County and Township Level Change Analysis of Crop Diversity in the Red River Valley, North Dakota

Keywords: Crop Diversity, Agriculture, GIS, Shannon Diversity Index, North Dakota
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

Crop diversity is a part of the overall biodiversity of the World and includes the diversity of crops produced to feed humankind and those associated with domesticated animal grazing or feeding. In this study, we explored changes in crop diversity by county and survey townships in the Red River of the North Valley (RRV), North Dakota, from 2007 to 2017. We used the Cropland Data Layer (CDL) from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to calculate and analyze crop diversity of the RRV. We calculated the Shannon Diversity and Shannon Equitability indexes for 2007, 2012, and 2017. We mapped the data using ArcGIS Pro. We generated maps for Shannon Diversity, equitability, and the change in index values between 2007 and 2017. We also looked at hotspots of change by townships for these years. We found that the overall crop diversity in the RRV decreased over the years. At the county level, diversity and equitability are reduced along the Red River in the southern and eastern parts of the RRV. Diversity and equitability for Walsh County were highest and remain unchanged over the years. We observed a similar pattern at the township level. Additionally, we found hotspots of change along the Red River in the northern part of North Dakota and coldspots in the eastern part of Minnesota in the RRV. A decrease in diversity and equitability is a matter of concern because it might lead to future economic implications of increased mono-cropping and create imbalances in environmental sustainability.