Towards multifunctional agricultural landscapes in Europe: Assessing and governing synergies between biodiversity and ecosystem services

The overall aim of the project is (1) to capture and disentangle different aspects of the multifaceted relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services (ESS) in agricultural landscapes and (2) to provide policy options that can help to reconcile conflicting demands in European agricultural areas, namely the production of agricultural commodities (food, forage, energy) while at the same time ensuring the provision of ESS and conservation of biodiversity. The project is exploring different alternative configurations of multi-functionality, from local to regional levels, in the study areas of the partners. This includes the close engagement of regional and local stakeholders. The ecosystem services considered in the project besides agricultural production are water quality and quantity, soil fertility and carbon sequestration, cultural heritage and landscape aesthetics. The project addresses the effects of different land use intensities and landscape configurations on selected biodiversity indicators, ecosystem functions and services, and how agricultural and landscape management can influence these. Main aspects will include the identification of (a) synergies and trade-offs (functional relationships) between various ESS and biodiversity at different scales; (b) patterns of ESS provision and biodiversity change under different land management options; (c) different aspects of biodiversity that may be affected if land management focuses on ESS and vice versa; and (d) alternative management strategies and instruments that minimize trade-offs between ESS and biodiversity for different regions, different land use types and intensities considering societal preferences, strategies and goals. One of the central methods applied within the project is multi-objective optimization. Crop rotations schemes will be optimized to promote positive effects on biodiversity, water resources, soil fertility and carbon sequestration. This allows identifying region-specific trade-offs and synergies, providing insights into linkages between management and ESS provision across Europe. An important innovation will be balancing measures at farm/field and landscape levels and identifying if the best results are obtained by multifunctionality at farm/field level or by integrating different functions within the landscape as a whole. This process will involve relevant actor groups to enhance the perception and acknowledgement of biodiversity and ESS provided by agricultural landscapes. Policy analysis will cover the assessment of the existing conditions and instruments impacting on land use and farm management decisions, as well as innovative adaptations, including economic and legal instruments from agricultural, environmental and energy policy. The scope of different administrative levels and actors for enhancing the implementation of desirable land management strategies will be a crucial question addressed.