The objective of this study is to assess the land-use and carbon balance in the slash/burn ecosystems in mountainous mainland of Laos. We constructed a comprehensive data set that includes long-term satellite images, and geospatial information such as digital elevation maps, soil and meteorological maps, and ground-based data such as crop yield, fallow biomass, soil CO2 flux, and soil carbon contents. Geo-spatial simulation based on the data set revealed a catastrophic spiral of decreasing food productivity, deforestation, and negative atmospheric impact. Alternative ecosystem management scenarios were also investigated. © 2005 IEEE.
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