Landscape Conservation Research Articles

The so-called Mediterranean Wall—a term referring to the system of coastal defenses built between 1936 and 1945 across various Mediterranean countries—exhibits distinct characteristics when compared to the Atlantikwall. Unlike the latter’s continuous and technologically unified design, Mediterranean defenses were fragmented, heterogeneous, and closely adapted to local territorial and environmental conditions. This article analyses the morphology and geographic distribution of these military landscapes in Spain and Italy, approaching them as architectural and landscape heritage with specific material and perceptual features. A two-phase methodology is adopted: the first involves the identification and documentation of existing reuse interventions, supported by fieldwork and archival research; the second presents a comparative evaluation of four selected case studies based on criteria such as restoration practices, accessibility, and landscape integration. The comparative analysis highlights a wide spectrum of adaptive reuse strategies and underscores the multidimensional challenges of valorisation. Rather than treating these structures as static wartime remnants, the article advocates for their reintegration into broader cultural, ecological, and touristic networks. Through a holistic approach combining architectural reuse, inclusive accessibility, and civic participation, the Mediterranean fortifications may be transformed into dynamic sites for memory, interpretation, and environmental awareness—reframing their legacy within contemporary territorial narratives.

Key structural attributes of Mediterranean reforestations for avian diversity conservation: comparisons with mature forests.

Wild dogs (including dingoes, modern dogs and their hybrids; Canis familiaris) and European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are significant environmental and agricultural pests in many parts of Australia. A concerted effort to reduce canid abundance was declared in the early 1900s and ultimately drove the rapid development of new baiting products, best-practice guidelines and improved management. Here, we discuss the evolution of canid management and the current interest by some to use manufactured baits to control canids within production and conservation landscapes. We describe several knowledge gaps surrounding the use of manufactured baits, including questions around aerial baiting efficacy, non-target impacts and the matrix viability. We also propose key research questions that will need to be addressed for us to fully understand the management applications and implications of manufactured baits in effective and integrated management practices.

ABSTRACT Capsule Long-term monitoring revealed density-dependent regulation of a recovering population of White Storks in northern Spain. Aim To analyse long-term changes in the population size, productivity and colony dynamics of the White Stork at the northern edge of its breeding range in Spain. Methods We used breeding data from 1948 to 2024 to obtain population trends, reproductive output and spatial nesting patterns (proportion of isolated versus colonial nests, and nest substrate) in Álava, in northern Spain. Results The population showed a three-phase trajectory: a decline until the early 1980s, followed by a rapid growth through the 2010s, followed by a recent stabilization or slight decline. Colony formation increased with population size, indicating a density-related response, although colonial nesting did not improve reproductive success. Productivity declined with increasing population size and over time, and was higher in nests with presumed site fidelity. Conclusion Our findings suggest that density-dependent factors were now regulating this White Stork population, consistent with patterns reported in other parts of Europe. Anticipated reductions in food availability from landfill closures could limit future population growth. Long-term data are essential to understand population dynamics and to guide adaptive conservation in changing landscapes.

The use of biodiversity surrogates offers a scientifically sound, robust, and cost-efficient approach for supporting conservation strategies over large landscapes. We examined the habitat associations of ground beetles, rove beetles and spiders collected with pitfall traps from 12 undisturbed forest types that conform to different ecosites and ecophases using the ecosite classification system for the boreal mixedwood subregion of Alberta, Canada. A total of 79,578 epigaeic arthropods, representing 370 species, were collected during the summer of 2018. Catches of ground and rove beetles were highest in mesic deciduous forest stands, whereas spider catch was highest in subxeric, open canopy jack pine stands. Species richness and diversity differed among taxa and ecophases; however, evenness for the beetle assemblages increased along the moisture gradient, whereas, for spiders evenness was highest at both ends of the moisture gradient. Geographic location accounted for less variation among arthropod assemblages than ecosite and ecophase. In general, epigaeic arthropod assemblages reflected the environmental variation across the ecosite edatopic grid. Hence, the forest ecosite classification system can be used as a surrogate for epigaeic arthropod assemblage structure across large boreal forest mixedwood landscapes.

