ABSTRACT
Precision conservation is defined as ‘a set of spatial technologies and procedures linked to mapped variables directed to implement conservation management practices that take into account spatial and temporal variability across natural and agricultural systems.’[1,2]
Precision conservation is related to the emerging field of precision agriculture, but it has a broader scope and scale when applied to the conservation of agriculture, forest, rangeland, and other ecosystems (Fig. 1). Whereas many precision agriculture applications focus on maximizing crop production and profitability, precision conservation focuses on ecosystem sustainability. The geographic extent to precision conservation encompasses agricultural fields and their surrounding landscapes, and it evaluates management practices across several scales from site-specific to sub-watershed and watershed levels to reduce the amount of eroded sediment, nutrients, and agrochemicals that accumulate in waterways (Figs. 1 and 2).[1,3,4,5]
The emerging field requires the integration of spatial technologies (global positioning systems (GPS), remote sensing (RS), and geographic information systems (GIS)) and analytical approaches. These spatial technologies and analytical approach capabilities are used to implement precision conservation practices that contribute to effective soil and water management in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Precision conservation can account for variability in topography, length, slope, hydrology, soil cover parameters, and other chemical and physical properties to implement best conservation and management practices. These procedures can reduce the transport of nutrients and sediments from fields to surrounding areas; help manage off-site areas, buffer areas, water channels and other areas of a watershed, and contribute to minimizing the entry of agrochemicals into water.
