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Published in:
2017 | OriginalPaper | Chapter
6. Patch Analysis of Cultivated Land Abandonment in the Hills of Western Nepal
Author : Chhabi Lal Chidi
Published in: Land Cover Change and Its Eco-environmental Responses in Nepal
Publisher: Springer Singapore
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Abstract
Growing natural vegetation on abandoned cultivated land is increasing in many parts of the world. Release of population pressure on marginal hill areas due to heavy outmigration in recent decades has resulted in growing land abandonment at marginal hill areas. Patch-level analysis is a useful method to identify the land abandonment situation. Patch-level data of abandoned and not abandoned cultivated land were derived from Landsat image. Descriptive statistics, abandonment ratio and nonparametric statistical tools have been used. Andhikhola watershed of the middle hill of Nepal is the study area. Land abandonment is higher at higher altitude and north-facing slope. Smaller patches have been more abandoned than larger patches. Even larger patches have been abandoned at higher-altitude regions. Although distance to highway and urban centre have a great influence on land abandonment, there are many other factors among which edge contrast, slope gradient and slope aspect are very important.