Keywords
sediment management, planning support, landscape functions, landscape properties
Start Date
1-7-2010 12:00 AM
Abstract
A central element of a sediment management plan for the Federal District ofBrasília, Western Central Brazil is a planning support tool that enables the user to test theeffects of land use changes on landscape processes and functions (LPF). In this paper, wepresent the web based tool Letsmap do Brasil. The tool has two principal interacting levels.The upper level contains information on effects of land use on LPF, i.e. runoff control,sediment retention, nitrogen availability, and agronomic value. The parameterized relationbetween land use and LPF is the core of the system. For each LPF a value specific to landuse has been assigned. Values for LPF´s were taken from published research, e.g. C factorfrom USLE (sediment retention) and curve number (runoff control), or statistics, e.g.agronomic yield. All values were standardized on a scale from 0-100. On this level, theusers are allowed to act as land planners or managers. By creating land use patterns theeffect of land use change on LPF´s might be tested. The lower level contains informationon landscape properties and potentials (LPP), e.g. potential of runoff control or potential ofsediment retention. By linking land use and LPP´s a site specific assessment of effects ofland use changes on LPF is possible.
Letsmap do Brasil - a web-based planning support tool for sediment management in Western Central Brazil
A central element of a sediment management plan for the Federal District ofBrasília, Western Central Brazil is a planning support tool that enables the user to test theeffects of land use changes on landscape processes and functions (LPF). In this paper, wepresent the web based tool Letsmap do Brasil. The tool has two principal interacting levels.The upper level contains information on effects of land use on LPF, i.e. runoff control,sediment retention, nitrogen availability, and agronomic value. The parameterized relationbetween land use and LPF is the core of the system. For each LPF a value specific to landuse has been assigned. Values for LPF´s were taken from published research, e.g. C factorfrom USLE (sediment retention) and curve number (runoff control), or statistics, e.g.agronomic yield. All values were standardized on a scale from 0-100. On this level, theusers are allowed to act as land planners or managers. By creating land use patterns theeffect of land use change on LPF´s might be tested. The lower level contains informationon landscape properties and potentials (LPP), e.g. potential of runoff control or potential ofsediment retention. By linking land use and LPP´s a site specific assessment of effects ofland use changes on LPF is possible.
