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Stated preference studies are increasingly employed to estimate the value of attributes of European agrarian landscapes and changes therein. Despite the vast amount of case studies, preferences for landscape attributes are context specific, which inhibits cross-case comparison and up-scaling. In this study, we address this problem by applying a meta-analysis of stated preference studies that focus on attributes of European agrarian landscapes (n = 345). The main objective of this study is to identify generic preferences for particular types of landscape attributes across case studies. In addition, landscape context variables that explain preference heterogeneity between different cases that address similar landscape attributes are identified. We find that landscape attributes that describe mosaic land cover, historic buildings or the presence of livestock generally receive the highest stated preferences across cases. Furthermore, we find relations between preferences for particular attributes and context variables-such as population density and GDP per capita-using a meta-regression analysis. The results of the present study provide the first cross-disciplinary and cross-case evidence on relations between preferences for landscape attributes and socioeconomic and landscape context conditions. The study is a first step toward up-scaling of landscape preferences and the development social landscape indicators that reflect the perceived value of landscapes at regional and pan-regional scales, which is increasingly important as landscape policies are progressively implemented at European level. 2.2. Search protocol and selection criteria This study analyzed empirical studies (n = 51; see S1 in the Supplementary material) that focus on stated landscape preferences for a set of landscape attributes. Every preference estimate for a landscape attribute stated by a defined group of beneficiaries in a defined case study area was treated as a unique case in the database, resulting in 345 cases. The case study areas in the database range from local to national scale and all studies were published between 1993 and 2013. The studies were retrieved by keyword search using the search engines ISI * Statistically significant at 10 ** Statistically significant at 5%.

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Natural amenities and the aesthetic value of agricultural landscapes are important territorial assets for improving rural tourism and the quality of the living environment. To identify which characteristics shape the visual quality of a landscape, a stated-preference survey was conducted (N = 200) using photorealistic landscape visualisations of four different landscape attributes (point green elements, linear green elements, crop diversity and presence of livestock). We estimated respondents' preferences for landscape attributes, examined the extent of agreement among respondents and identified socioeconomic factors influencing their responses. Results revealed that point elements had the highest general preference. About 70% of respondents preferred diverse and highly structured landscapes, while about 30% of respondents had opposing preferences. Preferences were also found to be dependent on the individual's sociocultural background, such as their level of education, gender or age. These results can help to improve the multiobjective targeting of policies by including an aesthetic value perspective.