Felix Kienast

Assessing Landscape Functions with Broad-Scale Environmental Data: Insights Gained from a Prototype Development for Europe

We examine the advantages and disadvantages of a methodological framework designed to analyze the poorly understood relationships between the ecosystem properties of large portions of land, and their capacities (stocks) to provide goods and services (flows). These capacities (stocks) are referred to as landscape functions. The core of our assessment is a set of expert- and literature-driven binary links, expressing whether specific land uses or other environmental properties have a supportive or neutral role for given landscape functions. The binary links were applied to the environmental properties of 581 administrative units of Europe with widely differing environmental conditions and this resulted in a spatially explicit landscape function assessment. To check under what circumstances the binary links are able to replace complex interrelations, we compared the landscape function maps with independently generated continent-wide assessments (maps of ecosystem services or environmental parameters/indicators). This rigorous testing revealed that for 9 out of 15 functions the straightforward binary links work satisfactorily and generate plausible geographical patterns. This conclusion holds primarily for production functions. The sensitivity of the nine landscape functions to changes in land use was assessed with four land use scenarios (IPCC SRES). It was found that most European regions maintain their capacity to provide the selected services under any of the four scenarios, although in some cases at other locations within the region. At the proposed continental scale, the selected input parameters are thus valid proxies which can be used to assess the mid-term potential of landscapes to provide goods and services.

Balancing Forest-Regeneration Probabilities and Maintenance Costs in Dry Grasslands of High Conservation Priority

Abandonment of agricultural land has resulted in forest regeneration in species-rich dry grasslands across European mountain regions and threatens conservation efforts in this vegetation type. To support national conservation strategies, we used a site-selection algorithm (MARXAN) to find optimum sets of floristic regions (reporting units) that contain grasslands of high conservation priority. We sought optimum sets that would accommodate 136 important dry-grassland species and that would minimize forest regeneration and costs of management needed to forestall predicted forest regeneration. We did not consider other conservation elements of dry grasslands, such as animal species richness, cultural heritage, and changes due to climate change. Optimal sets that included 95-100% of the dry grassland species encompassed an average of 56-59 floristic regions (standard deviation, SD 5). This is about 15% of approximately 400 floristic regions that contain dry-grassland sites and translates to 4800-5300 ha of dry grassland out of a total of approximately 23,000 ha for the entire study area. Projected costs to manage the grasslands in these optimum sets ranged from CHF (Swiss francs) 5.2 to 6.0 million/year. This is only 15-20% of the current total estimated cost of approximately CHF30-45 million/year required if all dry grasslands were to be protected. The grasslands of the optimal sets may be viewed as core sites in a national conservation strategy.

Renewable energy sources: conflicts and opportunities in a changing landscape

Abstract Replacement of conventional energy sources with renewables such as solar panels and wind turbines requires adequate land. Impact assessments should be conducted to identify sites exhibiting least conflict with current and future land-uses and corresponding ecosystem services. We assessed the electricity potential and geographical distribution of wind turbines and solar panels for current land-use and under three Swiss land-change scenarios. The future scenario A2 with limited construction regulations, a liberalized market and more building surfaces increases the electricity potential of solar panels by 69% from 16.6xa0TWh (potential under current land-use and regulations) to a future 28.2xa0TWh. An increase of approximately 26% electricity potential from solar panels is expected for scenario B2 (regionalized economy) and the trend scenario. Wind-electricity potential could increase by 61% from 93 to 150xa0TWh under A2, and 29% under a B2 or trend scenario. The electricity potential for solar panels remains largely unaffected by conflicts with ecosystem services, but electricity production from wind could be reduced by as much as 98% due to conflicts with ecosystem services. Depending on the scenario used, low-conflict sites for solar panels and wind turbines could contribute between 85% (trend and B2 scenario) and >100% (A2 scenario) to the Swiss energy target of generating 25xa0TWh from new renewable energy sources by 2050. This includes expected technological developments. Positive impacts of sustainable energy production on regional economies are moderate and will not lead to strong changes in regional-economic development.

Using remote-sensing data to assess habitat selection of a declining passerine at two spatial scales

ContextDetailed information on habitat needs is integral to identify conservation measures for declining species. However, field data on habitat structure is typically limited in extent. Remote sensing has the potential to overcome these limitations of field-based studies.ObjectiveWe aimed to assess abiotic and biotic characteristics of territories used by the declining wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix), a forest-interior migratory passerine, at two spatial scales by evaluating a priori expectations of habitat selection patterns.MethodsFirst, territories established by males before pairing, referred to as pre-breeding territories, were compared to pseudo-absence control areas located in the wider forested landscape (first spatial scale, Nterritoriesxa0=xa066, Ncontrolsxa0=xa066). Second, breeding territories of paired wood warblers were compared to true-absence control areas located immediately close-by in the forest (second spatial scale, Nterritoriesxa0=xa078, Ncontrolsxa0=xa078). Habitat variables predominantly described forest structure and were mainly based on first and last pulse lidar (light detection and ranging) data.ResultsOccurrence of pre-breeding territories was related to vegetation height, vertical diversity and stratification, canopy cover, inclination and solar radiation. Occurrence of breeding territories was associated to vegetation height, vertical diversity and inclination.ConclusionsTerritory selection at the two spatial scales addressed was governed by similar factors. With respect to conservation, habitat suitability for wood warblers could be retained by maintaining a shifting mosaic of stand ages and structures at large spatial scales. Moreover, leaf-off lidar variables have the potential to contribute to understanding the ecological niche of species in predominantly deciduous forests.

