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Labour migration in Nepal is having profound effects on land management. We take two examples from the hills of Nepal where the increasing trend in outmigration continues unabated and explore its consequences. The purpose of this study is to understand the impacts of the subsequent labour shortage on land management and how it affects households. We used data from two surveys and assessed land use change and degradation with a qualitative mapping method. The findings show that the local context leads to very different strategies in terms of land management. In one study area, land was left to lie fallow without any use, leading to overgrowth and forest recovery due to favourable climate conditions. In the other, land was no longer used as cropland but turned into grazing land with consequences such as land degradation. This study provides strong empirical data and also contributes to the mountain research community by shedding light on the effects of outmigration on land management in the hills of Nepal. We suggest that these effects, including the labour shortage and the increasingly important role of remittances, should be addressed in an integrative but differentiated way that takes into account the regional context.
Stéphanie Jaquet; Thomas Kohler; Gudrun Schwilch. Labour Migration in the Middle Hills of Nepal: Consequences on Land Management Strategies. Sustainability 2019, 11, 1349 .
AMA StyleStéphanie Jaquet, Thomas Kohler, Gudrun Schwilch. Labour Migration in the Middle Hills of Nepal: Consequences on Land Management Strategies. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (5):1349.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStéphanie Jaquet; Thomas Kohler; Gudrun Schwilch. 2019. "Labour Migration in the Middle Hills of Nepal: Consequences on Land Management Strategies." Sustainability 11, no. 5: 1349.
As soil formation is an extremely slow process, soil can be considered a non-renewable resource. Soils should thus be adequately protected and conserved to ensure that soil functions are not lost or diminished. Soil functions are, however, threatened by a wide range of processes. Europe’s soil resources may continue to degrade due to changes in climate, land use and other human activities. The challenge is to prevent degradation and its adverse effects on soil functions and ecosystem services, and even improve the ability of soil to perform its functions. The soil degradation processes are complex and all parts of Europe are affected by one or more soil threats to some degree. There is a lack of knowledge on, a large uncertainty in, and lack of quantitative information on understanding the interrelationships between soil threats, soil threat and soil functions, and soil and ecosystem services. A major challenge in clarifying these relationships is how to integrate information and to analyse the key interactions. To bridge this gap, we have made an approach based on a review and expert knowledge to understand and describe those interrelations. This has been described in qualitative terms, and showed that the soil functions biomass production is affected by almost all threats, whereas the threat biodiversity decline has a major negative impact on all functions. It also showed that both soil biodiversity and soil erosion are more or less affected by almost all other soil threats. In the RECARE project, various prevention and remediation measures were trialed. Changes in manageable soil and other natural capital properties were measured and quantified, and a methodology to assess changes in ecosystem services was developed. Overall, the results showed positive on the impacts of the measures on ecosystem services. Although methodological challenges remain, the assessment served as an input to a stakeholder valuation of ecosystem services at local and sub-national levels. Although these activities are steps towards a soil remediation strategy, there is a need for further research on the mentioned issues in order to achieve an improved overview of existing information on soil degradation at the European scale, their interactions, and effects on ecosystem services. In addition, the lack of legally binding targets limits the impact that existing policies have on reducing soil threats and protecting soil function, although various EU policy instruments have shown positive impacts even in absence of binding targets for Member States.
Jannes Stolte; Gudrun Schwilch. Soil Degradation Assessment in Europe, A Review of Status, Interaction and Remediation. Proceedings 2019, 30, 18 .
AMA StyleJannes Stolte, Gudrun Schwilch. Soil Degradation Assessment in Europe, A Review of Status, Interaction and Remediation. Proceedings. 2019; 30 (1):18.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJannes Stolte; Gudrun Schwilch. 2019. "Soil Degradation Assessment in Europe, A Review of Status, Interaction and Remediation." Proceedings 30, no. 1: 18.
Ustainable food systems (FS) require providing food and other goods and services to humans satisfying food security, right to food, income, social justice and resilience, without degrading human health and hiving high environmental performance. The environmental performance of FS can be evaluated using Life Cycle Assessment. However, research on the impact that FS activities, e.g. crop production have on the capacity of farm-based agroecosystems to provide goods and services to humans is still incipient. Our underlying aim was to understand how FS impact on the provision of agroecosystem services and how this relates to the environmental performance of FS, as a basis for supporting decision-making on how to make FS more sustainable. We propose the Agroecosystem Service Capacity (ASC) as a method for assessing farmbased agroecosystem services, it builds on the Ecosystem Service Matrix by Burkhard et al. (2009) and assesses land cover classes against 20 agroecosystem services. The method was applied to eighteen farmbased agroecosystems in Bolivia and Kenya. Here we present two examples for exploring its potentials and limitations. The ASC operates on the basis of land cover class units and permits the calculation of an aggregate ASC-index for farm-based agroecosystems forming part of a specific FS.
Horacio Augstburger; Johanna Jacobi; Gudrun Schwilch; Stephan Rist. Agroecosystem Service Capacity Index – A methodological approach. Landscape Online 2018, 64, 1 -48.
AMA StyleHoracio Augstburger, Johanna Jacobi, Gudrun Schwilch, Stephan Rist. Agroecosystem Service Capacity Index – A methodological approach. Landscape Online. 2018; 64 ():1-48.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHoracio Augstburger; Johanna Jacobi; Gudrun Schwilch; Stephan Rist. 2018. "Agroecosystem Service Capacity Index – A methodological approach." Landscape Online 64, no. : 1-48.