ABSTRACT Forest fires play a critical role in determining the ecological and vegetation dynamics of Central India’s deciduous forests. This study evaluates the impact of forest fire on plant diversity in a forest of Central India. Forest fire frequency was assessed using multi-temporal Landsat imagery (Landsat 5, 7, and 8) and validated with MODIS active fire products (MOD14/MYD14). The Phytosociological data were collected through field surveys in the Hoshangabad Forest Division, Madhya Pradesh, India. The results indicate that low fire frequency zones (LFZ) exhibit the highest species diversity and evenness, whereas high fire frequency zones (HFZ) show the lowest, suggesting fire plays a significant role in influencing forest composition. The moderate fire frequency zone (MFZ) shows an intermediate diversity pattern, supporting the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. Frequent fires in HFZ reduce species richness by favoring fire-resistant species such as Diospyros melanoxylon, which dominates across all fire zones, with the highest Importance Value Index (IVI) in HFZ (62.18). Tree density trends reveal that while HFZ has a slightly higher average density than non-fire zones, the reduced diversity suggests a shift toward homogeneous structure. The findings highlight the need for adaptive fire management strategies to balance biodiversity conservation in fire-prone landscapes. Focusing on the tropical dry deciduous forests of Central India, this study underscores the importance of region-specific and forest type-specific assessments, which are essential for developing fire management and biodiversity conservation strategies. This regional perspective not only adds significant value to India’s forest management discourse but also provides critical insights for forest policy and ecological restoration in dry deciduous landscapes, where recurrent fires strongly influence species diversity, forest structure, and regeneration patterns.

Debate has arisen on the use of "re-wilding" to promote biodiversity conservation. We contend that approaches aiming for strict non-intervention to restore "wilderness" may be conceptually inconsistent when applied to human-shaped landscapes. Several ecosystems of high biodiversity value, often misclassified as "pristine" have been shaped over millennia of human use, a context rarely acknowledged by re-wilding approaches. Rural abandonment in Europe is seen as an opportunity to promote biodiversity conservation through "re-wilding", but management neglect may favor forest species at the expense of open-habitat species. In Mediterranean regions, where cultural ecosystems have high conservation value, management neglect may reduce biodiversity and increase wildfire hazard, especially under climate change. Using three Mediterranean basin case studies, we argue that wilderness-focused re-wilding, if applied uncritically, can have unintended negative consequences. While recognizing the diversity of re-wilding concepts, we highlight the need for context-specific strategies, where active management remains essential.

Abstract. This study investigates the integration of the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach with sustainable digitization frameworks to address gaps in heritage informatics infrastructure for urban landscape conservation. Employing mixed-methods research (document analysis, case study, and spatiotemporal modeling), this project analyzed the historical accumulation and dynamic evolution of heritage values in World Heritage sites, with a focus on the Lushan Kuling historic town. Results demonstrate that a multidimensional spatiotemporal inventory system, grounded in human-environment interaction theory, effectively captures heritage significance through three operational layers: theoretical frameworks, technical workflows, and digital deliverables. Building on critical heritage studies, the findings reconceptualize inventory-building as a cyclical process of data generation, interpretation, and application rather than static documentation. The proposed digital management framework was empirically validated through geospatial visualization of temporal layering patterns in Lushan Kuling historic town. This research provides policymakers with a model for aligning UNESCO’s HUL recommendations with digital twin technologies, particularly in addressing the fragmentation of heritage attributes in rapidly urbanizing contexts.

