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Frei T, Espelta JM, Górriz-Mifsud E, Hampe A, Lefèvre F, Martín-Forés I, Winkel G. Can natural forest expansion contribute to Europe's restoration policy agenda? An interdisciplinary assessment. AMBIO 2024; 53:34-45. [PMID: 37775713 PMCID: PMC10692052 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01924-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Natural forest expansion (NFE), that is, the establishment of secondary forest on non-forested land through natural succession, has substantially contributed to the widespread expansion of forests in Europe over the last few decades. So far, EU policies have largely neglected the potential of NFE for meeting policy objectives on restoration. Synthesising recent interdisciplinary research, this paper assesses the challenges and opportunities of NFE in view of contributing to European forest and ecosystem restoration. Specifically, we discuss the potential for supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and forestry and economic use, summarize the current knowledge about societal perceptions and the policymaking on NFE, and make policy recommendations to better use the potential of NFE. We conclude that NFE has the potential to contribute to the European restoration policy agenda if local contexts and possible trade-offs are properly considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Frei
- European Forest Institute, Platz der Vereinten Nationen 7, 53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Josep Maria Espelta
- CREAF, E08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Elena Górriz-Mifsud
- Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia (CTFC), Ctra. St. Llorenç de Morunys km.2, 25280, Solsona, Spain
| | - Arndt Hampe
- BIOGECO, INRAE, University Bordeaux, Cestas, Bordeaux, France.
| | - François Lefèvre
- INRAE, URFM, 228 route de l'aérodrome AgroParc, 84914, Avignon, France
| | - Irene Martín-Forés
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Georg Winkel
- Wageningen University, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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2
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Crawford CL, Yin H, Radeloff VC, Wilcove DS. Rural land abandonment is too ephemeral to provide major benefits for biodiversity and climate. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm8999. [PMID: 35613262 PMCID: PMC9132457 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm8999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Hundreds of millions of hectares of cropland have been abandoned globally since 1950 due to demographic, economic, and environmental changes. This abandonment has been seen as an important opportunity for carbon sequestration and habitat restoration; yet those benefits depend on the persistence of abandonment, which is poorly known. Here, we track abandonment and recultivation at 11 sites across four continents using annual land-cover maps for 1987-2017. We find that abandonment is largely fleeting, lasting on average only 14.22 years (SD = 1.44). At most sites, we project that >50% of abandoned croplands will be recultivated within 30 years, precluding the accumulation of substantial amounts of carbon and biodiversity. Recultivation resulted in 30.84% less abandonment and 35.39% less carbon accumulated by 2017 than expected without recultivation. Unless policymakers take steps to reduce recultivation or provide incentives for regeneration, abandonment will remain a missed opportunity to reduce biodiversity loss and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L. Crawford
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - He Yin
- Department of Geography, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Volker C. Radeloff
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - David S. Wilcove
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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3
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Khorchani M, Nadal-Romero E, Lasanta T, Tague C. Carbon sequestration and water yield tradeoffs following restoration of abandoned agricultural lands in Mediterranean mountains. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 207:112203. [PMID: 34648763 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Abandoned cropland areas have the potential to contribute to climate change mitigation through natural revegetation and afforestation programs. These programs increase above and belowground carbon sequestration by expanding forest cover. However, this potential to mitigate climate change often involves tradeoffs between carbon sequestration and water availability. Particularly in a water limited environments such as the Mediterranean region, any loss of recharge to groundwater or streamflow can have critical societal consequences. In this study, we used an ecohydrologic model, Regional Hydro-Ecological Simulation System (RHESSys), to quantify these tradeoffs for land management plans in abandoned cropland areas in Mediterranean mountains. Changes to Net Ecosystem Production (NEP), water yield and Water-Use Efficiency (WUE) under different land management and climate scenarios were estimated for Arnás, a catchment with similar geology, vegetation and climate to many of the locations targeted for land abandonment restoration in the Spanish Pyrenees. Results showed significant changes to both carbon and water fluxes related to land management, while changes related to a warming scenario were not significant. Afforestation scenarios showed the highest average annual carbon sequestration rates (112 g C·m-2·yr-1) but were also associated with the lowest water yield (runoff coefficient of 26%) and water use efficiency (1.4 g C·mm-1) compared to natural revegetation (-27 g C·m-2·yr-1, 50%, 1.7 g C·mm-1 respectively). Under both restoration scenarios, results showed that the catchment ecosystem is a carbon sink during mid-February to July, coinciding with peak monthly transpiration and WUE, while during the rest of the year the catchment ecosystem is a carbon source. These results contribute to understanding carbon and water tradeoffs in Mediterranean mountains and can help adapt restoration plans to address both carbon sequestration and water management objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Khorchani
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, Procesos Geoambientales y Cambio Global, IPE-CSIC, Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - E Nadal-Romero
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, Procesos Geoambientales y Cambio Global, IPE-CSIC, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - T Lasanta
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, Procesos Geoambientales y Cambio Global, IPE-CSIC, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - C Tague
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
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Subedi YR, Kristiansen P, Cacho O, Ojha RB. Agricultural Land Abandonment in the Hill Agro-ecological Region of Nepal: Analysis of Extent, Drivers and Impact of Change. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 67:1100-1118. [PMID: 33730190 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-021-01461-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite widely reported trends of agricultural land abandonment across many parts of the globe, this land use change phenomenon is relatively new in the context of Nepal. In recent years, rural farming communities in the hill region are gradually reducing the intensity of farming, leading to underutilisation and abandonment of agricultural lands. Adopting a mixed methods research approach, this study investigated the extent of agricultural land abandonment, its underlying causal drivers and perceived impacts in the hill agro-ecological region of Nepal. A structured survey of 374 households and six focus group discussions were carried out in three districts. The study revealed that around 40% of agricultural lands in the hill agro-ecological region have been abandoned and 60% of farmers have left at least one parcel of agricultural land abandoned. It was found that biophysical drivers (distance from homestead to parcel, slope of the parcel, land fragmentation, land quality and irrigation availability) and socio-demographic drivers (family size, higher education of the household members, domestic migration and out-migration) were responsible for agricultural land abandonment. Negative impacts of land abandonment were observed on the rural landscape, human-made farm structures, socio-economic systems, local food production and food security. In line with global studies, this research suggest that marginal land quality, demographic changes and rising alternative economic opportunities elsewhere contribute to farmland abandonment. This study also discusses land management approaches and policy implications to address the issue of agricultural land abandonment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuba Raj Subedi
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.