Only a few studies have quantified and measured ecosystem services (ES) specifically related to soil. To address this gap, we have developed and applied a methodology to assess changes in ecosystem services, based on measured or estimated soil property changes that were stimulated by soil management measures (e.g., mulching, terracing, no-till). We applied the ES assessment methodology in 16 case study sites across Europe representing a high diversity of soil threats and land use systems. Various prevention and remediation measures were trialled, and the changes in manageable soil and other natural capital properties were measured and quantified. An Excel tool facilitated data collection, calculation of changes in ecosystem services, and visualization of measured short-term changes and estimated long-term changes at plot level and for the wider area. With this methodology, we were able to successfully collect and compare data on the impact of land management on 15 different ecosystem services from 26 different measures. Overall, the results are positive in terms of the impacts of the trialled measures on ecosystem services, with 18 out of 26 measures having no decrease in any service at the plot level. Although methodological challenges remain, the ES assessment was shown to be a comprehensive evaluation of the impacts of the trialled measures, and also served as an input to a stakeholder valuation of ecosystem services at local and sub-national levels.
Gudrun Schwilch; Tatenda Lemann; Örjan Berglund; Carlo Camarotto; Artemi Cerdà; Ioannis Daliakopoulos; Silvia Kohnová; Dominika Krzeminska; Teodoro Marañón; René Rietra; Grzegorz Siebielec; Johann Thorsson; Mark Tibbett; Sandra Valente; Hedwig Van Delden; Jan Van Den Akker; Simone Verzandvoort; Nicoleta Vrînceanu; Christos Zoumides; Rudi Hessel. Assessing Impacts of Soil Management Measures on Ecosystem Services. Sustainability 2018, 10, 4416 .
AMA StyleGudrun Schwilch, Tatenda Lemann, Örjan Berglund, Carlo Camarotto, Artemi Cerdà, Ioannis Daliakopoulos, Silvia Kohnová, Dominika Krzeminska, Teodoro Marañón, René Rietra, Grzegorz Siebielec, Johann Thorsson, Mark Tibbett, Sandra Valente, Hedwig Van Delden, Jan Van Den Akker, Simone Verzandvoort, Nicoleta Vrînceanu, Christos Zoumides, Rudi Hessel. Assessing Impacts of Soil Management Measures on Ecosystem Services. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (12):4416.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGudrun Schwilch; Tatenda Lemann; Örjan Berglund; Carlo Camarotto; Artemi Cerdà; Ioannis Daliakopoulos; Silvia Kohnová; Dominika Krzeminska; Teodoro Marañón; René Rietra; Grzegorz Siebielec; Johann Thorsson; Mark Tibbett; Sandra Valente; Hedwig Van Delden; Jan Van Den Akker; Simone Verzandvoort; Nicoleta Vrînceanu; Christos Zoumides; Rudi Hessel. 2018. "Assessing Impacts of Soil Management Measures on Ecosystem Services." Sustainability 10, no. 12: 4416.
In Mediterranean forests and rangelands, the supply of important ecosystem services can decrease or cease as a consequence of disturbances and climatic oscillations. Land managers can sometimes prevent or mitigate the negative effects of disturbances through appropriate land management choices. In this study, we assess the contribution of land management practices (LMPs) to the resilience of eight Mediterranean forests and rangelands to multiple disturbances. The study uses a transdisciplinary approach, involving scientists, land managers, and local administrators. Data about disturbances, ecosystem services, the role of LMPs, and the resistance of LMPs to disturbances are combined using a semi‐quantitative index, and analysed to evaluate how the LMPs implemented are suited to the disturbances affecting each study site. Our results indicate that the practices analysed are particularly effective in improving resilience of ecosystems against wildfires and torrential rainfalls. However, droughts are more difficult to address, and the examined practices were heavily affected by their occurrence. Tree planting appears to be highly affected by disturbances. Practices that selectively reduce the amount of vegetation appear to be beneficial in fostering recovery of ecosystems. Our assessment also suggests that it is particularly difficult to increase resilience to droughts and fires simultaneously. Practices that aimed to mitigate the impact of land use did not always prove valuable in terms of resilience. Finally, study sites that included efforts to address disturbances in their management objectives also displayed practices making the biggest contribution to resilience.
Matteo Jucker Riva; Jaime Baeza; Susana Bautista; Michalakis Christoforou; Ioannis N. Daliakopoulos; Diofantos Hadjimitsis; Jan Jacob Keizer; Hanspeter Liniger; Giovanni Quaranta; Cristina Ribeiro; Rosanna Salvia; Ioannis K. Tsanis; Anna M. Urgeghe; Alejandro Valdecantos; Gudrun Schwilch. How does land management contribute to the resilience of Mediterranean forests and rangelands? A participatory assessment. Land Degradation & Development 2018, 29, 3721 -3735.
