Production Landscapes Research Articles

The social geography of the estate landscape in Gelders Arcadië

For many centuries, the landscape and cultural history of the Netherlands have been influenced by the rural estates of large landowners. Their country houses with gardens, parks and farmland formed an important combination of practical aspects of economic management and aesthetic landscaping. Many castles or country houses were linked to large landholdings of several hundred, sometimes even thousands of hectares, as in the case of the Veluwezoom in the Province of Gelderland. Since the late Middle Ages this area, now known as Gelders Arcadia, has been popular with the landed elite, whose ranks have included noble families, stadtholders, city regents and bankers. The undulating landscape, the rivers and brooks and the fertile land was ideally suited to the creation of the desired combination of productive and aesthetic landscapes.
 One of the special aspects of the Gelders Arcadia estate zone is that it represents nearly every stage in the development of the Dutch country estate, from the emergence of castles and lordships (c. 500-1600), to the foundation of small country retreats by town regents (c. 1600-1800), and the creation of villa-like country estates for a new elite of bankers, industrialists and lawyers (c. 1800-1940). The historic country houses and landed estates are manifestations of their time and therefore very diverse, ranging from transformed noble castles with large landholdings to the rural retreats of town regents to villa-like country houses for the newly wealthy. Not only the architecture of the house and park, but also the use, the anchoring in the cultural landscape and the social significance underwent development.
 A historical-geographical approach was used to analyse location and distribution patterns and to investigate the size, character and functions of country estates in each period from an economic, political, societal and social perspective. It appears that the majority of new country houses and estates were created by a new elite of the newly rich, whereas the old elite continued to invest in their ancestral properties.
 The motivation to invest in the establishment of a country seat differed per period. The landed and country estates featured both economic and aesthetic landscapes, although the former were less prominent in later periods.
 This socio-historical-geographical approach has given us a better understanding of the various processes of estate creation, transformation and adaptation through time – knowledge that can also be used to reach well-founded decisions in the 21st century. The geographical approach for Gelders Arcadia has resulted in improved spatial policies through: 1. Attention to the entirety of country estates (rather than only those with listed status); 2. A focus on the country estate as a cohesive heritage ensemble, including an understanding of the social, economic, landscape and political factors that contributed to its development and design; 3. Recognition that the estates, thanks to their large number and individual sizes and qualities, have formed and will continue to form an important basis for the character of the living environment.

Recreational Value Assessment of Urban Productive Landscape of Baguatian in Hangzhou Based on Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) and Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has achieved rapid development in recent years, and the use of cloud platforms to carry various large-scale services has become the general trend of the development of the information industry. This study investigates WTP of Hangzhou residents for the recreational value of Baguatian productive landscapes based on CVM and cloud computing. In this study, we did the related analysis on the social and economic characteristics and WTP of interviewees and made the monetization assessment about the recreational value of its urban productive landscapes. The result shows 62.1% of interviewees have WTP and the average payment intention (WTP) is $40.74 per year. Besides, the total recreational value of Hangzhou Baguatian productive landscapes is 354 million yuan; the relatively accepted payment mode is tax-paying and cash payment; the educational degree, occupational background, and income are the main factors influencing the tourists’ WTP and the correlation between interviewees’ origin, permanent residence, and WTP is not apparent.

CRISPR-Cas-Led Revolution in Diagnosis and Management of Emerging Plant Viruses: New Avenues Toward Food and Nutritional Security.