Abstract. Rivers, as powerful natural agents, have historically been not only sources of life and sustenance but also the creators and connectors of culture. From ancient civilizations that shaped agricultural lands and built their cities along riverbanks to the modern landscapes that have developed around them, rivers have always been central to the identity, sustainability, and evolution of human societies. The Menderes (Maeander) River in southwestern Anatolia presents a unique case of how a river can shape both natural and cultural landscapes. This river basin, often called the “Valley of Civilizations”, has played a crucial role in settlement development and cultural shaping throughout Anatolia’s history. As the landscape evolved, its water-related relationships—marked by the river’s fluctuating presence, scarcity, and abundance—have given rise to new heritage forms, further complicating management of this multi-layered landscape.Addressing this complexity requires a heritage information management and decision support system capable of integrating multi-scale, multi-faceted data for sustainable management. In this regard, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have proven to be valuable tools, creating comprehensive, interdisciplinary platforms to understand, analyze, and manage diverse layers of complex landscapes. Thereupon, MeRiΔGIS, a GIS-based heritage information management and decision support system, is established to understand and assess the multi-dimensional characteristics of the Menderes River Delta for its conservation and sustainable management. MeRiΔGIS provides a comprehensive understanding of the ongoing transformations in the riverine landscape, emphasizing the interaction between natural and cultural components, as well as the key human and more-than-human agents shaping its evolution.Ultimately, the MeRiΔGIS serves as a tool to re-establish fragmented relationships between the river, its surrounding communities, and the landscape. This interdisciplinary, GIS-based approach offers a model for managing other riverine and water-linked landscapes, integrating heritage conservation with modern information management technologies to address the complexities of the natural-cultural nexus.

Abstract Insect pollinators are declining globally, partly due to agricultural intensification, which threatens biodiversity and ecosystem services. To help decision‐makers make informed choices, a variety of tools such as softwares, websites and frameworks have been developed to guide pollinator‐friendly management and conservation. However, the lack of a comprehensive overview of these tools limits stakeholders' ability to select and use them. We conducted a systematic mapping of bibliographic databases, grey literature and websites to create the first extensive database of tools explicitly or implicitly designed to inform pollinator and pollination management in agricultural landscapes. We assessed which pollinator groups and pollination services were addressed, the delivery methods used, their general focus, the geographical or ecological contexts in which they can be applied, and the extent to which they are designed for specific user groups. Our analysis revealed key gaps and patterns: Fewer tools focused on wild pollinators (including non‐bee pollinators), fewer tools addressed the underlying drivers of pollinator decline and many tools targeted unspecified stakeholders or pollinators. There was a geographical bias in tool availability, which mirrored data bias in pollinator decline research, with a focus on regulating pollination services. Many tools required advanced and technical skills, limiting accessibility for practitioners. Practical implications. Our database offers a practical resource for practitioners, land managers, researchers and policymakers, facilitating the identification of tools that are suited to their specific management context, as well as their skills and expertise. Our study also highlights priorities for future tool development that could increase the effectiveness and impact of pollinator conservation and management efforts in agricultural landscapes.

Native trees within plantations and surrounding forest cover are essential for bird conservation in cashew-dominated landscapes within a biodiversity hotspot

ABSTRACTEcosystems worldwide continue to experience rapid rates of habitat and species loss. Management actions to conserve and restore functional habitats are needed to reduce these declines, but funding and resources for such actions are limited. Spatial conservation prioritization (SCP) can facilitate strategic decision‐making for targeted conservation planning and delivery, but complexities arise when management objectives include multiple wildlife species and ecological or management constraints, all of which can be further complicated by data uncertainty and existing conservation plans. The Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET), an R package‐based decision‐support tool, supports strategic ecosystem management planning across the sagebrush biome by using SCP. We adapted PReSET to better address the needs of multiple wildlife species, evaluate the effects of different ecological or management constraints on conservation outcomes, assess the influence of data uncertainty, and integrate existing conservation plans. Specifically, we developed optimization problems to identify priority sagebrush protection and restoration across the state of Wyoming, USA, and evaluated the efficacy and trade‐offs of various approaches to problem design. We evaluated trade‐offs in targeting multiple species compared to a single species, including using greater sage‐grouse as a potential umbrella species to benefit other sagebrush‐dependent wildlife. We then evaluated multi‐species protection and restoration problems aimed at minimizing the risks of inadequate connectivity, climate change, and restoration failure, and accounted for data uncertainty to assess relationships between risk aversion of managers and conservation outcomes. We also developed optimization problems within conservation areas identified by an existing sagebrush conservation plan to evaluate the efficacy of guiding local‐scale conservation delivery within more broadly defined conservation areas. Our results demonstrate how SCP methods can leverage novel spatial data to develop targeted decision‐support resources that can facilitate landscape conservation planning and improve management outcomes across a wide array of systems and species.