AMA StyleMatteo Jucker Riva, Jaime Baeza, Susana Bautista, Michalakis Christoforou, Ioannis N. Daliakopoulos, Diofantos Hadjimitsis, Jan Jacob Keizer, Hanspeter Liniger, Giovanni Quaranta, Cristina Ribeiro, Rosanna Salvia, Ioannis K. Tsanis, Anna M. Urgeghe, Alejandro Valdecantos, Gudrun Schwilch. How does land management contribute to the resilience of Mediterranean forests and rangelands? A participatory assessment. Land Degradation & Development. 2018; 29 (10):3721-3735.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatteo Jucker Riva; Jaime Baeza; Susana Bautista; Michalakis Christoforou; Ioannis N. Daliakopoulos; Diofantos Hadjimitsis; Jan Jacob Keizer; Hanspeter Liniger; Giovanni Quaranta; Cristina Ribeiro; Rosanna Salvia; Ioannis K. Tsanis; Anna M. Urgeghe; Alejandro Valdecantos; Gudrun Schwilch. 2018. "How does land management contribute to the resilience of Mediterranean forests and rangelands? A participatory assessment." Land Degradation & Development 29, no. 10: 3721-3735.
Migration is increasing in the middle hills of Nepal, and it has diverse consequences for the people remaining behind, their livelihoods, and the way they manage their land. This study explored the complex and interrelated effects of migration on land and people in the Harpan watershed, Kaski District, western Nepal. Surveys and focus group discussions were used to explore the reasons for decisions on land management and migration. In addition, remote sensing and fieldwork were used to map the extent of land abandonment. Our study found that almost three quarters of the households have at least 1 migrant member receiving on average US$ 206 per month in remittances. Remittances were used mainly for food and goods and to a much lesser extent for agriculture. In addition to international migration, substantial migration occurs within the area. Once livelihoods permit, whole families choose to migrate to market areas, from uphill to downhill communities. This has led to land abandonment and an increase in forest cover in the upper part of the watershed and has also increased pressure on the land and exposure to flooding in the lower part.
Stéphanie Jaquet; Gitta Shrestha; Thomas Kohler; Gudrun Schwilch. The Effects of Migration on Livelihoods, Land Management, and Vulnerability to Natural Disasters in the Harpan Watershed in Western Nepal. Mountain Research and Development 2016, 36, 494 -505.
AMA StyleStéphanie Jaquet, Gitta Shrestha, Thomas Kohler, Gudrun Schwilch. The Effects of Migration on Livelihoods, Land Management, and Vulnerability to Natural Disasters in the Harpan Watershed in Western Nepal. Mountain Research and Development. 2016; 36 (4):494-505.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStéphanie Jaquet; Gitta Shrestha; Thomas Kohler; Gudrun Schwilch. 2016. "The Effects of Migration on Livelihoods, Land Management, and Vulnerability to Natural Disasters in the Harpan Watershed in Western Nepal." Mountain Research and Development 36, no. 4: 494-505.
Wildfires have always been a part of the history of Mediterranean forests. However, forests are not always certain to regenerate after a wildfire. Whether they do depends on many factors, some of which may be influenced by land management activities. Failure to regenerate will cause a regime shift in the ecosystem, reducing the provision of ecosystem services and ultimately leading to desertification. How can we increase the resilience of Mediterranean forests to fire? Our approach to answering this question was twofold: first, we reviewed the literature to investigate chains of processes that allowed forests to regenerate (which we label Regeneration Mechanisms, or RMs); and second, we assessed the impact of selected management practices documented in the WOCAT database on these RMs. For the assessment, we evaluated the relation between the benefits and disadvantages of the land management practices on the one hand, and the hindering and supporting factors of the RMs on the other. We identified three distinct RMs that enable Mediterranean forests to recover, as well as the time frame before and after a fire in which they are at work, and factors that can hinder or support resilience. The three RMs enabling a forest to regenerate after a fire consist of regeneration (1) from a seed bank; (2) from resprouting individuals; and (3) from unburned plants that escaped the fire. Management practices were grouped into four categories: (1) fuel breaks; (2) fuel management; (3) afforestation; and (4) mulching. We assessed how and under what conditions land management modifies the ecosystem’s resilience. The results show that land management influences resilience by interacting with resilience mechanisms before and after the fire, and not just by modifying the fire regime. Our analysis demonstrates a need for adaptive—i.e., context- and time-specific—management strategies.
Matteo Jucker Riva; Hanspeter Liniger; Alejandro Valdecantos; Gudrun Schwilch. Impacts of Land Management on the Resilience of Mediterranean Dry Forests to Fire. Sustainability 2016, 8, 981 .
AMA StyleMatteo Jucker Riva, Hanspeter Liniger, Alejandro Valdecantos, Gudrun Schwilch. Impacts of Land Management on the Resilience of Mediterranean Dry Forests to Fire. Sustainability. 2016; 8 (10):981.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatteo Jucker Riva; Hanspeter Liniger; Alejandro Valdecantos; Gudrun Schwilch. 2016. "Impacts of Land Management on the Resilience of Mediterranean Dry Forests to Fire." Sustainability 8, no. 10: 981.
