action that can enhance agricultural practices in the study area is to better allocate each cultivated crop across more suitable lands.