Characteristics and spatial-temporal dynamics in agronomic landscape: Case study of Guangrong watershed, Northeast China

Abstract

The distribution of crop sequences in terms of landscape position and ridge direction derived from fields is the most important element of agricultural landscapes. This landscape pattern is primarily attributable to the annual desires and actions of farmers. In this study, we proposed an agronomic landscape concept and a “field boundaries-landscape position-ridge direction-crop distribution” framework to evaluate changes in the agronomic landscape over time and space. We applied the framework to a typical small watershed in Northeast China. Based on remote sensing images from 2017 to 2022 and field surveys, we found that the maize-soybean rotation mosaic had an interannual alternate distribution in fields of high and medium landscape positions with an askew ridge direction, which dominated the agronomic landscape pattern of the watershed. Continuous soybean cropping fields were concentrated in the higher landscape positions with askew and strike ridges, and continuous maize cropping fields were concentrated in the medium and lower landscape positions with strike and cross ridges. This study presented a new insight into agricultural landscape analysis and would help improve cropland production based on agronomic landscape planning at a watershed scale.