This study examines the impacts of migration on land management in a mountain area of Nepal, complemented by insights from a smaller case study in Bolivia. Migration to cities and abroad increasingly leaves behind fragmented families and the elderly. Livelihoods as well as the management of land are affected by a changing labor force, traditional knowledge, remittances, and other consequences of migration. In this study, we explore how these issues affect land and its management, and what measures and strategies are being taken by the people left behind. Mapping methodology from the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) was used to assess land management practices in a subwatershed in Western Nepal. In combination with other research methods, the mapping enabled a better understanding of the impacts of migration on land degradation and conservation. Preliminary findings reveal negative as well as positive impacts. The main degradation problem found was the growth of invasive alien plant species, while overall vegetation and forest cover had increased, and some types of degradation, such as soil erosion or landslides, were even reduced. A feminization of agriculture has also been observed in the Nepali case study, in contrast to the Bolivian case which revealed that whole families were migrating, with mostly men temporarily returning to manage the land. The findings of this study suggest that a more differentiated and context-specific view is required when looking at the impact of migration on land management.
Gudrun Schwilch; Anu Adhikari; Michel Jaboyedoff; Stéphanie Jaquet; Raoul Kaenzig; Hanspeter Liniger; Ivanna M. Penna; Karen Sudmeier-Rieux; Bishnu Raj Upreti. Impacts of Outmigration on Land Management in a Nepali Mountain Area. Identifying Emerging Issues in Disaster Risk Reduction, Migration, Climate Change and Sustainable Development 2016, 177 -194.
AMA StyleGudrun Schwilch, Anu Adhikari, Michel Jaboyedoff, Stéphanie Jaquet, Raoul Kaenzig, Hanspeter Liniger, Ivanna M. Penna, Karen Sudmeier-Rieux, Bishnu Raj Upreti. Impacts of Outmigration on Land Management in a Nepali Mountain Area. Identifying Emerging Issues in Disaster Risk Reduction, Migration, Climate Change and Sustainable Development. 2016; ():177-194.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGudrun Schwilch; Anu Adhikari; Michel Jaboyedoff; Stéphanie Jaquet; Raoul Kaenzig; Hanspeter Liniger; Ivanna M. Penna; Karen Sudmeier-Rieux; Bishnu Raj Upreti. 2016. "Impacts of Outmigration on Land Management in a Nepali Mountain Area." Identifying Emerging Issues in Disaster Risk Reduction, Migration, Climate Change and Sustainable Development , no. : 177-194.
Despite numerous research efforts over the last decades, integrating the concept of ecosystem services into land management decision-making continues to pose considerable challenges. Researchers have developed many different frameworks to operationalize the concept, but these are often specific to a certain issue and each has their own definitions and understandings of particular terms. Based on a comprehensive review of the current scientific debate, the EU FP7 project RECARE proposes an adapted framework for soil-related ecosystem services that is suited for practical application in the prevention and remediation of soil degradation across Europe. We have adapted existing frameworks by integrating components from soil science while attempting to introduce a consistent terminology that is understandable to a variety of stakeholders. RECARE aims to assess how soil threats and prevention and remediation measures affect ecosystem services. Changes in the natural capital's properties influence soil processes, which support the provision of ecosystem services. The benefits produced by these ecosystem services are explicitly or implicitly valued by individuals and society. This can influence decision- and policymaking at different scales, potentially leading to a societal response, such as improved land management. The proposed ecosystem services framework will be applied by the RECARE project in a transdisciplinary process. It will assist in singling out the most beneficial land management measures and in identifying trade-offs and win–win situations resulting from and impacted by European policies. The framework thus reflects the specific contributions soils make to ecosystem services and helps reveal changes in ecosystem services caused by soil management and policies impacting on soil. At the same time, the framework is simple and robust enough for practical application in assessing soil threats and their management with stakeholders at various levels.
Gudrun Schwilch; Lea Bernet; Luuk Fleskens; Elias Giannakis; Julia Leventon; Teodoro Marañón; Jane Mills; Chris Short; Jannes Stolte; Hedwig van Delden; Simone Verzandvoort. Operationalizing ecosystem services for the mitigation of soil threats: A proposed framework. Ecological Indicators 2016, 67, 586 -597.
AMA StyleGudrun Schwilch, Lea Bernet, Luuk Fleskens, Elias Giannakis, Julia Leventon, Teodoro Marañón, Jane Mills, Chris Short, Jannes Stolte, Hedwig van Delden, Simone Verzandvoort. Operationalizing ecosystem services for the mitigation of soil threats: A proposed framework. Ecological Indicators. 2016; 67 ():586-597.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGudrun Schwilch; Lea Bernet; Luuk Fleskens; Elias Giannakis; Julia Leventon; Teodoro Marañón; Jane Mills; Chris Short; Jannes Stolte; Hedwig van Delden; Simone Verzandvoort. 2016. "Operationalizing ecosystem services for the mitigation of soil threats: A proposed framework." Ecological Indicators 67, no. : 586-597.
Wildfires have always been a part of the history of Mediterranean forests. However, forest regeneration after a wildfire is not certain. It depends on many factors, some of which may be influenced by land management activities. Failure of regeneration will cause a regime shift in the ecosystem, reducing the provision of ecosystem services and ultimately leading to desertification. How can we increase Mediterranean forests’ resilience to fire? To answer this question, we did a literature review, investigating chains of processes that allow forests to regenerate (which we label “regeneration mechanisms”), and assessed the impact of selected management practices documented in the WOCAT database on the regeneration mechanisms. We identified three distinct regeneration mechanisms that enable Mediterranean forests to recover, as well as the time frame before and after a fire in which they are at work, and factors that can hinder or support resilience. The three regeneration mechanisms enabling a forest to regenerate after a fire consist of regeneration (1) from a seed bank; (2) from resprouting individuals; and (3) from unburned plants that escaped the fire. Management practices were grouped into four categories: (1) fuel breaks, (2) fuel management, (3) afforestation, and (4) mulching. We assessed how and under what conditions land management modifies the ecosystem’s resilience. The results show that land management influences resilience by interacting with resilience mechanisms before and after the fire, and not just by modifying the fire regime. Our analysis demonstrates a need for adaptive – i.e. context- and time-specific – management strategies.
