Abstract. Rahmawaty,  Frastika S, Marpaung RME,  Batubara R,  Rauf A. 2019. Short Communication: Use of Geographic Information System for mapping of Aquilaria malaccensis land suitability in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 2561-2568.  The Geographic Information System (GIS) can be applicated in the field of forestry and agriculture, such as for mapping as part of land evaluation. The land suitability of Aquilaria malaccensis in the agroforestry land of North Sumatra Province is important.  Commonly, A. malaccensis were planted by the community in Langkat and Deli Serdang District. This study aimed to map the land suitability for A. malaccensis in Telaga Village, Sei Bingai Sub District, Langkat District, Peria-ria Village and Sari Laba Jahe Village, Biru-biru Sub District, Deli Serdang District. A survey method was used to collect soil samples in the field. Land suitability classification (LSC) for A. malaccensis was evaluated based on the matching method.  The results showed that the actual land suitability classes for A. malaccensis in Telaga Village were moderately suitable (S2) and marginally suitable (S3). The actual land suitability classes for A. malaccensis in Peria-ria Village and Sari Laba Jahe Village were moderately suitable (S2), marginally suitable (S3) and not suitable (N). There were several limiting factors in land suitability evaluation in the area, namely: nutrient retention (nr), erosion hazard (eh), and root zone medium (rc).

Kemenyan (Styrax spp.) is commonly found in North Sumatra, especially in the Tapanuli and Dairi Regions. This study aimed to determine the suitability class of kemenyan at agroforestry land in Sari Laba Jahe Village, Sibiru-biru Sub-district, Deli Serdang District, North Sumatra Province. This study was conducted from August 2019 to April 2020. Soil survey was conducted in order to collect the characteristics of the land at the study site. Soil sampling was collected based on land units. Soil samples were analyzed in the central laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Land suitability was evaluated based on the matching method between data from laboratory analysis and data from survey in the field with the available land suitability criteria. The results showed that the actual land suitability classes for kemenyan in Sari Laba Jahe Village, were not suitable (N) with erosion hazard (er), and root zone medium (rc) limiting factors which accounted for 62.78%), marginally suitable (S3) with root zone medium (rc) limiting factor which accounted for 8.21%, and moderately suitable (S2) with limiting factors water availability (wa), root zone medium (rc), nutrient retention (nr) limiting factors which accounted for 29.01%. The erosion hazard (eh) limiting factors can be overcome, so that the potential land suitability in Sari Laba Jahe Village can be increased to Moderately suitable (S2) which accounted for 31.99% and marginally suitable (S3) which accounted for 67.98%. Based on the potential land suitability in Sari Laba Jahe Village only 0.03% was not suitable (N) in Sari Laba Jahe Village.

Gambir-(Uncaria - gambir) -is commonly found in North Sumatera, especially in Pak-pak Bharat and Dairi Regency. This-study-aimed to determine the limiting factors for-gambir cultivation land suitability in Sari Laba Jahe Village, Sibiru-biru Sub-district, Deli Serdang Regency, North-Sumatera-Province. This study was-conducted from January 2020 to June 2020. Soil sampling based on land-unit was carried-out through a field survey to determine soil characteristics in the-study location. The land-suitability was evaluated-based on the matching method-between data from laboratory analysis and available gambir-land-suitability criteria. The results-showed that the actual-land suitability-class for-gambir in Sari-Laba Jahe-Village is marginally-suitable-(S3) with temperature limiting factor (tc) and root zone media (rc) of 65.39% in land-units-I,-III,-VI, XI and-marginally-suitable (S3) with a temperature (tc) factor of 34.61% in land-units-II,-IV,-V,-VI,-VII,-VIII,-IX,-X. The limiting-factor of temperature-(tc) and-root zone-media-(rc) were difficult limiting factors to overcome so, that the potential, land suitability-for-gambir in Sari-Laba-Jahe Village is the-same-as the actual-land-suitability.

Persea americana is known as the Multy Purpose Tree Species (MPTS), which comes from the Lauraceae family. In community agroforestry land in Deli Serdang Regency. The objective of this study was to map the suitability of land for Persea americana in Peria-ria Village. This research was conducted using survey methods. Soil samples are collected from survey results in the field based on land units, then the coordinates were marked using the Global Positioning System (GPS). To create a map of land suitability class distribution, Geographic Information System (GIS) technology was used. In land suitability study, were adopted from the Soil and Agro-climate Research Centre, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, namely: references and land suitability criteria for Agricultural Plants. The actual land suitability for Persea americana is not suitable (N) (98.55%) and marginally suitable (S3) (1.45%) and potential land suitability for Persea americana is marginally suitable (S3) (1.45%) and moderately suitable (S2) (98.55%) in Peria-ria Village, Biru-Biru Sub district. Water availability (wa), erosion hazard (er) and root zone media (rc), were limiting factors. The most difficult constrain to overcome were the root zone medium and water availability.

This research was conducted to develop a participatory in selecting the types of plants that are of interest to the community in agroforestry land. This study aimed to determine the plants types by the community in agroforestry land using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). This research was conducted from March to July 2019 in Sari Laba Jahe Village, Sibiru-biru Sub-district, Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra Province. Interviews and discussions with key respondents were conducted to obtain data and information related to the criteria and alternatives to be compiled in the AHP questionnaire. The data from the questionnaire was processed using the Expert Choice Software. The highest value obtained is the criteria for community knowledge about plants with a value of 0.237, followed by resistance to pests and diseases (0.223), characteristics and land quality (0.194) and community welfare (0.193). While the lowest weight value is found in the criteria for community needs with a value of 0.153. The most preferred types of plants to be planted on agroforestry land are rubber with a weight value of 0.233, followed by sengon (0.199), avocado (0.165), durian (0.164), teak (0.133) and mango (0.105). By conducting this research, they can help the decision-maker in terms of activities related to improving the community’s economy, especially planting superior species.