| | - Paul Kristiansen
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Oscar Cacho
- UNE Business School, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Roshan Babu Ojha
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
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Bell SM, Terrer C, Barriocanal C, Jackson RB, Rosell-Melé A. Soil organic carbon accumulation rates on Mediterranean abandoned agricultural lands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 759:143535. [PMID: 33190903 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Secondary succession on abandoned agricultural lands can produce climate change mitigation co-benefits, such as soil carbon sequestration. However, the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in Mediterranean regions has been difficult to predict and is subject to multiple environmental and land management factors. Gains, losses, and no significant changes have all been reported. Here we compile chronosequence data (n = 113) from published studies and new field sites to assess the response of SOC to agricultural land abandonment in peninsular Spain. We found an overall SOC accumulation rate of +2.3% yr-1 post-abandonment. SOC dynamics are highly variable and context-dependent. Minimal change occurs on abandoned cereal croplands compared to abandoned woody croplands (+4% yr-1). Accumulation is most prevalent within a Goldilocks climatic window of ~13-17 °C and ~450-900 mm precipitation, promoting >100% gains after three decades. Our secondary forest field sites accrued 40.8 Mg C ha-1 (+172%) following abandonment and displayed greater SOC and N depth heterogeneity than natural forests demonstrating the long-lasting impact of agriculture. Although changes in regional climate and crop types abandoned will impact future carbon sequestration, abandonment remains a low-cost, long-term natural climate solution best incorporated in tandem with other multipurpose sustainable land management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M Bell
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - César Terrer
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA, USA; Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Carles Barriocanal
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; GRAM, Department of Geography, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Robert B Jackson
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Woods Institute for the Environment, Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Antoni Rosell-Melé
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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Baumann M, Kamp J, Pötzschner F, Bleyhl B, Dara A, Hankerson B, Prishchepov AV, Schierhorn F, Müller D, Hölzel N, Krämer R, Urazaliyev R, Kuemmerle T. Declining human pressure and opportunities for rewilding in the steppes of Eurasia. DIVERS DISTRIB 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Baumann
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Johannes Kamp
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group Institute of Landscape Ecology University of Münster Münster Germany
| | | | - Benjamin Bleyhl
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
- Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human‐Environment Systems (IRI THESys) Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Andrey Dara
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) Halle (Saale) Germany
| | - Brett Hankerson
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) Halle (Saale) Germany
| | - Alexander V. Prishchepov
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management University of Copenhagen København K Denmark
- Institute of Steppe of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS) Orenburg Russia
| | - Florian Schierhorn
- Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) Halle (Saale) Germany
| | - Daniel Müller
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
- Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human‐Environment Systems (IRI THESys) Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) Halle (Saale) Germany
| | - Norbert Hölzel
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group Institute of Landscape Ecology University of Münster Münster Germany
| | - Roland Krämer
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) Leipzig Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
| | - Ruslan Urazaliyev
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group Institute of Landscape Ecology University of Münster Münster Germany
- Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) Nur‐Sultan Kazakhstan
| | - Tobias Kuemmerle
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
- Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human‐Environment Systems (IRI THESys) Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
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Patterns and Determinants of Post-Soviet Cropland Abandonment in the Western Siberian Grain Belt. REMOTE SENSING 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/rs10121973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The transition from a command to a market economy resulted in widespread cropland abandonment across the former Soviet Union during the 1990s. Spatial patterns and determinants of abandonment are comparatively well understood for European Russia, but have not yet been assessed for the vast grain belt of Western Siberia, situated in the Eurasian forest steppe. This is unfortunate, as land-use change in Western Siberia is of global significance: Fertile black earth soils and vast mires store large amounts of organic carbon, and both undisturbed and traditional cultural landscapes harbor threatened biodiversity. We compared Landsat images from ca. 1990 (before the break-up of the Soviet Union) and ca. 2015 (current situation) with a supervised classification to estimate the extent and spatial distribution of abandoned cropland. We used logistic regression models to reveal important determinants of cropland abandonment. Ca. 135,000 ha classified as cropland around 1990 were classified as grassland around 2015. This suggests that ca. 20% of all cropland remain abandoned ca. 25 years after the end of the Soviet Union. Abandonment occurred mostly at poorly drained sites. The likelihood of cropland abandonment increased with decreasing soil quality, and increasing distance to medium-sized settlements, roads and railroads. We conclude that soil suitability, access to transport infrastructure and availability of workforce are key determinants of cropland abandonment in Western Siberia.