Matteo Jucker Riva; Gudrun Schwilch; Hanspeter Liniger; Alejandro Valdecantos. Impacts of land management on the resilience of Mediterranean dry forests to fire. 2016, 1 .
AMA StyleMatteo Jucker Riva, Gudrun Schwilch, Hanspeter Liniger, Alejandro Valdecantos. Impacts of land management on the resilience of Mediterranean dry forests to fire. . 2016; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatteo Jucker Riva; Gudrun Schwilch; Hanspeter Liniger; Alejandro Valdecantos. 2016. "Impacts of land management on the resilience of Mediterranean dry forests to fire." , no. : 1.
Soil indicators may be used for assessing both land suitability for restoration and the effectiveness of restoration strategies in restoring ecosystem functioning and services. In this review paper, several soil indicators, which can be used to assess the effectiveness of ecological restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems at different spatial and temporal scales, are discussed. The selected indicators represent the different viewpoints of pedology, ecology, hydrology, and land management. Two overall outcomes stem from the review. (i) The success of restoration projects relies on a proper understanding of their ecology, namely the relationships between soil, plants, hydrology, climate, and land management at different scales, which are particularly complex due to the heterogeneous pattern of ecosystems functioning in drylands. (ii) The selection of the most suitable soil indicators follows a clear identification of the different and sometimes competing ecosystem services that the project is aimed at restoring.
Edoardo A. C. Costantini; Cristina Branquinho; Alice Nunes; Gudrun Schwilch; Ilan Stavi; Alejandro Valdecantos; Claudio Zucca. Soil indicators to assess the effectiveness of restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems. Solid Earth 2016, 7, 397 -414.
AMA StyleEdoardo A. C. Costantini, Cristina Branquinho, Alice Nunes, Gudrun Schwilch, Ilan Stavi, Alejandro Valdecantos, Claudio Zucca. Soil indicators to assess the effectiveness of restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems. Solid Earth. 2016; 7 (2):397-414.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEdoardo A. C. Costantini; Cristina Branquinho; Alice Nunes; Gudrun Schwilch; Ilan Stavi; Alejandro Valdecantos; Claudio Zucca. 2016. "Soil indicators to assess the effectiveness of restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems." Solid Earth 7, no. 2: 397-414.
Biophysical restoration or rehabilitation measures of land have demonstrated to be effective in many scientific projects and small-scale environmental experiments. However circumstances such as poverty, weak policies, or inefficient scientific knowledge transmission can hinder the effective upscaling of land restoration and the long term maintenance of proven sustainable use of soil and water. This may be especially worrisome in lands with harsh environmental conditions. This review covers recent efforts in landscape restoration and rehabilitation with a functional perspective aiming to simultaneously achieve ecosystem sustainability, economic efficiency, and social wellbeing. Water management and rehabilitation of ecosystem services in croplands, rangelands, forests, and coastlands are reviewed. The joint analysis of such diverse ecosystems provides a wide perspective to determine: (i) multifaceted impacts on biophysical and socio-economic factors; and (ii) elements influencing effective upscaling of sustainable land management practices. One conclusion can be highlighted: voluntary adoption is based on different pillars, i.e. external material and economic support, and spread of success information at the local scale to demonstrate the multidimensional benefits of sustainable land management. For the successful upscaling of land management, more attention must be paid to the social system from the first involvement stage, up to the long term maintenance.
Maria Jose Marques; Gudrun Schwilch; Nina Lauterburg; Stephen Crittenden; Mehreteab Tesfai; Jannes Stolte; Pandi Zdruli; Claudio Zucca; Thorunn Petursdottir; Niki Evelpidou; Anna Karkani; Yasemen AsliYilmazgil; Thomas Panagopoulos; Eshetu Yirdaw; Markku Kanninen; Jose Luis Rubio; Ute Schmiedel; Adrian Doko. Multifaceted Impacts of Sustainable Land Management in Drylands: A Review. Sustainability 2016, 8, 177 .
AMA StyleMaria Jose Marques, Gudrun Schwilch, Nina Lauterburg, Stephen Crittenden, Mehreteab Tesfai, Jannes Stolte, Pandi Zdruli, Claudio Zucca, Thorunn Petursdottir, Niki Evelpidou, Anna Karkani, Yasemen AsliYilmazgil, Thomas Panagopoulos, Eshetu Yirdaw, Markku Kanninen, Jose Luis Rubio, Ute Schmiedel, Adrian Doko. Multifaceted Impacts of Sustainable Land Management in Drylands: A Review. Sustainability. 2016; 8 (2):177.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Jose Marques; Gudrun Schwilch; Nina Lauterburg; Stephen Crittenden; Mehreteab Tesfai; Jannes Stolte; Pandi Zdruli; Claudio Zucca; Thorunn Petursdottir; Niki Evelpidou; Anna Karkani; Yasemen AsliYilmazgil; Thomas Panagopoulos; Eshetu Yirdaw; Markku Kanninen; Jose Luis Rubio; Ute Schmiedel; Adrian Doko. 2016. "Multifaceted Impacts of Sustainable Land Management in Drylands: A Review." Sustainability 8, no. 2: 177.
