Nature-Based Farming Solutions (NBFS) are envisaged practices that still strongly demand further context-specific scientific validation for their viable deployment at the local scale. In this context, our study deals with the test of a multi-scale system of landscape ecology indicators, interpreted as surrogates for the accounting of the contributions of NBFS to agrobiodiversity values and to the consequent environmental stability and resilience capacities of agroecosystems, recognized as pivotal for facing the ongoing climate change challenges. We here present the preliminary results obtained in a first pilot case study (Po Plain context). Landscape ecology analyses were undertaken at extra-local, local, and farm scales (with different levels of analytical detail), comparing the pilot farm to the surrounding conventionally managed context. A set of structural and functional indicators were tested, allowing a preliminary screening of the most suitable ones (good sensitivity to treatment changes, informative potential). Results suggested a multi-faceted positive contribution given by NBFS implementation and were the basis for orienting further NBFS implementation strategies based on vulnerability and resilience properties analysis. Further investigations are envisaged on wider datasets coming from other pilot case studies belonging to similar pedo-climatic conditions, in order to improve the informative potential of the here presented methodology.

Alien species represent one of the causes of biodiversity loss, both in natural and anthropic environments. This study contributes to the assessment of alien species impact on Western Po Plain rice field cultivations, referring to different agricultural management practices and ecological traits. Flora and vegetation were studied (the latter through the phytosociological method), and α-biodiversity was estimated through Shannon and Simpson Indices. Results highlighted a significant floristic contingent depletion and increase in therophyte and alien components, compared to pre-existing studies (1950s); higher α-biodiversity levels in organic farms, compared to conventional farms, but also a higher invasive alien species percentage. The high deterioration of the territorial–landscape context appears to play a major role in shaping these patterns. Some of these alien species are particularly aggressive (e.g., Murdannia keisak), as confirmed by two experimental rice field plots which were left unharvested, continuously flooded, making it possible to assess the competitiveness between weed species. The detected weed vegetation is attributed to the Oryzo sativae-Echinochloetum cruris-galli association, already described for Southern Europe, with two different ecological and floristic variants. Future studies, by including other sites and framing their territorial–landscape context, may further complement this overview on the alien species distribution and behavior in rice fields, hence facilitating their strategic management.

This study aims to develop an ecological-based design model, applying the theoretical basis of landscape ecology and phytosociology on a pilot area located in the Milan South-Eastern rural edges. The goal was to integrate an all-inclusive approach for agroecological regeneration. Three main guidelines were identified: 1. the rehabilitation of landscape texture; 2. internal diversification; 3. environmental consistency. The study led to a global evaluation of the ecological functionality of the different environmental compartments, analysing their weaknesses and resiliences. Consequently, design criterions were defined, regarding the landscape level (ecotopes diversification) and the single ecotope level (vegetational standards), reconfiguring the current uses and functions and enhancing the biological and structural diversity within the agroecosystem. Finally, an evaluation of the benefits on ecological functionality was carried out, as well as a qualitative assessment of the ecosystem services that can be delivered. This approach enabled to make direct comparisons between actual and project scenarios, supporting the readability of the rebalancing effects attainable on the environmental, social and economic scale.

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Peri-urban rural system rehabilitation is pivotal to the socio-ecological balanced functioning of urban systems. In this paper, we investigate the performance of agroforestry participative practices in rehabilitating peri-urban belts (in-field productive agroforestry; between-field landscape features). We test a new trans-disciplinary, multi-level analytical framework for the ecosystem services (ESs) assessment based on site-specific socio-ecological information. We parallelly analyse ecological and cultural traits: 1. agroecosystem components (flora–vegetation; human community); 2. their organization at the landscape level (landscape eco-mosaic; cultural landscape); and 3. their socio-ecological functions/processes. We compare the current state with a transformation scenario. The first application to the “Milano Porta Verde” agroecology hub, Italy, outlined: 1. the agro-eco-mosaic structuring and diversification improvement consequent to the agroforestry model spread (higher natural components percentage, agricultural patch shape complexity, landscape heterogeneity, landscape structural diversity, connectivity and circuitry); and 2. the cultural functions provided by participative practices (40 initiatives; 1860 people involved; 10 stakeholder types), enabling cultural landscape rehabilitation processes (higher accessibility, citizen empowerment, community and knowledge building, cultural values building). These results qualitatively inform the ES analysis. The potential ES supply matrices and maps showed an increase, through a transformation scenario, in the total ESs delivered by natural components (+44% support ESs; +36% regulating ESs) and agricultural components (+21% cultural ESs; +15% regulating ESs).