Plant viruses pose a serious threat to agricultural production systems worldwide. The world's population is expected to reach the 10-billion mark by 2057. Under the scenario of declining cultivable land and challenges posed by rapidly emerging and re-emerging plant pathogens, conventional strategies could not accomplish the target of keeping pace with increasing global food demand. Gene-editing techniques have recently come up as promising options to enable precise changes in genomes with greater efficiency to achieve the target of higher crop productivity. Of genome engineering tools, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins have gained much popularity, owing to their simplicity, reproducibility, and applicability in a wide range of species. Also, the application of different Cas proteins, such as Cas12a, Cas13a, and Cas9 nucleases, has enabled the development of more robust strategies for the engineering of antiviral mechanisms in many plant species. Recent studies have revealed the use of various CRISPR-Cas systems to either directly target a viral gene or modify a host genome to develop viral resistance in plants. This review provides a comprehensive record of the use of the CRISPR-Cas system in the development of antiviral resistance in plants and discusses its applications in the overall enhancement of productivity and nutritional landscape of cultivated plant species. Furthermore, the utility of this technique for the detection of various plant viruses could enable affordable and precise in-field or on-site detection. The futuristic potential of CRISPR-Cas technologies and possible challenges with their use and application are highlighted. Finally, the future of CRISPR-Cas in sustainable management of viral diseases, and its practical utility and regulatory guidelines in different parts of the globe are discussed systematically.

Female breeding dispersal to higher quality habitats in a philopatric top predator

Philopatry and monogamy are conventionally viewed as strategies for improving fitness. Many philopatric and monogamous species have, however, been shown to perform breeding dispersal—an exchange of territory (and often also partner) between two breeding seasons. The adaptiveness of breeding dispersal remains controversial, as data remain scarce and sporadic. For the Northern Goshawk, a typically highly philopatric and monogamous forest raptor, pairs breeding in barren forest landscapes produce fewer fledglings than pairs breeding in more productive landscapes. Using data on Finnish breeding female Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) during 1999–2016, we tested the hypotheses that: (1) breeding dispersal is more likely at barren territories, (2) dispersing females move to less barren territories, and (3) breeding dispersal improves the survival of young. About 29% of the female Goshawks in our study performed breeding dispersal, which contrasts to philopatry and suggest that site and partner fidelities show large variation within the species’ breeding range. We found no evidence that territorial landscape barrenness (proxy on habitat quality) affects the probability of breeding dispersal. However, females that dispersed upgraded to less barren territories. Nevertheless, there were no subsequent effects of breeding dispersal on reproductive performance, suggesting no obvious difference in the capability of rearing young at either site. Although dispersal events were directed to less barren habitats, we suggest that female dispersal is not driven by the pursue for more prospersous habitats, rather that those females are forced to move, for whatever reason. In addition to other observed reasons such as female–female competition for mates and loss of the original mate, intense logging of mature forests lowering local food availability and restricting nest site availability were likely a partial cause of increased breeding dispersal.

Green and Compact: A Spatial Planning Model for Knowledge-Based Urban Development in Peri-Urban Areas

A seemingly unresolved debate in urban planning is the call for compactness and the provision of intra-urban green spaces. This article defines a multi-scalar spatial planning model for peri-urban areas and urban voids able to reconcile medium to high building densities with the provision of ecosystem services. The research is framed within design science research, and the theoretical definition of the model was followed by its application to the International Hub for Sustainable Development (HIDS) proposed by the University of Campinas, Brazil. The model’s parameters and indicators derive from a literature review, case studies, and GIS spatial analyses. A series of expert workshops and a survey were carried out to test and validate the model. The results show that the model can support knowledge-based development in peri-urban areas with high levels of population density while ensuring good accessibility to green spaces and productive landscapes. The model can serve as a planning and design tool and support the development of public policies for other contexts committed to more resilient and sustainable development.