Soil salinity management can be complex, expensive, and time demanding, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Besides taking no action, possible management strategies include amelioration and adaptation measures. Here we apply the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) framework for the systematic analysis and evaluation and selection of soil salinisation amelioration technologies in close collaboration with stakeholders. The participatory approach is applied in the RECARE (Preventing and Remediating degradation of soils in Europe through Land Care) project case study of Timpaki, a semi-arid region in south-central Crete (Greece) where the main land use is horticulture in greenhouses irrigated by groundwater. Excessive groundwater abstractions have resulted in a drop of the groundwater level in the coastal part of the aquifer, thus leading to seawater intrusion and in turn to soil salinisation. The documented technologies are evaluated for their impacts on ecosystem services, cost, and input requirements using a participatory approach and field evaluations. Results show that technologies which promote maintaining existing crop types while enhancing productivity and decreasing soil salinity are preferred by the stakeholders. The evaluation concludes that rainwater harvesting is the optimal solution for direct soil salinity mitigation, as it addresses a wider range of ecosystem and human well-being benefits. Nevertheless, this merit is offset by poor financial motivation making agronomic measures more attractive to users.
I. S. Panagea; I. N. Daliakopoulos; I. K. Tsanis; G. Schwilch. Evaluation of promising technologies for soil salinity amelioration in Timpaki (Crete): a participatory approach. Solid Earth 2016, 7, 177 -190.
AMA StyleI. S. Panagea, I. N. Daliakopoulos, I. K. Tsanis, G. Schwilch. Evaluation of promising technologies for soil salinity amelioration in Timpaki (Crete): a participatory approach. Solid Earth. 2016; 7 (1):177-190.
Chicago/Turabian StyleI. S. Panagea; I. N. Daliakopoulos; I. K. Tsanis; G. Schwilch. 2016. "Evaluation of promising technologies for soil salinity amelioration in Timpaki (Crete): a participatory approach." Solid Earth 7, no. 1: 177-190.
Soil indicators may be used for assessing both land suitability for restoration and the effectiveness of restoration strategies in restoring ecosystem functioning and services. In this review paper, several soil indicators, which can be used to assess the effectiveness of restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems at different spatial and temporal scales, are discussed. The selected indicators represent the different viewpoints of pedology, ecology, hydrology, and land management. The recovery of soil capacity to provide ecosystem services is primarily obtained by increasing soil rooting depth and volume, and augmenting water accessibility for vegetation. Soil characteristics can be used either as indicators of suitability, that is, inherently slow-changing soil qualities, or as indicators for modifications, namely dynamic, thus "manageable" soil qualities. Soil organic matter forms, as well as biochemistry, micro- and meso-biology, are among the most utilized dynamic indicators. On broader territorial scales, the Landscape Function Analysis uses a functional approach, where the effectiveness of restoration strategies is assessed by combining the analysis of spatial pattern of vegetation with qualitative soil indicators. For more holistic and comprehensive projects, effective strategies to combat desertification should integrate soil indicators with biophysical and socio-economic evaluation and include participatory approaches. The integrated assessment protocol of Sustainable Land Management developed by the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies network is thoroughly discussed. Two overall outcomes stem from the review: (i) the success of restoration projects relies on a proper understanding of their ecology, namely the relationships between soil, plants, hydrology, climate, and land management at different scales, which is particularly complex due to the heterogeneous pattern of ecosystems functioning in drylands, and (ii) the selection of the most suitable soil indicators follows a clear identification of the different and sometimes competing ecosystem services that the project is aimed at restoring.
E. A. C. Costantini; C. Branquinho; A. Nunes; G. Schwilch; I. Stavi; A. Valdecantos; C. Zucca. Soil indicators to assess the effectiveness of restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems. Solid Earth Discussions 2015, 1 .
AMA StyleE. A. C. Costantini, C. Branquinho, A. Nunes, G. Schwilch, I. Stavi, A. Valdecantos, C. Zucca. Soil indicators to assess the effectiveness of restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems. Solid Earth Discussions. 2015; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleE. A. C. Costantini; C. Branquinho; A. Nunes; G. Schwilch; I. Stavi; A. Valdecantos; C. Zucca. 2015. "Soil indicators to assess the effectiveness of restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems." Solid Earth Discussions , no. : 1.