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Spatio-Temporal Reorganization of Cropland Development in Central Asia during the Post-Soviet Era: A Sustainable Implication in Kazakhstan. SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/su10114042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The abandonment and cultivation of croplands in the Eurasian Steppe has become the focus of global and regional food security and agricultural policy-making. A large area of cropland in some post-Soviet countries has proven to be abandoned with the disintegration of the Soviet Union; however, it is unclear as to whether Kazakhstan also experienced a similar change as one of the main food providers for the former Soviet Union. In this study, we used the annual land cover dataset (1992–2015) from the European Space Agency, Climate Change Initiative (ESA-CCI) to detect spatio-temporal characteristics of rainfed and irrigated cropland changes in Kazakhstan. The Mann–Kendall test and regime shift analysis showed that rainfed and irrigated cropland at national level had a significant increasing trend with a significant rising up to 1999 and stagnation during 2000–2015, which was further confirmed with analysis at 14 regions. The greatest contributor to rainfed and irrigated croplands was steppes, followed by shrinkage of water bodies since 2005 to a great extent, rapid urbanization process resulted in losses of a part of irrigated oases. The trend surface analysis indicated that reorganized stable pattern characterized by rainfed cropland in north and irrigated cropland in south was driven by the strategy of the gradual agricultural development of oases. The nonexistence of cycle between the abandonment and recultivation proved that newly-gained cropland from steppe may be less degraded and more productive for sustainable land use in Kazakhstan. In conclusion, this study can provide strong evidence for sustainable land use and a basis for food security policy-making in Kazakhstan, and even all of the Central Asian countries in the future.
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Failure and Collapse of Ancient Agricultural Stone Terraces: On-Site Effects on Soil and Vegetation. WATER 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/w10101400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Ancient agricultural stone terraces, dated to the Roman and Byzantine ages, are prevalent across the Negev drylands of Southern Israel. The goal of these structures was to reduce hydrological connectivity by harvesting water runoff and controlling soil erosion, thus allowing cultivation of cereals. Land abandonment and the lack of maintenance have led to the failure and collapse of many of these stone terraces. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of failure and collapse of terraces on the on-site (on-field) geo-ecosystem functioning, as determined by vegetation cover and soil quality parameters. This was achieved by studying vegetal and soil properties in shrubby vegetation patches and inter-shrub spaces of intact-terrace plots and collapsed-terrace plots, as well as in the surrounding ‘natural’ lands. Mean cover of both shrubby and herbaceous vegetation was highest in intact terraces, intermediate in ‘natural’ lands, and lowest in collapsed terraces. The overall soil quality followed the same trend as the vegetation cover. Additionally, this study shows that the anthropogenic impact on geo-ecosystem functioning can be either beneficial or detrimental. While well maintained stone terraces benefit the soil and vegetation, abandoned and unmaintained terraces may result in accelerated soil erosion and land degradation.
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Song J, Wan S, Peng S, Piao S, Ciais P, Han X, Zeng DH, Cao G, Wang Q, Bai W, Liu L. The carbon sequestration potential of China's grasslands. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Song
- College of Life Science; Hebei University; Baoding Hebei 071002 China
| | - Shiqiang Wan
- College of Life Science; Hebei University; Baoding Hebei 071002 China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change; Institute of Botany; CAS; Xiangshang Beijing 100093 China
| | - Shushi Peng
- Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science; College of Urban and Environmental Sciences; Peking University; Beijing 100871 China
| | - Shilong Piao
- Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science; College of Urban and Environmental Sciences; Peking University; Beijing 100871 China
| | - Philippe Ciais
- Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science; College of Urban and Environmental Sciences; Peking University; Beijing 100871 China
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (LSCE); UMRCEA-CNRS; Batîment 709, CE, L'Orme des Merisiers Gif-sur-Yvette F-91191 France
| | - Xingguo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change; Institute of Botany; CAS; Xiangshang Beijing 100093 China
| | - De-Hui Zeng
- Institute of Applied Ecology; CAS; Shenyang Liaoning 110016 China
| | - Guangmin Cao
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology; CAS; Xining Qinghai 810008 China
| | - Qibing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change; Institute of Botany; CAS; Xiangshang Beijing 100093 China
| | - Wenming Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change; Institute of Botany; CAS; Xiangshang Beijing 100093 China
| | - Lingli Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change; Institute of Botany; CAS; Xiangshang Beijing 100093 China
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