Land Classification and

Use

Original Power Point Created by Lybb Calloway

Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office
June 2002

Land is more than soil

Natural and
artificial
characteristics of
an area to be used
for agricultural or
other purposes
Includes renewable
and nonrenewable
resources plus
improvements

Land
The surface of the earth not
covered with water
Maybe temporarily or permenently
covered with water
A pond for aquaculture is
considered land

Cropland
Used

for
growing crops
Crops grown
typically
improve the
tilth of the
land

Major Characteristics of
Cropland
Soil - Large impact on productivity. Soil
texture, nutrients and internal structure
Climate - average of water conditions
over a long time
Topography - form or outline of the
surface of the earth
Water supply - amount of water
available for crops

Subsurface conditions - Soil

textures, hardpans
Pollution - can prevent plant
growth

Alternative Uses

Best land use is

determined by how
the land will give
the most benefits
to people.
Which use will give
the highest returns
What will happen if
productive
cropland is used for
other purposes?

Land Capability

Suitability of land
for agricultural
uses.
Usage should not
cause damage to
the land although
nutients maybe
removed

Arable land
Land that can
be used for row
crops
Can be tilled
Alternatives
include pasture
and forest crops

Land Improvement

Four common practices to improve

arable land

Irrigation
Erosion Control
Drainage
Forming (land forming)- surface is
smoothed or reshaped.

Soil Tilth

Physical condition
of the soil that
makes it easy or
difficult to work
Poor tilth has hard
clod
Maybe very wet or
very dry

Capability Factors

Characteristics of land that

determine its best use
Surface texture
proportion of sand, silt, clay down to
about 7 inches
three major classifications

sandy
loamy
clayey

Internal drainage
Permeability- movement of water
and air through soil
Directly related to nutrient content
Classified as very slow, slow,
moderate and rapid

water quickly soaks into sandy soil with

high permeability
soils with clay have slow permeability

Soil Depth
Thickness of the soil layers
Requirement depends upon type of
crop to be produced
Four soil depths are used

very shallow - less than 10 inches

shallow - 10 to 20 inches
moderately deep - 20 to 36 inches
deep - over 36 inches

Shallow soils are often the result of

erosion

Erosion
Loss of topsoil by wind or other forces
Four categories

very severe erosion- 75% or more and

large gullies are present
severe erosion - 75% of soil has eroded
but no large gullies present
moderate erosion- 25 to 75% of soil has
eroded with small gullies present
none to slight erosion - less than 25% of
soil has eroded and no gullies are present

Slope
The

rise and fall of the

elevation of the land
Measured in percents
Important in determining the
best use of the land

Surface Runof
Water from rain, snow, or other
precipitation that does not soak
into the ground
Can be reduced by conservation
practices

chopping stalks
terraces
ground cover

Land Capability Classes

Assigning a
number to land
Eight classes used
I to VIII with I being
the best arability
Class I to IV can be
cultivated
V to VIII tend to
have high slope or
low and wet

Classes

Class I - Very good land

Very few limitations
deep soil and nearly level
can be cropped every year as long as land
is taken care of

Class II - Good land

has deep soil
may require moderate attention to
conservation practices

Class III - moderately good land

crops must be more carefully selected

often gently sloping hills
terraces and stripcropping are more
often used

Class IV - fairly good land

lowest class cultivated
on hills with more slope than class III

Class V - Unsuited for cultivation

can be used for pasture crops and cattle
grazing, hay crops or tree farming
often used for wildlife or recreation
areas

Class VI - Not suited for row crops

too much slope

usually damaged by erosion with gullies
can be used for trees, wildlife habitat, and
recreation

Class VII - Highly unsuited for

cultivation

has severe limitations

permanent pastures, forestry, wildlife
slope is usually over 12 percent
large rock surfaces and boulders may be
found
very little soil present

Class VIII

Cannot be used for

row crops or other
crops
often lowland
covered with water
soil maybe wet or
high in clay
aquatic crops
maybe grown there
used for waterfowl
habitat