Perceived profitability is a key factor in explaining farmers' decision to adopt or not adopt sustainable land management (SLM) technologies. Despite this importance, relatively little is known about the economics of SLM. This paper contributes to the literature by analysing data on costs and perceived cost/benefit ratios of SLM technologies. Data are taken from the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) technology database and cover 363 case studies conducted in a variety of countries between 1990 and 2012. Based on an in‐depth descriptive analysis we determine what costs accrue to local stakeholders and assess perceived short‐ and long‐term cost/benefit ratios. Our results show that a large majority of the technologies in our sample are perceived as being profitable: 73% were perceived to have a positive or at least neutral cost/benefit ratio in the short‐term, while 97% were perceived to have a positive or very positive cost/benefit ratio in the long‐term. An additional empirical analysis confirms that economic factors are key determinants of land users' decisions to adopt or not adopt SLM technologies. We conclude that a wide range of existing SLM practices generate considerable benefits not only for land users, but for other stakeholders as well. High initial investment costs associated with some practices may, however, constitute a barrier to their adoption; short‐term support for land users can help to promote these practices where appropriate. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Markus Giger; Hanspeter Liniger; Caspar Sauter; Gudrun Schwilch. Economic Benefits and Costs of Sustainable Land Management Technologies: An Analysis of WOCAT's Global Data. Land Degradation & Development 2015, 29, 962 -974.
AMA StyleMarkus Giger, Hanspeter Liniger, Caspar Sauter, Gudrun Schwilch. Economic Benefits and Costs of Sustainable Land Management Technologies: An Analysis of WOCAT's Global Data. Land Degradation & Development. 2015; 29 (4):962-974.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarkus Giger; Hanspeter Liniger; Caspar Sauter; Gudrun Schwilch. 2015. "Economic Benefits and Costs of Sustainable Land Management Technologies: An Analysis of WOCAT's Global Data." Land Degradation & Development 29, no. 4: 962-974.
Soil salinity management can be complex, expensive and time demanding, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Besides taking no action, possible management strategies include amelioration and adaptation measures. Here we use the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) framework for the systematic analysis and evaluation of soil salinisation amelioration technologies in close collaboration with stakeholders. The participatory approach is applied in the RECARE Project Case Study of Timpaki, a semi-arid region in south-central Crete (Greece) where the main land use is horticulture in greenhouses irrigated by groundwater. Excessive groundwater abstractions have resulted in a drop of the groundwater level in the coastal part of the aquifer, thus leading to seawater intrusion and in turn to soil salinisation. The documented technologies are evaluated for their impacts on ecosystem services, cost and input requirements using a participatory approach and field evaluations. Results show that technologies which promote maintaining existing crop types while enhancing productivity and decreasing soil salinity are preferred by the stakeholders. The evaluation concludes that rain water harvesting is the optimal solution for direct soil salinity mitigation, whereas green manuring and the use of biological agents can support increasing production/efficiency and improving soil properties.
I. S. Panagea; I. N. Daliakopoulos; I. K. Tsanis; G. Schwilch. Evaluation of soil salinity amelioration technologies in Timpaki, Crete: a participatory approach. Solid Earth Discussions 2015, 7, 177 -190.
AMA StyleI. S. Panagea, I. N. Daliakopoulos, I. K. Tsanis, G. Schwilch. Evaluation of soil salinity amelioration technologies in Timpaki, Crete: a participatory approach. Solid Earth Discussions. 2015; 7 (1):177-190.
Chicago/Turabian StyleI. S. Panagea; I. N. Daliakopoulos; I. K. Tsanis; G. Schwilch. 2015. "Evaluation of soil salinity amelioration technologies in Timpaki, Crete: a participatory approach." Solid Earth Discussions 7, no. 1: 177-190.
In Nepal, changing demographic patterns are leading to changes in land use. The high level of outmigration of men in the hills of Kaski District, Western Development Region of Nepal, is affecting the household structure but also land management. Land is often abandoned, as the burden on those left behind is too high. How do these developments affect the state of the land in terms of land degradation? To find out, we studied land degradation, land abandonment caused by outmigration, and existing sustainable land management practices in a subwatershed in Kaski District. Mapping was done using the methodology of the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT). While previous studies expected land abandonment to exacerbate slope erosion, we demonstrate in this paper that it is in fact leading to an increase in vegetation cover due to favourable conditions for ecosystem recovery. However, negative impacts are several, including the increase of invasive species harmful to livestock and a decline in soil fertility. Traditional land management practices such as terraces and forest management exist. To date, however, these measures fail to take account of the changing population dynamics in the region, making the question of how migration and land degradation are linked worth revisiting
S. Jaquet; G. Schwilch; F. Hartung-Hofmann; A. Adhikari; K. Sudmeier-Rieux; G. Shrestha; H.P. Liniger; T. Kohler. Does outmigration lead to land degradation? Labour shortage and land management in a western Nepal watershed. Applied Geography 2015, 62, 157 -170.
AMA StyleS. Jaquet, G. Schwilch, F. Hartung-Hofmann, A. Adhikari, K. Sudmeier-Rieux, G. Shrestha, H.P. Liniger, T. Kohler. Does outmigration lead to land degradation? Labour shortage and land management in a western Nepal watershed. Applied Geography. 2015; 62 ():157-170.
Chicago/Turabian StyleS. Jaquet; G. Schwilch; F. Hartung-Hofmann; A. Adhikari; K. Sudmeier-Rieux; G. Shrestha; H.P. Liniger; T. Kohler. 2015. "Does outmigration lead to land degradation? Labour shortage and land management in a western Nepal watershed." Applied Geography 62, no. : 157-170.
