The Role of Cultural Landscapes in the Delivery of Provisioning Ecosystem Services in Protected Areas

Maldonado, Ana D.; Ramos-López, Darío; Aguilera, Pedro A.

doi:10.3390/su11092471

Cited by 22 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 39 publications

(46 reference statements)

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“…This is supported by the positive covariation between wild species and livestock breeds (see Figure 2). Agricultural landscapes play a critical role for biodiversity conservation in protected areas of Spain (Maldonado, Ramos‐López, & Aguilera, 2019), a country with a long history of agriculture and some examples of sustainable uses—for example, it is the country with the highest density of UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserves, which are specifically designed to protect cases of sustainable development. Our pioneering work poses new scientific questions, for example, could results for Spain be easily extrapolated or, instead, they would only apply to world regions with a long history of domestication and diversification of local breeds?…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships between the distribution of wildlife and livestock diversity

Velado‐Alonso

Morales‐Castilla

Rebollo

et al. 2020

Diversity and Distributions

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Aim Wild biodiversity and agrobiodiversity are affected by challenges such as agricultural intensification. However, it is unknown whether or not both components of biodiversity respond similarly to environmental factors and to these challenges. Here, we examine the spatial relationships between the distributions of wild biodiversity and agrobiodiversity, to quantify how and where they covary across the geography. Location Mainland Spain, a European region that harbours high values of both wild and agro‐ biodiversity. Methods We used geographically weighted regression models to analyse the spatial variation in the relationships between the distribution of wild vertebrates and environmental and agrobiodiversity variables. We modelled the spatial gradients in species richness of native terrestrial vertebrates—that is, specific groups of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals—as a function of local livestock breed richness—that is, bovine, ovine, caprine, asinine, equine and porcine—climate variables and human footprint. Results We found significant covariation between the distribution of native vertebrate species richness and climate, human footprint and livestock diversity. Overall, the association between species richness of the four wild terrestrial vertebrate groups and local livestock breed richness is positive across most of the studied area. However, local breed richness of cattle and sheep breed displays contrasting patterns, where cattle breeds associate positively to most wildlife vertebrates and sheep breeds show negative associations. Main conclusion Wildlife diversity distributions are significantly associated with livestock agrobiodiversity. These spatial relationships are mediated by large‐scale environmental gradients. Since both, wildlife and livestock agrobiodiversity, tend to co‐occur spatially, future strategies for conservation in agricultural landscapes could benefit from integrated approaches.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships between the distribution of wildlife and livestock diversity

Velado‐Alonso

Morales‐Castilla

Rebollo

et al. 2020

Diversity and Distributions

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“…Historically, traditional agricultural landscapes in Europe evolved from mono-agricultural systems to multi-rural systems (i.e., diverse agricultural uses) adapted to the structure and function of the landscape. In this way, a social and ecological co-evolution was established that gave rise to productive work landscapes, with rural cultural landscapes and land uses being adapted to local environmental conditions [49,50]. These types of multi-rural landscapes are the foundation of the multifunctional agriculture approach (MFA), based not only on the supply of agricultural products, but also the environmental and social functions, which are related to environmental protection and the preservation of the socio-economic services of rural areas [5].…”

Section: Agricultural Olive Grove Landscapes As Multifunctional Socio-ecological Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining Potential Environmental Consequences of Climate Change and Other Driving Forces on the Sustainability of Spanish Olive Groves under a Socio-Ecological Approach

et al. 2020

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Olive groves form characteristic Mediterranean socio-ecological landscapes, occupying more than 5 M ha; 2.5 M ha in Spain. In recent decades, traditional extensive management of olive groves has shifted to an intensive regime, with some cases of abandonment. These situations triggered negative environmental and economic externalities that led farmers to adopt increasingly multifunctional management models. From a transdisciplinary perspective, the current state of Spanish olive groves was analyzed, assessing their vulnerability to climate change as one of the main threats to their sustainability. Based on our findings and assuming that by 2050, in the Mediterranean, there will be an increase in temperature of 0.8–2.3 °C and a decrease in rainfall of up to 200 mm per year, a displacement of the distribution area of olive groves is expected towards zones of lower temperature and higher moisture. The predicted climatic conditions would increase evapotranspiration of vegetation and atmospheric CO2 emissions. Moreover, climate change will reduce the chill accumulation in olive groves, altering its flowering, fructification and crop yields. Thus, it is necessary to adopt management models that promote olive grove resilience in face of climate change, ensuring their socio-ecological sustainability.

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“…The interspacing of non-agricultural patches that are cobeneficial in terms of supporting production (e.g., pollinators, natural enemies, flow regulation, etc.) and multiple other ecosystem services can render agriculture more stable, less risky, and less dependent on external inputs (e.g., MacFadyen et al, 2012;Kristensen, 2016;Modernel et al, 2016;Douglas and Landis, 2017;Geneletti et al, 2018;Maldonado et al, 2019). The last domain of research we see as fundamental to support agroecological transitions is the co-innovation with farmers, value chains and policy makers to develop new technologies, markets and policy environments that are more conducive for alternative farming.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agroecology in Large Scale Farming—A Research Agenda

Tittonell¹,

Piñeiro²,

Garibaldi³

et al. 2020

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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Agroecology promises a third way between common global agriculture tradeoffs such as food production and nature conservation, environmental sustainability and ecosystem services. However, most successful examples of mainstreaming agroecology come from smallholder, family agriculture, that represents only about 30% of the world agricultural area. Mainstreaming agroecology among large scale farmers is urgently needed, but it requires addressing specific questions in research, technology and policy development to support sustainable transitions. Here we take stock of the existing knowledge on some key aspects necessary to support agroecological transitions in large scale farming, considering two contrasting starting points: highly subsidized and heavily taxed agricultural contexts, represented here by the examples of Western Europe and temperate South America. We summarize existing knowledge and gaps around service crops, arthropod-mediated functions, landscape and watershed regulation, graze-based livestock, nature-inclusive landscapes, and policy mechanisms to support transitions. We propose a research agenda for agroecology in large scale farming organized in five domains: (i) Breeding for diversity, (ii) Scalable complexity, (iii) Managing cycles beyond fields and farms, (iv) Sharing the cultivated landscape, and (v) Co-innovation with farmers, value chains and policy makers. Agroecology may result in a renewed impetus in large scale farming, to attract the youth, foster clean technological innovation, and to promote a new generation of large-scale farmers that take pride in contributing to feeding the world while serving the planet and its people.

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The Role of Cultural Landscapes in the Delivery of Provisioning Ecosystem Services in Protected Areas

Cited by 22 publications

References 39 publications

Relationships between the distribution of wildlife and livestock diversity

Relationships between the distribution of wildlife and livestock diversity

Examining Potential Environmental Consequences of Climate Change and Other Driving Forces on the Sustainability of Spanish Olive Groves under a Socio-Ecological Approach

Agroecology in Large Scale Farming—A Research Agenda

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