Effect of ecological engineering construction at county scale on agricultural landscape in the black soil region of Northeast China

With the support of Geographic Information System (GIS), the effects of regional ecological construction on agricultural landscape pattern and function of soil and water conservation in the black soil region of Northeast China were analyzed using spatial analysis method of landscape ecology. The data came from classification of remote sensing images(TM), statistics, and field investigations. The results showed that the area of farmland reduced by 24731.01 hm², forest land and grassland area increased by 13567.53 hm², the number of reservoirs and ponds increased from 88 in 1989 to 1402 in 2002, respectively. Until 2002, among the whole water loss land, 55% was managed effectively. The percentage of protected farmland by shelterbelt networks increased to 82.2%. Among surface runoff in whole landscape, 43.7% was collected in reservoirs and ponds. The intercepted area of sediment from slope farmland (＞1.5°) increased by 1420.10 hm². The positive effect of landscape changes induced by regional ecological construction is distinct on soil and water conservation.