Healthy soils are critical to agriculture, and both are essential to enabling food security. Soil-related challenges include using soils and other natural resources sustainably, combating land and soil degradation, avoiding further reduction of soil-related ecosystem services, and ensuring that all agricultural land is managed sustainably. Agricultural challenges include improving the quantity and quality of agricultural outputs to satisfy rising human needs, also in a 2 degrees world; maintaining diversity in agricultural systems while supporting those farms with the highest potential for closing existing yield gaps; and providing a livelihood for about 2.6 billion mostly poor land users. The greatest needs and potentials lie in small-scale farming, although there as elsewhere, trade-offs must be negotiated within the nexus of water, energy, land and food, including the role of soil therein
Hans Hurni; Markus Giger; Hanspeter Liniger; Rima Mekdaschi Studer; Peter Messerli; Brigitte Portner; Gudrun Schwilch; Bettina Wolfgramm; Thomas Breu. Soils, agriculture and food security: the interplay between ecosystem functioning and human well-being. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 2015, 15, 25 -34.
AMA StyleHans Hurni, Markus Giger, Hanspeter Liniger, Rima Mekdaschi Studer, Peter Messerli, Brigitte Portner, Gudrun Schwilch, Bettina Wolfgramm, Thomas Breu. Soils, agriculture and food security: the interplay between ecosystem functioning and human well-being. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 2015; 15 ():25-34.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHans Hurni; Markus Giger; Hanspeter Liniger; Rima Mekdaschi Studer; Peter Messerli; Brigitte Portner; Gudrun Schwilch; Bettina Wolfgramm; Thomas Breu. 2015. "Soils, agriculture and food security: the interplay between ecosystem functioning and human well-being." Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 15, no. : 25-34.
With the increasing pressure to improve the contribution of forests to help dealing with global changes, it is critical to understand the different perceptions of those involved in the forest. How do forest owners, managers andmembers of local communitieswho often depend on the forest, value it and what are the problems affecting the forests in terms of being able to meet these new challenges? In Portugal, this task has taken on an even greater priority as more than 90% of the forest is private and forest management relies on the individual decisions of thousands of forest owners. To understand stakeholder views on forest and forest management, a transversal social perception survey was implemented in the form of a case study of central Portugal which included decision-makers, local technicians, forest owners and the general public. The results show that there is a consensus on the main issues affecting forests and forest management. A shift from classic forest owners to the emergence of indifferent forest owners was observed, although this shift has not been recognized by the forest owners in the survey, who maintain the individual management of their properties
Sandra Valente; Celeste Coelho; Cristina Ribeiro; Hanspeter Liniger; Gudrun Schwilch; Elisabete Figueiredo; Felicitas Bachmann. How much management is enough? Stakeholder views on forest management in fire-prone areas in central Portugal. Forest Policy and Economics 2015, 53, 1 -11.
AMA StyleSandra Valente, Celeste Coelho, Cristina Ribeiro, Hanspeter Liniger, Gudrun Schwilch, Elisabete Figueiredo, Felicitas Bachmann. How much management is enough? Stakeholder views on forest management in fire-prone areas in central Portugal. Forest Policy and Economics. 2015; 53 ():1-11.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSandra Valente; Celeste Coelho; Cristina Ribeiro; Hanspeter Liniger; Gudrun Schwilch; Elisabete Figueiredo; Felicitas Bachmann. 2015. "How much management is enough? Stakeholder views on forest management in fire-prone areas in central Portugal." Forest Policy and Economics 53, no. : 1-11.
Managing land sustainably is a huge challenge, especially under harsh climatic conditions such as those found in drylands. The socio-economic situation can also pose challenges, as dryland regions are often characterized by remoteness, marginality, low-productive farming, weak institutions, and even conflict. With threats from climate change, disputes over water, competing claims on land, and migration increasing worldwide, the demands for sustainable land management (SLM) measures will only increase in the future. Within the EU-funded DESIRE project, researchers and stakeholders jointly identified existing SLM technologies and approaches in 17 dryland study sites located in the Mediterranean and around the world. In order to evaluate and share this valuable SLM experience, local researchers documented the SLM technologies and approaches in collaboration with land users, utilizing the internationally recognized WOCAT questionnaires. This article provides an analysis of 30 technologies and 8 approaches, enabling an initial evaluation of how SLM addresses prevalent dryland threats, such as water scarcity, soil degradation, vegetation degradation and low production, climate change, resource use conflicts, and migration. Among the impacts attributed to the documented technologies, those mentioned most were diversified and enhanced production and better management of water and soil degradation, whether through water harvesting, improving soil moisture, or reducing runoff. Favorable local-scale cost–benefit relationships were mainly found when considered over the long term. Nevertheless, SLM was found to improve people’s livelihoods and prevent further outmigration. More field research is needed to reinforce expert assessments of SLM impacts and provide the necessary evidence-based rationale for investing in SLM.
Gudrun Schwilch; Hanspeter Liniger; Hans Hurni. Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Practices in Drylands: How Do They Address Desertification Threats? Environmental Management 2013, 54, 983 -1004.
AMA StyleGudrun Schwilch, Hanspeter Liniger, Hans Hurni. Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Practices in Drylands: How Do They Address Desertification Threats? Environmental Management. 2013; 54 (5):983-1004.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGudrun Schwilch; Hanspeter Liniger; Hans Hurni. 2013. "Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Practices in Drylands: How Do They Address Desertification Threats?" Environmental Management 54, no. 5: 983-1004.