Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Spatial identification by satellite imagery of the crop–fallow rotation cycle in northern Laos

  • Published:
Environment, Development and Sustainability Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the mountainous regions of northern Laos, shifting cultivation, or slash-and-burn agriculture, is widely practiced. However, the crop–fallow rotation cycle is becoming shorter owing to forest conservation policies and population pressure, causing loss of productivity that deleteriously affects farmers’ livelihoods in the region. To investigate regional land use conditions, we have developed a method of identifying the crop–fallow rotation cycle from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper+ (ETM+) data. We assessed the impact of the identified cycle on plant production measured by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The study site was an area in Luang Prabang Province. Using eight TM and ETM+ images acquired annually from 1995 to 2003, except for 1998, when cloud-free data were not collected, we classified land use in each year as crop or fallow by the presence of vegetation in the late dry season. Conformity with fallow age determined by field investigation was 69.1%. The cultivation frequency from 1995 to 2002 showed that 77,000 ha (17.3% of the study site) had not been used for cropping during the period, but 41,000 ha (9.2%) had been used every year. Of the study site, 129,000 ha (29.1%) was cultivated one or two times, 83,000 ha (18.7%) was three or four times, and 54,000 ha (12.2%) was five or six times. The NDVI of crops in November did not provide sufficient evidence to prove the assumption that a longer fallow period would result in better crop yields. Instead, the regeneration of fallow vegetation was evidenced by the higher NDVI values after longer fallow. More than 8 years would be needed to reach the same NDVI as forest. From the produced maps indicating fallow age and cultivation frequency, we found that areas with high potential for regeneration decreased as cultivation frequency increased. Areas near rivers were intensively used, and fallow length was accordingly short. Low-potential areas were found in the western basin of the Mekong River. This spatial information can be used to detect areas where biomass productivity is at high risk of deteriorating.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agricultural Census Office. (2000). Lao agricultural census 1998/99 highlights. Vientiane: Agricultural Census Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Awaya, Y., & Tanaka, K. (2003). Evaluation of forest monitoring using Landsat TM data: Logging and growth monitoring in Sugi cedar plantations. Photogrametry and Remote Sensing, 42(5), 60–70 [Japanese].

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhandari, S. P., Hussin, Y. A., & Sharifi, M. A. (2004). Detection and characterization of selective logging using remote sensing and GIS in tropical forest of East Kalimantan. Asian Journal of Geoinformatics, 4(3), 57–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohlman, S., Adams, A. J. B., Smith, M. O., & Peterson, D. L. (1998). Seasonal foliage changes in the Eastern Amazon Basin detected from Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite images. Biotropica, 30(3), 376–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burgers, P. (2006). Fallow management strategies in Southeast Asia: Some benefits and constraints. Newsletter on Soil Fertility and Fallow Management in the SEA. Retrieved September 5, 2006, from http://www.worldagroforestry.org/SEA/networks/ifm/NText2.htm#2

  • Bustanul, A. (1998). Does shifting cultivation really cause deforestation? Lesson from communal forest area in Sumatra, Indonesia. International Association for the Study of Common Property, Canada. Retrieved September 5, 2006, from http://www.indiana.edu/~iascp/Drafts/arifin.pdf

  • Cohen, W. B., Spies, T. A., & Fiorella, M. (1995). Estimating the age and structure of forests in a multi-ownership landscape of western Oregon, U.S.A. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 16(4), 721–746.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Committee for Planning, Co-operation. (2003). The national poverty eradication programme—a comprehensive approach to growth and development. Vientiane: Committee for Planning and Co-operation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crist, E. P., Laurin, R., & Cicone, R. C. (1986). Vegetation and soils information contained in transformed Thematic Mapper data. Proceedings of IGARSS’ 86 Symposium, 1465-70. Retrieved August 10, 2007, from http://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/docs/005-419/005-419.html

