Landscape models to support sustainable intensification of agroecological systems

C. Nendel and P. Zander, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Germany

Chapter synopsis: Intensification of agriculture to meet the growing demand of food and renewable resources is contrasted with a decrease in species diversity, pollution in water bodies and a decline in freshwater resources. To protect our resources, the natural functioning of ecosystems and the diversity of landscapes, agricultural land use must reduce its resource use and its impact on biodiversity and ecosystems. Addressing both challenges simultaneously requires a perspective that takes a more detailed look into the heterogeneity of climate and soils and their role in agroecosystem functioning, the interactions between flora and fauna, the interdependencies with the green infrastructure at landscape scale and the role of humans and how they organise themselves in this system. In this chapter the authors reflect on the different social, economic and natural features of agricultural landscapes that govern important processes in agro-ecosystems and discuss current approaches for modelling ecosystem services using a landscape approach.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2019.0061.17