Quantification of landscape multifunctionality based on farm functionality indices

The term multifunctionality is used to indicate that agricultural landscapes simultanously provide goods and services (functions) e.g., food security, livelihood opportunities, life support system maintenance, and space for cultural and recreational activities (O'Farrell & Anderson 2010). Different landscapes differ in the capacity to provide such goods and services (Willemen et al. 2008).

The quantification of different functions in comparable units is challenging. Willemen et al. (2010) presented a top-down method in which interactions of functions are quantified based on national survey data. We present a bottom-up method in which landscape multifunctionality is quantified by using functional indices developed from farm questionaire data. The interview survey comprised 382 farms in a rural area of Denmark.

The functional classes included in the method are: (1) production, (2) residence, (3) wildlife habitats, and (4) recreation. At farm level each of these functions is defined by data on a number of farmers’ activities as well as farm characteristics which can be harvested by a selection of the interview questions. The selected interview questions are attached as indicators to the relevant function. A score spectrum is assigned to each indicator to enable a representation of its relative contribution to the function on each farm depending on the question responses from the interviewees. The values for each indicator are weighted in relation to each of the others and all the values are summed to create an index for each function. The combination of indices for the four functions represents the farm's functional profile.

The scores of the four functions from each of the 382 farms are mapped to show the results of the functional distribution at landscape level. From the maps functional hotspot and according coldspots are identified. The distribution of functions is compared with the landscapes biophysical factors to identify structural-functional correlations. ( 281 words)

Keywords: multifunctionality, quantification, landscape, functional distribution


References
O’Farrell PJ, Andersen PML, 2010. Sustainable multifunctional landscapes: a review to implementation. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 2:59-65.
Willemen L, Verburg PH, Hein L, Van Mensvoort MEF, 2008. Spatial characterization of landscape functions. Landscape and Urban Planning 88:34-43.
Willemen L, Hein L, Van Mensvoort MEF, Verburg PH, 2010. Space for people, plant, and livestock? Quantifying interactions among multiple landscape functions in a Dutch rural region. Ecological Indicators 10:62-73.