Traditional Production Landscapes for Sustainable Development Mainstreaming Agricultural Biodiversity in East Java Indonesia

Abstract: Mainstreaming biodiversity in production landscapes ensures conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity. Mainstreaming integrates biodiversity in existing or new programs and policies, both cross-sectoral and sector-specific. The conventional model of agricultural production with limited diversity in production systems and use of high chemical input has taught us a valuable lesson as it is adversely impacting the environment, the essential ecosystem services, the soil health and the long term sustainability of our food systems. Using a qualitative participant observation approach, our study investigated four distinct traditional East Java production landscapes to gage (i) the farming communities’ response to institutional policies, programs and agricultural biodiversity-related activities in traditional East Java production landscapes and (ii) opportunities and challenges for sustainable development in smallholder traditional East Java farming systems. Results indicate that the top-down decision-making regime is the least effective towards achieving sustainable development in traditional East Java farming landscapes and that farmers’ experiential knowledge on participatory biodiversity management, maintenance and use for sustainable development are of critical importance to East Java’s agriculture and economy. Reclaiming agriculture’s spiritual roots through organic farming and locally grown food emerged as key, including the need for designing and implementing a more sovereign food system. Revisiting traditional smallholder farming under the COVID-19 pandemic and lessons learned for repurposing East Java’s agricultural policy are also highlighted.

Ecclesiastical Economies: The Integration of Sacred and Maritime Topographies of Late Antique Cyprus

This article focusses on the relationship of the church with productive landscapes and coastal topographies within numerous Cypriot contexts of the 4th–8th centuries. Through synthesising the archaeological research and architectural remains of these aspects and categories, the coastal settlements of the island are recontextualised in terms of their mercantile, religious, and cultural networks, on inter- and intraregional scales. The advantages of researching late antique insular societies on local, individual scales and within economic contexts are therefore highlighted. These integrative approaches can illuminate the constructions of religious identity across many coastal contexts, particularly in larger islands with micro-regions and trans-Mediterranean connectivity, like Cyprus. By considering the importance of the administrative and economic roles of the late antique church within these maritime topographies, future archaeological research can integrate both the monumentality and pragmatic aspects of sacred landscapes.

Aboveground carbon stocks in Madagascar’s vanilla production landscape – exploring rehabilitation through agroforestry in the light of land-use history

Forests and tree-dominated land uses store large amounts of carbon stocks in plant biomass. However, anthropogenic changes in land use and land cover decrease tree cover and associated carbon stocks. Agroforestry has the potential to maintain or restore carbon in plant biomass but the amount will be influenced by various factors that may include land-use history and management practices. However, few studies explicitly address how these factors determine aboveground carbon stocks. Therefore, our study estimates aboveground carbon stocks in different land-use types, across stem diameters and geographic origin of tree species, and its structural controls. We particularly focus on the importance of land-use history in agroforestry systems. We conducted the study in the mosaic landscape of north-eastern Madagascar in old-growth forests, forest fragments, woody fallows, and vanilla agroforests. The agroforests differed in land-use history and were either directly derived from a forest or a woody fallow after slash-and-burn shifting cultivation. Aboveground carbon stocks were highest in old-growth forests and lowest in woody fallows. Within vanilla agroforests, aboveground carbon stocks were highly variable: forest-derived agroforests stored significantly higher carbon stocks that were mainly stored in native and endemic species, whereas fallow-derived agroforests stored lower carbon stocks that were mainly provided by introduced species. Furthermore, aboveground carbon stocks were mainly controlled by stem density and stem diameter. In conclusion, forest-derived agroforests have the potential to maintain relatively high carbon stocks and a forest-like structure in the landscape, whereas fallow-derived agroforests contribute to converting historically forested open land into permanent tree-dominated land-use systems, thereby restoring carbon stocks. Thus, considering the land-use history of agroforests is important for conservation and restoration agendas.