  • Curran, P. J. (1983). Multispectral remote sensing for the estimation of green leaf area index. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 309, 257–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Arrigo, R. D., Malmstrom, C. M., Jacoby, G. C., Los, S. O., & Bunker, D. E. (2000). Correlation between maximum latewood density of annual tree rings and NDVI based estimates of forest productivity. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 21(11), 2329–2336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, T. P., North, P. R. J., Plummer, S. E., & Curran, P. J. (2003). Forest ecosystem chlorophyll content: Implications for remotely sensed estimates of net primary productivity. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 24(3), 611–617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dept. of Planning in Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry. (2004). Agricultural statistics year book 2003. Vientiane: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dymond, C. C., Mladenoff, D. J., & Radeloff, V. C. (2002). Phenological differences in Tasseled Cap indices improve deciduous forest classification. Remote Sensing of Environment, 80, 460–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Estreguil, C., & Lambin, E. F. (1996). Mapping forest-cover disturbances in Papua New Guinea with AVHRR data. Journal of Biogeography, 23(6), 757–773.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foody, G. M., & Curran, P. J. (1994). Estimation of tropical forest extent and regenerative stage using remotely sensed data. Journal of Biogeography, 21, 223–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franca, H., & Setzer, W. (1998). AVHRR temporal analysis of savanna site in Brazil. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 19(16), 3127–3140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fujisaka, S. (1991). A diagnostic survey of shifting cultivation in northern Laos: Targeting research to improve sustainability and productivity. Agroforestry Systems, 13, 95–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gamon, J. A., Field, C. B., Goulden, M. L., Griffin, K. L., Hartley, A. E., Joel, G., Penuelas, J., & Valentini, R. (1995). Relationships between NDVI, canopy structure, and photosynthesis in three Californian vegetation types. Ecological Applications, 5(1), 28–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Govind, A., Bhavanarayana, M., Kumari, J., & Govind, A. (2005). Efficacy of different indices derived from spectral reflectance of wheat for nitrogen stress detection. Journal of Plant Interactions, 1(2), 93–105.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helmer, E. H., Brown, S., & Cohen, W. B. (2000). Mapping montane tropical forest successional stage and land use with multi-date Landsat imagery. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 21(11), 2163–2183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hibbard, K., & Sahagian, D. (1995). Net primary productivity model intercomparison activity. IGBP/GAIM Report Series, Report #5. Retrieved August 13, 2007, from http://www.gaim.sr.unh.edu/Products/Reports/Report_5/

  • Hill, M. J., & Donald, G. E. (2003). Estimating spatio-temporal patterns of agricultural productivity in fragmented landscapes using AVHRR NDVI time series. Remote Sensing of Environment, 84(3), 367–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hountondji, Y. C., Sokpon, N., & Ozer, P. (2006). Analysis of the vegetation trends using low resolution remote sensing data in Burkina Faso (1982–1999) for the monitoring of desertification. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 27(5), 871–884.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kimes, D. S., Newcomb, W. W., Tucker, C. J., Zonneveld, I. S., Van Wijngaarden, W., Deleeuw, J., & Epema, G. F. (1985). Directional reflectance factor distributions for cover types of Northern Africa. Remote Sensing of Environment, 18(1), 1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambin, E. F. (1999). Monitoring forest degradation in tropical regions by remote sensing: Some methodological issues. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 8, 191–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Y., Nishiyama, S., Yano, T., & Kusaka, T. (2004). Change detection in a forest well-maintained area using Landsat TM data. Asian Journal of Geoinformatics, 4(3), 3–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maselli, F., Barbati, A., Chiesi, M., Chirici, G., & Corona, P. (2006). Use of remotely sensed and ancillary data for estimating forest gross primary productivity in Italy. Remote Sensing of Environment, 100(4), 563–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mertz, O. (2002). The relationship between length of fallow and crop yields in shifting cultivation: A rethinking. Agroforestry Systems, 55, 149–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. (2005a). Agricultural statistics—year book 2004 Vientiane: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

  • Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. (2005b). Forestry strategy to the year 2020 of the Lao PDR. Vientiane: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

  • Nagasawa, R. (2002). Evaluation of land resources by remote sensing. Tokyo: Kokinsyoin [Japanese].

    Google Scholar 

  • National Space Development Agency of Japan. (2000). LANDSAT7 ETM+ data format guidebook. Tokyo: National Space Development Agency of Japan [Japanese].

