Aohan Dryland Agricultural Landscape with an 8,000-Year History of Foxtail Millet Cultivation in China

Abstract

The unique dryland farming system in Aohan boasts a rich historical and cultural heritage, retaining its original agricultural planting techniques. After a long-term evolution, this system has given rise to a diverse and distinct dryland agricultural landscape, which plays a pivotal role in enhancing both agricultural productivity and landscape sustainability within arid regions. Nevertheless, a comprehensive exploration into categorizing dryland agricultural landscapes and their distinct attributes has yet to be undertaken. For this purpose, field surveys were conducted in Aohan County, Inner Mongolia, from 2022 to 2023. Using unmanned aircraft vehicle imagery and on-site investigations, the area was classified into 4 main types of dryland agricultural landscapes. Three typical watersheds corresponding to these landscape types were selected, and their cultivated land system service values were calculated. Results indicated that owing to differences in topographical configuration, landscape structure and composition, and land utilization patterns, Aohan area dryland agricultural landscape can be broadly classified into 4 categories: The compound agro-forestry-pastoral landscape facilitates the comprehensive utilization of resources; the typical dryland agricultural landscape strikes a balance between agricultural production and ecological preservation; the dryland terraced landscape contributes to resolving water scarcity issues; and the compound crop landscape enhances production efficiency while augmenting biodiversity functionality. This study investigated and analyzed the dryland farming systems in Aohan County from the perspectives of agricultural landscape characteristics, management, and cultivated land system services. By clarifying the types and characteristics of dryland agricultural landscapes, it contributes to the sustainable development of these landscapes and ecosystems. Furthermore, it establishes a research foundation for the sustainable utilization of dryland cultural heritage sites.