MicroLEIS project: exploring the agro-ecological limits of sustainability

Texto completo en Resumen.-- LUCC Report Series Nº 3.-- Comunicación oral presentada al citado congreso, celebrado del 11-14 de noviembre 1997, en Barcelona, España.

The Microcomputer-based Land Data transfer and Evaluation Information System, MicroLEIS 4.1, is a sophisticated interactive software wirh comprehensive documentation for modelling and planning the sustainable use and management of rural resources, with special reference to Mediterranean regions. It provides an orderly arrangement of land survey data (for more than 5,000 variables) through spatial databases and computerised land evaluation (quality/ vulnerability assessment) models with the following major characteristics: information and knowledge engineering, using a variery of database, and empirical and simulation modelling techniques; scaling-up of process knowledge from the micro-scale te the landscape-scale (regional, national and continental scales); evaluating-units used: place (climate), soil (site+soil), land (c1imate+s ite+soil) and field (c1imate+site+soil+management); using monthly meteorological data and standard information as recorded in routine land surveys; information extracted from point observations to be interpolated to areas; integrated approximation, combining biophysical data with agricultural management experience, although socio-economic attributes are not considered; incorporation of the sustainability concept in land evaluation, considering land capability, suitability and productivity, and soil erosion and contamination as sustainability indicators; and prediction of global change impacts by creating hypothetical scenarios. This software, selecting the English or Spanish presentation, runs under MS-DOS and is keyboard menu-driven. It has a user-friendly front-end which allows the models to be operated in interactive or batch modes. Data output is produced in format readily accepted by GIS packages. The programs incIude "on-line" explanation. The accompanying documentation give a cIear and detailed description of the modules and uses examples to explain how to get the most out of MicroLEIS. The application of this system can facilitate the production of unified research datasets of soil factors, climate variables, crop characteristics and management practices, with emphasis placed of the point observations of representative soil survey profiles, and the typical agricultural land use systems in representative sites. Thus, existing land survey information can be made much more useful for agro-ecological modelling and planning developments; with the aim of a new precision agriculture. MicroLEIS is in a continuous process of development, as an "open" system which can be easily modified in the future.

Peer reviewed