Biodiversity in human-dominated landscapes is declining, but evidence-based conservation targets to guide international policies for such landscapes are lacking. We present a framework for informing habitat conservation policies based on the enhancement of habitat quantity and quality and define thresholds of habitat quantity at which it becomes effective to also prioritize habitat quality. We applied this framework to insect pollinators, an important part of agroecosystem biodiversity, by synthesizing 59 studies from 19 countries. Given low habitat quality, hoverflies had the lowest threshold at 6% semi-natural habitat cover, followed by solitary bees (16%), bumble bees (18%), and butterflies (37%). These figures represent minimum habitat thresholds in agricultural landscapes, but when habitat quantity is restricted, marked increases in quality are required to reach similar outcomes.

Understanding the drivers of heterogeneous genomic divergence is essential for uncovering the mechanisms that generate and constrain biodiversity. The extent to which adaptation and speciation are facilitated by reorganisation of the recombination landscape remains untested in many systems. Marine ecosystems, with their dynamic and fluid habitats, offer a compelling context to investigate genomic divergence. In this study, we mapped genomic divergence and selection across recombination landscapes of parapatric marine snail sister species that we show have recently undergone secondary contact. Regions of reduced recombination were enriched for genes exhibiting signatures of negative selection, whereas regions of high recombination were associated with genes under putative positive selection. Notably, the recombination landscape of the population in parapatry of one species (Scurria viridula) differs markedly from that of the other population within this same species, highlighting the role of introgression in reshaping recombination landscapes. In the other species (Scurria zebrina), conservation of the recombination landscape and divergent selection among populations suggest trapping of beneficial allele combinations in regions of low recombination maintains the identity of this species. Among species, signals of divergence with gene flow consistently cluster within specific genomic regions characterised by high recombination rate variation among the populations of S. viridula. These results challenge traditional theoretical expectations of recombination evolution by showing that the causes of genomic divergence can be population-specific. This study demonstrates that recombination landscapes are key modulators of genomic divergence, with contemporary evolutionary shifts that could enable populations to adapt to distinct environments. Our findings provide new insights into the interplay between recombination, selection, and gene flow during speciation, underscoring the complexity of evolutionary trajectories in marine systems.

As protected areas (PAs) expand globally at an accelerating rate, reconciling biodiversity conservation with socioeconomic development in adjacent communities has become a critical challenge for landscape sustainability. This systematic review synthesizes literature (1990–2025) to trace three interconnected transitions: (1) the conceptual evolution from exclusionary to inclusive PA–community paradigms, grounded in shifting perceptions of cultural landscapes; (2) the governance transformation from tokenistic participation to power-sharing co-management frameworks; and (3) the spatial planning progression from fragmented “island” models to integrated protected area networks (PANs) leveraging ecological corridors. Our analysis reveals that disconnected PA–community relationships exacerbate conservation–development conflicts, particularly where cultural landscapes are undervalued. A key finding is that cultural–natural synergies act as pivotal mediators for conservation efficacy, necessitating context-adaptive governance approaches. This study advances landscape planning theory by proposing a rural landscape network framework that integrates settlement patches, biocultural corridors, and PA matrices to optimize ecological connectivity while empowering communities. Empirical insights from China highlight pathways to harmonize stringent protection with rural revitalization, underscoring the capacity of PANs to bridge spatial and socio-institutional divides. This synthesis provides a transformative lens for policymakers to scale locally grounded solutions across global conservation landscapes.