Landscape ecology meets landscape science

Landscape ecology is a broad field in a patchwork of related disciplines. Giving landscape ecology a definition and delimiting it from related research areas is both a challenge and a necessity. Past endeavors have focused on expert opinions, analyses of published papers, and conference proceedings. We used a mix of all three, including a unique keyword analysis in two leading landscape-related journals, to highlight latest developments in landscape ecology between 2010 and 2013. Our analysis confirms the key topics of Wu (Landscape Ecol 28(1):1–11, 2013), and suggests that of those connectivity is dominating in terms of research output. However, we also found evidence that the borders of the journal Landscape Ecology are fuzzier than sketched in recent publications. There is a large overlap with the journal Landscape and Urban Planning, and in general a growing weight of conservation, landscape management, and planning related issues in the landscape ecology community. We conclude by encouraging the continued inclusion and strengthening of socio-ecological hot topics such as urban studies and landscape-human interactions in landscape ecological studies and subsequently in the journal landscape ecology.

Messung der Zersiedelung ermöglicht Monitoring und stärkere Berücksichtigung in der Planung

Die steigende Zersiedelung hat gravierende langfristige Auswirkungen. Daher sollte Zersiedelung in der Stadt- und Regionalplanung kunftig vermieden werden. Dieses Kapitel klart die Definition von Zersiedelung und stellt eine Methode zur Messung der Zersiedelung vor (Z bzw. Weighted Urban Proliferation, WUP). Quantitative Angaben zur Zersiedelung werden dazu benotigt, um die Wirksamkeit von Masnahmen und Verordnungen zu uberprufen, die zur Begrenzung der Zersiedelung dienen sollen. Vier Beispiele illustrieren den Grad der Zersiedelung in Deutschland, in der Schweiz, in Europa und in zwei Stadtregionen aus Nordamerika (Montreal und Quebec City, im Vergleich mit Zurich). Die Messgrose Z kann beim Vergleich von Planungsalternativen eingesetzt werden: Planer und Entscheidungstrager konnen Zersiedelung kunftig vermeiden, indem sie verschiedene Planungsszenarien hinsichtlich ihres Beitrags zur Erhohung oder Verringerung der Zersiedelung vergleichen. Daten zum Grad der Zersiedelung sind auserdem nutzlich fur die Umweltbeobachtung und fur die Einfuhrung von Ziel- und Grenzwerten fur die Zersiedelung. Es ist zu erwarten, dass die Zersiedelung in Deutschland, in der Schweiz und in Europa generell weiter ansteigen wird. Daher lauft in der Schweiz derzeit die Volksinitiative „Zersiedelung stoppen – fur eine nachhaltige Siedlungsentwicklung“. Sie wurde am 21. Oktober 2016 bei der Bundeskanzlei eingereicht und wird demnachst zur Abstimmung kommen. Dieses Kapitel stellt abschliesend die Initiative vor, da sie Ausdruck eines steigenden Problembewusstseins in der Bevolkerung ist und Hoffnung gibt, das Problem der Zersiedelung kunftig besser zu vermeiden.

Generating meaningful landscapes for globalized mobile societies: pushing an international research agenda

ContextPeople’s well-being is influenced by the ability to establish a bond with a place and attach meanings to it. Many studies show that the longer people reside in a place, the stronger their place attachment becomes. In today’s global societies, the length of residency is vastly reduced because of, e.g., individualistic lifestyles, global workplaces and forced migration (e.g., caused by war or climate change). This trend challenges landscape science: people increasingly need places (landscapes) that can be appropriated easily and quickly by many cultural groups. At the same time, however, these places should not simply become trivial and exchangeable.ObjectivesPlace attachment/place making studies have become popular in landscape science. However, we have identified a deficit in both the development and application of theory. The research agenda proposed here shall initiate a fundamental discourse on balancing the demands of a global society with the requirements for sustainable landscapes.MethodsLiterature review.Results/conclusionsWe propose a research agenda with the following pillars: (1) to expand theories and concepts of place attachment, to accommodate the new and unprecedented drivers generated by 21st century mobile societies, (2) to improve the understanding of how landscapes afford place attachment and identity-building in both long- and short-term resident and migrant groups, and (3) to establish scientific knowledge on the inclusive role of landscapes. Proposed research methods range from qualitative social science studies, in situ interviews and psychological experiments to the use of social media data and 3D landscape visualization tools.