Analysis of cultivated land utilization change in Loess Hilly and Gully regions based on dissipative structure theory

Cultivated land protection plays an important role on sustainable social-economic development in China. For the severe situation of land use and protection in the Loess Hilly and Gully region, a dissipative structure theory was used to set up an entropy change model in accordance with the characteristics of cultivated land utilization. Three factors including changes in benefits of cultivated land utilization, photosynthetic transformation and environment play key role in orderliness of cultivated land. Shanghuang experimental area was used to analyze the entropy change rules of cultivated lands in different periods. Results show a gradual decrease in entropy from the “sixth five-year plan” to the “tenth five-year plan” period. The individual entropy change value flow is -0.652 4, -0.198 8, -0.342 1, -0.266 4 and -0.290 0 respectively. This indicates a gradual increase in the orderliness and stability of cultivated lands in the study area.