    Google Scholar 

  • Numata, I., Soares, J. V. , Roberts, D. A., Leonidas, F. C., Chadwick, O. A., & Batista, G. T. (2003). Relationships among soil fertility dynamics and remotely sensed measures across pasture chronosequences in Rondônia, Brazil. Remote Sensing of Environment, 87(4), 446–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paruelo, J. M., & Lauenroth, W. K. (1998). Interannual variability of NDVI and its relationship to climate for North American shrublands and grasslands. Journal of Biogeography, 25, 721–733.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patel, N. R., Manjunath, M. N., Shukla, M., & Pande, L. M. (2004). Discrimination and empirical modeling of wheat and sugarcane crops using remote sensing and ground observations. Asian Journal of Geoinformatics, 4(4), 13–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasul, G., & Thapa, G. B. (2003). Shifting cultivation in the mountains of South and Southeast Asia: Regional patterns and factors influencing the change. Land degradation & Development, 14, 495–508.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, M. S. (1997). Operational yield forecast using AVHRR NDVI data: Reduction of environmental and inter-annual variability. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 18(5), 1059–1077.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roder, W. (1997). Slash-and burn rice systems in transition: Challenges for agricultural development in the hills on northern Laos. Mountain Research and Development, 17(1), 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roder, W., Phengchanh, S., & Keoboualapha, B. (1995). Relationship between soil, fallow period, weeds and rice yield in slash-and-burn systems of Laos. Plant and soil, 176, 27–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roder, W., Phengchanh, S., & Maniphone, S. (1997a). Dynamics of soil and vegetation during crop and fallow period in slash-and-burn fields on northern Laos. Geoderma, 76, 131–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sandewall, M., Ohlsson, B., & Sawathvong, S. (2001). Assessment of historical land use changes for purposes of strategic planning—a case study in Laos. Ambio, 30(1), 55–61.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar, S., & Kafatos, M. (2004). Interannual variability of vegetation over the Indian sub-continent and its relation to the different meteorological parameters. Remote Sensing of Environment, 90(2), 268–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sunderlin, W. D. (1997). Shifting cultivation and deforestation in Indonesia: Steps toward overcoming confusion in the Debate. Network paper 21b. Retrieved September 5, 2006, from http://www.mekonginfo.org/mrc/rdf-odi/english/papers/rdfn/21b.pdf

  • Tieszen, L. L., Reed, B. C., Bliss, N. B., Wylie, B. K., & DeJong, D. D. (1997). NDVI, C3 and C4 production, and distributions in Great Plains grassland land cover classes. Ecological Applications, 7(1), 59–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, D. P., Cohen, W. B., Kennedy, R. E., Fassnacht K. S., & Briggs, J. M. (1999). Relationships between leaf area index and Landsat TM spectral vegetation indices across three temperate zone sites. Remote Sensing of Environment, 70(1), 52–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, J., Rich, P. M., Price, K. P., & Kettle, W. D. (2004). Relations between NDVI and tree productivity in the central Great Plains. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 25(16), 3127–3138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waring, R. H., Coops, N. C., Ohmann, J. L., & Sarr, D. A. (2002). Interpreting woody plant richness from seasonal ratios of photosynthesis. Ecology, 83(11), 2964–2970.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, M., Rastetter, E. B., Shaver, G. R., Hobbie, J. E., Carpino, E., & Kwiatkowski, B. L. (2001). Primary production of an Arctic watershed: An uncertainty analysis. Ecological Applications, 11(6), 1800–1816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wulder, M. A., Skakun, R. S., Kurz, W. A., & White, J. C. (2004). Estimating time since forest harvest using segmented Landsat ETM+ imagery. Remote Sensing of Environment, 93, 179–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xavier, A. C., & Vettorazzi, C. A. (2004). Mapping leaf area index through spectral vegetation indices in a subtropical watershed. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 25(9), 1661–1672.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto, Y., Lefroy, R., & Phachomphon, K. (2004b). Impact of the crop-fallow rotation cycle in northern Laos. Proceedings of Asian Conference on Remote Sensing, 1, 818–821 (Paper presented at the 25th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing, Chiang Mai).

  • Yamamoto, Y., Oberthür, T., & Lefroy, R. (2006). Rainfed agriculture in northern Laos—identification of land use cycles in slash-and-burn agriculture by satellite imagery. JIRCAS Working Report, 47, 1–6.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto, Y., Souza, O. C., & Araujo, M. R. (2004a). Diagnosis of pasture degradation by multi-temporal satellite imagery. JIRCAS Working Report, 36, 49–55.

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was implemented as a part of the JIRCAS International Collaborative Research Project entitled “Increasing Economic Options in Rainfed Agriculture in Indochina through Efficient Use of Water Resources”. The authors would like to extend their thanks to Mr. Xaysana Xayarath at CIAT, Mr. Kongkeo Phachomphon at the Soil Survey and Land Classification Center, and the CIAT National staff in the Vientiane and Luang Prabang offices for their assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Ohwashi 1-1, Tsukuba, 305-8686, Japan

    Yukiyo Yamamoto

  2. International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), A. A. 6713, Cali, Colombia

    Thomas Oberthür

  3. International Center for Tropical Agriculture in Asia (CIAT in Asia), P.O. Box 783, Vientiane, Lao PDR

    Rod Lefroy

Authors
  1. Yukiyo Yamamoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Thomas Oberthür
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rod Lefroy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yukiyo Yamamoto.

Additional information

Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yamamoto, Y., Oberthür, T. & Lefroy, R. Spatial identification by satellite imagery of the crop–fallow rotation cycle in northern Laos. Environ Dev Sustain 11, 639–654 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-007-9134-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-007-9134-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation