Effect of arable land fragmentation on farmland-forest network at village level in typical agricultural regions of North China Plain-A case of Quzhou County, Hebei Province

This research investigated Xingyuan, Xiwei and Dongliuzhuang Villages of Quzhou County, Hebei Province, in a case study to confirm the effects of cultivated land fragmentation on farmland shelterbelt network at village level. While Xingyuan and Xiwei Villages have arable land fragmentation, Dongliuzhuang Village has arable land with scale management. The study used field measurements and questionnaire surveys to clarify the main causes of effects of cultivated land fragmentation on farmland shelterbelt network. The results suggested that arable land fragmentation destroyed the structure and configuration of farmland shelterbelts at village scale. The magnitude of grids of forests network increased and the distance between main forest belts was averagely 2.70 times the recommended value for the North China Plain. Trees of the same species were generally used under agricultural land fragmentation management. About 53.8% of the main lines had no woods planted on the northern flank and the number of trees planted on the northern flank of the main line decreased significantly (about 60.8%) compared with the number of trees on the southern flank in Xingyuan and Xiwei Villages. In these villages, the density of trees in the first row from the fields was 0 26 plants per 50 m. Compared with the first row, this decreased by 25.8% (P < 0.05) in the second row from the fields. It further decreased by 47.3% compared with that in Dongliuzhuang Village. The maximum tree density in Dongliuzhuang Village was 23.2 plants per 100 m², based on the curve of best fit between tree-belt area and tree number. Maximum tree density in Dongliuzhuang Village increased by 56.5% compared with that in Xingyuan and Xiwei Villages. Most farmers were strongly opposed to forest belt construction near fields and favored forest managements they owned. The main reason for the conflict was the huge population and scarce land. Farmland shelter network under arable land fragmentation also significantly suppressed crops near trees. Furthermore, long-term agricultural land fragmentation actually worsened the land management conflicts. Rearrangement of cultivated lands and reasonable designs were fundamental for resolving the above problems. It was also vital not to ignore social education and management of public farmland shelterbelts.