Kernel Density Analysis of Parcel Size and Shapes Before and After Land Consolidation: A Case Study from Aşağısümenli Village in Malatya, Turkey

Abstract

Land consolidation (LC) projects are a set of applications thatimprove the economics of enterprises by assembling fragmented,dispersed, and irregular parcels. As the parcel densities coalescearound the village centre, the operation becomes easier, and fuel costsare reduced. Besides, the size of the parcel is one of the mostimportant factors that increase the income of the enterprises, as wellas the plant pattern, agricultural production form, soil quality, talents,labour force and technology features. The aim of the current studyconducted within Aşağısümenli LC project in Malatya, Turkey, wasto assess the density of small parcels around the village centre byusing kernel density analysis as one of the geospatial analyses and toinvestigate the spatial distribution of irregular parcels with shapeindex. To identify the smallest parcels spatial distribution, 50%, 75%and 90% bandwidths were determined. Before LC, the average parcelarea within 50%, 75% and 90% bandwidth was 0.69, 0.93 and 1.07ha; after LC was 0.89, 1.45 and 1.63 ha, respectively. The areaaverages of parcels between 50% and 75% bandwidths before LCwere 1.79 between 75% and 90% bandwidths and 4.77 ha out of 90%bandwidth; after LC, 1.60, 2.47 and 3.13 ha, respectively. As a result,the small parcels after LC were more concentrated around the villagecentre than before LC. Moreover, it can be said that the density of thesmall rectangular shaped parcels around the centre of the village is apositive result in terms of reducing the operation cost.