Integrated soil-terrain assessment of agricultural land capability and suitability in mountainous environment

Abstract

Mountainous terrain imposes major constraints on agricultural land use by increasing erosion risk and limiting cultivation potential. This study assessed agricultural land capability and suitability in Kamenica Municipality, eastern Kosovo, using an integrated framework combining soil survey, World Reference Base (WRB) classification, GIS-derived terrain analysis, standardized land capability classification, FAO-based land suitability evaluation, and multivariate statistical analysis. A total of 135 representative soil profiles were described and analyzed, with particular emphasis on slope gradient and effective soil depth as the principal limiting factors. Luvisols, Cambisols, and Umbrisols together cover 83.1% of the municipality. However, agricultural potential is strongly constrained by terrain morphology: Classes VI-VII account for 46.9% of the area, whereas high-capability land (Classes I-II) occupies only 4.5%. Suitability analysis further shows that 58.6% of the land is not suitable for rainfed crops and 84.7% is not suitable for irrigated crops, while grazing displays the broadest suitability, with 51.8% of the area classified as moderately suitable. These findings indicate that agricultural planning in mountainous regions should prioritize land uses compatible with terrain and soil limitations, particularly extensive grazing and conservation-oriented management.