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Landscape Agroecology. The Dysfunctionalities of Industrial Agriculture and the Loss of the Circular Bioeconomy in the Barcelona Region, 1956–2009

Author

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  • Claudio Cattaneo

    (Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Jostova 10, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
    Barcelona Institute of Metropolitan and Regional Studies, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08195 Bellaterra, Spain)

  • Joan Marull

    (Barcelona Institute of Metropolitan and Regional Studies, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08195 Bellaterra, Spain)

  • Enric Tello

    (Department of Economic History, Institutions, Policy and World Economy, University of Barcelona, 08034 Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

The paper analyses how between 1956 and 2009 the agrarian metabolism of the Barcelona Metropolitan Region (BMR) has become less functional, losing circularity in biomass flows and in relationship to its landscape. We do so by adopting a Multi-Energy Return on Investment (EROI) and flow-fund (MuSIASEM) analyses and the nexus with landscape functional structure. The study of agricultural flows of Final Produce, Biomass Reused and External Inputs is integrated with that of land use, livestock, power capacity, and population changes between 1956 (at the beginning of agrarian industrialization) and 2009 (fully industrialized agriculture). A multi-scale analysis is conducted at the landscape scale (seven counties within the Barcelona metropolitan region) as well as for the functions deployed, within an agroecosystem, by the mutual interactions between its funds (landscape, land-uses, livestock, and farming population). A complex nexus between land, livestock, dietary patterns, and energy needs is shown; we conclude that, from the perspective of the circular bioeconomy the agrarian sector has gone worse hand in hand with the landscape functional structure. Therefore, a novel perspective in landscape agroecology is opened.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudio Cattaneo & Joan Marull & Enric Tello, 2018. "Landscape Agroecology. The Dysfunctionalities of Industrial Agriculture and the Loss of the Circular Bioeconomy in the Barcelona Region, 1956–2009," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-22, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4722-:d:189773
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Zeke Marshall & Paul E. Brockway, 2020. "A Net Energy Analysis of the Global Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing and Forestry System," Biophysical Economics and Resource Quality, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 1-27, June.
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    5. Koppiahraj Karuppiah & Bathrinath Sankaranarayanan & Syed Mithun Ali & Ernesto D. R. Santibanez Gonzalez, 2023. "Impact of Circular Bioeconomy on Industry’s Sustainable Performance: A Critical Literature Review and Future Research Directions Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-17, July.
    6. G. Venkatesh, 2022. "Circular Bio-economy—Paradigm for the Future: Systematic Review of Scientific Journal Publications from 2015 to 2021," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    7. Padró, R. & Marco, I. & Font, C. & Tello, E., 2019. "Beyond Chayanov: A sustainable agroecological farm reproductive analysis of peasant domestic units and rural communities (Sentmenat; Catalonia, 1860)," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 227-239.
    8. Biao Li & Yunting Feng & Xiqiang Xia & Mengjie Feng, 2021. "Evaluation of China’s Circular Agriculture Performance and Analysis of the Driving Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, February.
    9. Marull, Joan & Padró, Roc & Cirera, Jacob & Giocoli, Annalisa & Pons, Manel & Tello, Enric, 2021. "A socioecological integrated analysis of the Barcelona metropolitan agricultural landscapes," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
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