Classification of agricultural land management systems for global modeling of biodiversity and ecosystem services

Abstract

Global models of biodiversity and ecosystem services base their calculations on land use classifications, where agricultural land is only divided into a few categories of management intensity. These land use classifications were not developed to underpin biodiversity models. This is why crop diversity and the presence of non-crop plants or livestock in agricultural land are not considered in these classifications, despite the effect they have on agrobiodiversity and the supply of ecosystem services. Therefore, the use of these classifications in models results in neglecting current diversified agricultural systems and the effect of diversification practices on biodiversity and ecosystem services. In this paper, we present a new global classification of agricultural land management systems organized as a matrix of diversity and intensity ranges. The classification is based on a literature review and expert interviews and is illustrated by examples of agricultural systems around the world. This classification is a first step to build land use and land cover maps that consider diversified agricultural systems, which could then be used by global biodiversity and ecosystem services models. The matrix structure of the classification makes it flexible and adjustable to use for different purposes, such as exploring the potential of preserving biodiversity in agricultural land through land-use scenarios or assessing trade-offs between intensity and diversity.