Verkhnee Gakvari: The contribution of adat, religious beliefs and public education to collective environmental management in an agro‐pastoral community in the Dagestan high Caucasus

Aim . To examine the contribution structured systems of social mores (adat) and religious and secular public education have made to developing and sustaining socio‐ecological environment management in one community, Verkhnee Gakvari, in the upper valley of the Andiiskoe Koisu in the Dagestan Caucasus, from deep antiquity to the present day. Discussion . The research involved an extensive review of the relevant literature and on‐line resources dedicated of the region. Communities were visited across the region and discussions were undertaken with their representatives, as well as with other stakeholders. A particular emphasis was placed on the exemplary system of environmental education provided at the Verkhnee Gakvari School and its positive impact in sustaining the socio‐ecological production landscape of its territory. Significant progress was made in researching and documenting the range of issues fundamental to understanding the formation and continuity of the inter‐dependencies with nature and the cultural landscapes unique to these agro‐pastoral cultures of the upper Andiiskoe Koisu. This includes a comprehensive documentation of the contributions the Verkhnee Gakvari School has made to the preservation of its community’s socio‐ecological production landscape. Conclusion . Verkhnee Gakvari and other traditional communities of the upper Andiiskoe Koisu present a unique multi‐millenial cultural continuum of global significance for understanding the evolution of human society and are a remarkable survival in Europe of successful and harmonious socio‐ecological production landscape interdependencies. As the combined impacts of modern society and climate change now inevitably impinge upon the ability of the inhabitants of this ancient homeland to sustain the benefits which they have so successfully crafted from their environment, the region is in priority need of national and international recognition and support.

Estimation of soil properties with mid-infrared soil spectroscopy across yam production landscapes in West Africa

Abstract. Low soil fertility is challenging the sustainable production of yam and other staple crops in the yam belt of West Africa. Quantitative soil measures are needed to assess soil fertility decline and to improve crop nutrient supply in the region. We developed and tested a mid-infrared (mid-IR) soil spectral library to enable timely and cost-efficient assessments of soil properties. Our collection included 80 soil samples from four landscapes (10 km × 10 km) and 20 fields per landscape across a gradient from humid forest to savannah and 14 additional samples from one landscape that had been sampled within the Land Health Degradation Framework. We derived partial least squares regression models to spectrally estimate soil properties. The models produced accurate cross-validated estimates of total carbon, total nitrogen, total sulfur, total iron, total aluminum, total potassium, total calcium, exchangeable calcium, effective cation exchange capacity, and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable iron and clay content (R2>0.75). The estimates of total zinc, pH, exchangeable magnesium, bioavailable copper, and manganese were less predictable (R2>0.50). Our results confirm that mid-IR spectroscopy is a reliable and quick method to assess the regional-level variation of most soil properties, especially the ones closely associated with soil organic matter. Although the relatively small mid-IR library shows satisfactory performance, we expect that frequent but small model updates will be needed to adapt the library to the variation of soil quality within individual fields in the regions and their temporal fluctuations.

Historical approach to evaluating productive cultural landscapes: A case study of Japanese vineyard landscapes

AbstractCultural landscapes of vineyards and wineries are often evaluated based on their relationships to natural conditions or “terroir.” However, in vernacular evaluation, their meaning may need to be interpreted in the wider context of the region beyond the terroir. This study analyzes the historical development, including the land‐use transition of Katsunuma and other popular traditional viticulture and winemaking areas of Japan; An approach for evaluating such productive landscapes as cultural landscapes is discussed. We conclude that landscape formation based on viticulture and winemaking occurred during a very short period after World War II in the study areas. Thus, an approach to interpreting landscape different from that based on its relationship to the terroir is established. Production centers of commercial crops, such as fruit trees, do not necessarily develop because of compatibility with natural conditions. Thus, we consider the evaluation of productive landscapes as cultural landscapes to be an important perspective.

Detection probabilities and surveillance sensitivities for managing an invasive mammalian herbivore

