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Assessing Ecosystem Services Supplied by Agroecosystems in Mediterranean Europe: A Literature Review

Author

Listed:
  • Mario V. Balzan

    (Institute of Applied Sciences, Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, Triq Kordin, PLA9032 Paola, Malta)

  • Renata Sadula

    (Institute of Applied Sciences, Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, Triq Kordin, PLA9032 Paola, Malta)

  • Laura Scalvenzi

    (Institute of Applied Sciences, Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, Triq Kordin, PLA9032 Paola, Malta
    Department of Earth Science, Agroindustrial Engineering, Universidad Estatal Amazonica, Via Puyo-Tena km 2 1/2 paso lateral, Puyo EC160150, Ecuador)

Abstract

Agricultural landscapes in the Mediterranean region may be considered as social-ecological systems that are important for biodiversity conservation whilst contributing to a wide range of ecosystem services. This literature review aims to identify the current state and biases of ecosystem service assessment in agroecosystems within the Mediterranean region, evaluate pressures impacting on agroecosystems and their services, and practices that promote ecosystem service synergies in Mediterranean agroecosystems. A total of 41 papers were selected for analysis from a set of 573 potentially relevant papers. Most of the selected papers focused on supporting, regulating and provisioning services, and mostly assessed ecosystem structure or services in the European Mediterranean context. Literature about benefits and values ascribed to by communities and stakeholders remain limited. Results presented here support the notion of multifunctional Mediterranean agroecosystems and multiple synergies were recorded in this review. Publications dealing with pressures that related to agricultural practices and demographic changes were in the majority and impact on different cropping systems. This review highlights the need to carry out integrated ecosystem service assessments that consider the multiple benefits derived from agroecosystems and which may be used to identify management practices that lead to the improvement of ecosystem services capacities and flows.

Suggested Citation

  • Mario V. Balzan & Renata Sadula & Laura Scalvenzi, 2020. "Assessing Ecosystem Services Supplied by Agroecosystems in Mediterranean Europe: A Literature Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-21, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:8:p:245-:d:390231
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Santana-Cordero, Aarón M. & Ariza, Eduard & Romagosa, Francesc, 2016. "Studying the historical evolution of ecosystem services to inform management policies for developed shorelines," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 18-29.
    2. Willaarts, Bárbara A. & Volk, Martin & Aguilera, Pedro A., 2012. "Assessing the ecosystem services supplied by freshwater flows in Mediterranean agroecosystems," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 21-31.
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    5. Balzan, Mario V & Caruana, Julio & Zammit, Annrica, 2018. "Assessing the capacity and flow of ecosystem services in multifunctional landscapes: Evidence of a rural-urban gradient in a Mediterranean small island state," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 711-725.
    6. Baró, Francesc & Gómez-Baggethun, Erik & Haase, Dagmar, 2017. "Ecosystem service bundles along the urban-rural gradient: Insights for landscape planning and management," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 147-159.
    7. Soy-Massoni, Emma & Langemeyer, Johannes & Varga, Diego & Sáez, Marc & Pintó, Josep, 2016. "The importance of ecosystem services in coastal agricultural landscapes: Case study from the Costa Brava, Catalonia," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 43-52.
    8. Holman, I.P. & Brown, C & Janes, V & Sandars, D, 2017. "Can we be certain about future land use change in Europe? A multi-scenario, integrated-assessment analysis," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 126-135.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Dimitrios P. Platis & Eleni Papoui & Filippos Bantis & Andreas Katsiotis & Athanasios Koukounaras & Andreas P. Mamolos & Konstadinos Mattas, 2023. "Underutilized Vegetable Crops in the Mediterranean Region: A Literature Review of Their Requirements and the Ecosystem Services Provided," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Gricelda Herrera-Franco & Néstor Montalván-Burbano & Carlos Mora-Frank & Lady Bravo-Montero, 2021. "Scientific Research in Ecuador: A Bibliometric Analysis," Publications, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-34, December.
    4. Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa & Carlos Parra-López & Samir Sayadi-Gmada & Jesús M. Barandica & Alejandro J. Rescia, 2020. "Evaluation of the Objectives and Concerns of Farmers to Apply Different Agricultural Managements in Olive Groves: The Case of Estepa Region (Southern, Spain)," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-21, October.
    5. Alexia Stokes & Géraldine Bocquého & Pascal Carrère & Raphaël Conde Salazar & Marc Deconchat & Léo Garcia & Antoine Gardarin & Christian Gary & Cédric Gaucherel & Mamadou Gueye & Mickael Hedde & Franç, 2023. "Services provided by multifunctional agroecosystems : Questions, obstacles and solutions," Post-Print hal-04056486, HAL.
    6. Uta Schirpke & Erich Tasser, 2021. "Trends in Ecosystem Services across Europe Due to Land-Use/Cover Changes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-22, June.
    7. Jarmila Makovníková & Stanislav Kološta & Filip Flaška & Boris Pálka, 2023. "Factors Influencing the Spatial Distribution of Regulating Agro-Ecosystem Services in Agriculture Soils: A Case Study of Slovakia," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-22, April.

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