Addressing landscape conservation and community development through national park boundary

Island settlement landscapes exhibit distinctive characteristics, and investigating their spatio–temporal differentiation features and formation mechanisms is crucial for effective landscape conservation. This study selected Qida Village, Beigang Village, and Jingsha Village in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China, as representative cases. It constructed an integrated evaluation framework termed “livelihood transformation–two dimensional expansion–three dimensional form” and systematically analyzed the spatio–temporal differentiation characteristics and driving mechanisms of island settlement landscapes under the context of livelihood transformation by integrating multi-source data. Research findings indicate that livelihood transformation significantly affects both the horizontal expansion and vertical evolution of settlement landscapes. Aquaculture-based villages demonstrate a high expansion rate (15.10%) and pronounced vertical differentiation (building height difference ratio of 13.30) due to industrial agglomeration. Tourism service-oriented villages, influenced by policy regulation, exhibit low architectural style heterogeneity (0.35) and a harmonized skyline. Villages experiencing significant out-migration show a high housing vacancy rate (64.70%) and reduced spatial compactness (0.13) due to population decline. The livelihood model drives landscape differentiation through the “population mobility–economic investment–land use” pathway, where capital accumulation and policy constraints emerge as key determinants of spatial form heterogeneity. This study provides a solid theoretical foundation and methodological support for the differentiated governance of island settlement landscapes.

In the context of building the Grand Canal National Cultural Park, the heritage conservation of the Grand Canal has entered a new stage since its inscription as a World Heritage site. Scientifically evaluating the value of various cultural landscape projects along the Grand Canal is the fundamental basis for coordinating the conservation of the Grand Canal’s World Heritage sites, land use control, and urban development construction. Based on the research on the evolution of cultural landscape value paradigm, the multi-dimensional value evaluation system of the Grand Canal cultural landscape is constructed. Based on the coupling coordination degree theory, the synergistic adjustment mechanism of the conservative value and developmental value system of the canal cultural landscape is explored. The value evaluation of the 10 contemporary cultural landscape projects implemented since the application of the Grand Canal in Hangzhou is carried out, and the coupling coordination of their conservation and utilization is analyzed. The cultural landscape conservation and utilization mode of the Grand Canal in Hangzhou is discussed, which provides a reference for the cultural landscape construction along the “city-river interdependence” Grand Canal.

National parks in the United States garner broad bipartisan support, are well-visited, and harbor many of the country’s most iconic resources. They contribute to, and equally rely on, the integrity of their surrounding landscapes. Because of this, national parks offer a unique opportunity to empower large landscape conservation outside of their boundaries. Beyond-boundary conservation is not new to national parks. A science-driven national park landscape conservation framework that is adaptive to the unique conservation challenges at any national park unit and is applied with conservation advocates and practitioners from the start, however, has not been well described. Here we report on an applied methodology for this framework. We use interviews, facilitated conversation, and geospatial analysis to delineate large landscape study areas centered on national park units across the United States. We then perform spatial analyses to derive a conservation value index that evaluates biodiversity and climate resiliency values. We use the analysis to identify priority areas for conservation advocacy with a focus on elevating protection status. This analysis forms a foundation for supporting advocates at many levels including national park lobbyists, grassroots organizers, land trusts, and regional conservation coalitions. We use geographic information systems analysis as a jumping-off point for collaboratively designed data products that serve specific conservation campaign needs through science communications and storytelling, as authoritative reasoning and legal support, or for data-driven decision support and goals tracking. This article showcases this methodology using the Southern Appalachian landscape as an example. Finally, we discuss the collaborative nature of defining and redefining the framework.

Traditional village cultural landscapes, as vital carriers of human civilization, face severe threats amid rapid urbanization. This study centers on Goulan Yao Village in Jiangyong County, China, applying cultural landscape gene theory combined with GIS spatial analysis. A gene information chain map and a village-specific classification and coding system were established to analyze spatial distribution and organizational patterns. Results show that the village reflects a rich cultural connotation shaped by the natural environment, religious beliefs, and ethnic customs. Its landscape gene distribution exhibits a "three-core, multi-node" pattern with dense clustering and mismatches between spatial accessibility and concentration. Based on these insights, a sustainable planning framework of "connotation preservation-spatial optimization-cultural tourism innovation" is proposed. This framework aims to offer both theoretical support and practical guidance for cultural landscape conservation and rural revitalization of Yao ethnic villages. The study not only extends the application of cultural landscape gene theory to ethnic minority settlements but also provides a methodological reference for the sustainable development of similar traditional settlements worldwide.