| An expert system knowledge-base for assessing the costs and benefits of soil conservation practices was developed. Based on existing conditions, the system gives advice on the best conservation practice and computes its equivalent cost. EXSYSP, an expert system shell was used to develop the knowledge base. Files from Lotus and AGNPS were accessed by the main program to provide some of the necessary inputs; other input information were provided by the user.; The program was aimed at reducing on-site soil erosion. This was accomplished by comparing the area's actual soil loss (TA) with the allowable soil loss limit (TR). In cases where TA was greater than TR, a change in crop rotation was applied. An additional conservation practice was recommended for soil still eroding above TR after the change in rotation. A finally, financial analysis of the two systems ("Rotation Alone" versus "Rotation plus Practice") were compared.; The expert system rule-base was designed for Michigan conditions and tested on fourteen of the highest sediment-producing cells from the lower portion of the Sycamore Watershed. The major crops in the study were Corn, Wheat, Soybean, and Alfalfa, represented in eight crop rotations. Recommendations made by the rule-base were compared with the recommendations made by the SCS district conservationist. Although SCS and EXSYSP have different methods of recommending conservation practices, the analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the soil loss resulting from following either recommendation. Financial analysis of EXSYSP showed that both the farmer and society benefited from the application of soil conservation practices.; Testing revealed that the knowledge-based system's method of recommendation was as good as that of the SCS, sometimes even better. Based on these results, it was concluded that an expert system can be used successfully as a decision support tool for decision making with the goal of reducing soil erosion. |
