The role of land management in ensuring a landscape-ecological approach in agroecosystems of the Akmola region

Abstract

Background and Aim. The issue of rational use of agricultural land in the Akmola region has become increasingly relevant due to declining ecological and agro landscape stability, the spread of erosion processes, and the inefficient structure of land resources. Therefore, to maintain the stability of agroecosystems, it is essential to ensure rational land use, improve soil fertility, and systematically implement anti-erosion measures. The aim of this study is to conduct ecological and landscape zoning of agricultural land within the farming system. Typical sites in Northern Kazakhstan were selected as the objects of study. The relevance of the research is confirmed by an analysis of the ecological condition of agro-landscapes, which revealed their insufficient stability resulting from a suboptimal structure of land holdings and the spread of erosion processes.

Materials and Methods. The study was based on a systemic approach, which allowed for land use at individual agricultural enterprises to be considered as a combination of landscape systems at different levels. During the analysis of land-use conditions, key natural and anthropogenic landscape elements constituting field anthropogenic systems were identified. Landscape mapping was carried out considering the morphological and paradynamic structure of natural landscapes. Using graphic modeling and GIS technologies, maps of erosion processes were created for selected land-use sites, along with large-scale landscape hypothesis maps.

Results. The analysis of land-use conditions made it possible to identify key landscape structures influencing agroecosystem stability. The territory was divided into microzones, and areas with similar natural conditions and levels of ecological disturbance were delineated. A methodology for identifying landscape-ecological groups was developed, and directions for their rational economic use were substantiated.

Conclusion. The study developed a sequence of actions for delineating landscape-ecological groups was developed, and the features of agricultural land planning and arable land organization using a landscape-based approach. Agro landscape zoning of the territory was carried out based on an analysis of landscape conditions and agro-ecological status. A grouping method was applied, whereby landscape units were combined into functional microzones. For agricultural enterprises in Northern Kazakhstan, it is proposed to distinguish the following landscape-ecological groups: nature protection zones with a special use regime, areas for the restoration of agricultural potential, and field, meadow, and pasture landscapes.