AbstractInvasive mammalian herbivores can have significant unwanted impacts on indigenous ecosystems and production landscapes. Their impacts are often mitigated using sustained lethal control or eradication. If eradication is the chosen option, it is critical to confirm where the pest population is distributed and prove that eradication has been achieved following the removal intervention. This form of pest management requires robust and quantitative estimates of surveillance. We compared the detection probabilities, derived surveillance system sensitivities (under standardized conditions), and cost of surveillance for four survey methods for invasive Bennett’s wallabies (Notamacropus rufogriseus) in South Island, New Zealand: helicopter surveys with observers, helicopter surveys using a thermal imaging camera, a ground hunter with detector dogs, and camera traps. We found camera traps and ground hunters with dogs were the most sensitive surveillance methods (82% and 45% chance of detecting a wallaby assuming full search coverage of a 100‐ha area, respectively) and were most cost‐effective (62% and 85% cheaper than helicopter surveys with observers, respectively). However, although these methods are useful for surveying small areas (~1000 ha or less), capacity and time issues make them impractical for surveying large areas. The helicopter‐based methods will likely be more suitable for monitoring large areas (e.g., 10,000–50,000 ha) that need to be completed more rapidly than could be achieved using ground‐based methods. The model that we used for evaluating detection probability and surveillance sensitivity for different survey methods is highly applicable for managing a wide range of mammalian pests and confidently declaring their absence from an area.

Local and landscape characteristics shape amphibian communities across production landscapes in the Western Ghats

Abstract Global tropical forests have been modified and fragmented by commodity agroforests, leading to significant alterations in ecological communities. Nevertheless, these production landscapes offer secondary habitats that support and sustain local biodiversity. In this study, we assess community level and species‐specific responses of amphibians to land management in areca, coffee and rubber, three of the largest commodity agroforests in the Western Ghats. A total of 106 agroforests across a 30,000‐km2 landscape were surveyed for amphibians using a combination of visual and auditory encounter surveys. We used a Bayesian multi‐species occupancy modelling framework to examine patterns of species richness, beta diversity, dominance structure and individual species occupancies. The influence of biogeographic variables such as elevation and latitude as well as microhabitat availability of streams, ponds and unpaved plantation roads was tested on amphibian species occupancy. Coffee agroforests had the highest species richness and lowest dominance when compared to areca and rubber. Beta diversity was highest in areca for within agroforest measures. Compared across agroforests, coffee had highest beta diversity with areca and rubber. Both elevation and latitude showed an overall positive association with amphibian occupancy, although species‐specific responses varied considerably. Microhabitat availability was one of the strongest predictors of amphibian occupancy, with mean community response being positive with presence of water bodies and roads. Pond presence increased species richness per site by 34.7% (species‐specific responses in occupancy ranged from –2.7% to 327%). Stream presence alone did not change species richness but species‐specific response ranged from –59% to 273%. Presence of plantation roads also increased species richness by 21.5% (species‐specific response ranged from –82% to 656%). Being unpaved with little vehicular traffic, plantation roads seem to provide additional habitats for amphibians. Presence of all three microhabitats at a site increased species richness by 75%. Our study highlights the importance of land management strategies that maintain diverse native canopy and freshwater bodies and other microhabitats in sustaining amphibian fauna. Market‐driven land‐use change from coffee to other agroforest types will have detrimental effects on amphibian communities and their long‐term sustainability in the Western Ghats.

Mapping bare ground in New Zealand hill-country agriculture and forestry for soil erosion risk assessment: An automated satellite remote-sensing method

Removing vegetation cover from hill-slope land increases risk for soil erosion and delivery of sediment to waterways. In New Zealand's productive landscapes, clear-fell harvesting of forestry blocks and winter forage grazing by agricultural livestock are two significant causes of vegetation removal. Bare ground exposed by these activities varies annually and seasonally in location and spatial extent. Modelling soil erosion therefore requires temporally and spatially explicit mapping of this bare ground. We have developed an automated mapping method using time-series satellite imagery, thereby enabling wide-area coverage and ease of updating. The temporal analysis identifies land use along with the period of vegetation removal. It produces results per land parcel (in vector format) for use in a Geographic Information System. We present a description of our method, national maps and statistics of bare ground extent in New Zealand's hill-country forestry and winter forage grazing land in 2018, and an assessment of accuracy. The attributes of the mapped land parcels are designed for input into a soil erosion estimation model such as the New Zealand Universal Soil Loss Equation.

