Managing multi-scale diversity to support multiple ecosystem services in complex landscapes

Title	Managing multi-scale diversity to support multiple ecosystem services in complex landscapes
Publication Type	Conference Paper
Year of Publication	2007
Authors	Havstad K, Herrick JE, Bestelmeyer BT, Huber-Sannwald B.T., Liberman M., Ayarza M., Brown JR, Reynolds J.F
Conference Name	Ecological Complexity and Sustainability Abstracts of EcoSummit 2007
Date Published	May 22-26, 2007
Conference Location	Beijing, China
ARIS Log Number	212145
Keywords	diversity, ecosystem, landscapes, LUC, natur, scale
Abstract	Landscapes around the world are undergoing dramatic changes in response to agricultural intensification, expansion, and abandonment. These changes can simultaneously increase and reduce diversity at different scales. The objective of this paper is to explore the relative importance of the nature, scale and pattern of these changes in determining the effects of land use change (LUC) on ecosystem services including food and fiber production, soil and water conservation and carbon sequestration. We will briefly describe three case studies that illustrate the value of considering diversity at multiple scales when assess the effects of LUC in global agroecosystems. These case studies include (1) expansion and mechanization of quinoa production in the southern altiplano of Bolivia, (2) adoption of an agroforestry system in western Honduras and the potential effects of increased livestock use of crop residues, and (3) agricultural land abandonment and changes inland use patterns in northern Mexico. We will also consider how studying the effects of land use changes at different scales can lead to very different conclusions about their effects on different ecosystem services.