Habitat specificity drives differences in space‐use patterns of multiple mesocarnivores in an agroecosystem

AbstractSpace‐use patterns of animals are a fundamental measure of resource requirements and constraints. In some human‐modified landscapes, especially agroecosystems that depend on both rainfall and irrigation, drivers that influence animal space use can show unexpected spatial and temporal patterns due to anthropogenic activities. Animals living in such landscapes are expected to respond to changes in their environment by altering home‐range sizes and habitat selection at multiple scales. We used movement data from a guild of mesocarnivores to determine how home‐range size and habitat selection differ across species and seasons in a complex agroecosystem in Central India. Based on high‐resolution location data from golden jackals (Canis aureus), jungle cats (Felis chaus), and Indian foxes (Vulpes bengalensis) over a period of ~3 years, we found that home‐range sizes scaled with body mass as expected, with high intra‐species variability. Seasonal home ranges of golden jackals, jungle cats, and Indian foxes varied from 3.1 to 23.7 (mean = 12.3 ± 1.6), 1.01 to 26.48 (mean = 5.9 ± 0.9), and 1.16 to 10.71 (mean = 4.3 ± 0.5) km2, respectively. Contrary to expectations, home‐range size did not vary significantly with season, suggesting that agricultural activities may dampen typical seasonal variations in resource availability and distribution. Site fidelity in seasonal home ranges for golden jackals, jungle cats, and Indian foxes was high (seasonal overlaps = 0.94 ± 0.01, 0.89 ± 0.02 and 0.81 ± 0.03, respectively). We also found that the habitat specialist Indian fox primarily selected for remnant native grasslands and plantations, whereas the generalist golden jackal and jungle cat selected more human‐modified land cover types at both the landscape and home‐range scales. This study highlights the importance of maintaining natural habitats within production landscapes, especially for habitat specialists, which are more constrained in their requirements than generalist species.

Riparian Ecological Infrastructures: Potential for Biodiversity-Related Ecosystem Services in Mediterranean Human-Dominated Landscapes

Riparian Ecological Infrastructures are networks of natural and semi-natural riparian areas located in human-dominated landscapes, crucial in supporting processes that directly or indirectly benefit humans or enhance social welfare. In this study, we developed a novel multimetric index, termed Habitat Ecological Infrastructure’s Diversity Index (HEIDI), to quantify the potential of Riparian Ecological Infrastructures in supporting biodiversity, and related ecosystem services, in three managed landscapes: Intensive Agriculture, Extensive Agriculture, and Forest Production. Metrics describing the structure, composition, and management of riparian vegetation and associated habitats were used to derive the potential of Riparian Ecological Infrastructures in supporting three distinct biological dispersal groups: short-range dispersers (ants), medium-range dispersers (pollinators), and long-range dispersers (birds, bats, and non-flying small mammals). The composition of floristic resources, assessed by identifying trees and shrubs at the species and genus level, and herbaceous plants at the family level, was used as a proxy to evaluate the potential of Riparian Ecological Infrastructures in promoting seed dispersal and pollination ecosystem services provided by the three biological communities. Our research evidenced that Riparian Ecological Infrastructures located in the Forest Production and Intensive Agriculture landscapes exhibited the highest and lowest potential for biodiversity-related ecosystem services, respectively. The Forest Production landscape revealed higher suitability of forage resources for short- and medium-range dispersers and a higher landscape coverage by Riparian Ecological Infrastructures, resulting in more potential to create ecological corridors and to provide ecosystem services. The Riparian Ecological Infrastructures located in the Extensive Agriculture landscape seemed to be particularly relevant for supporting long-ranges dispersers, despite providing less habitat for the biological communities. Land-use systems in the proximity of Riparian Ecological Infrastructures should be sustainably managed to promote riparian vegetation composition and structural quality, as well as the riparian width, safeguarding biodiversity, and the sustainable provision of biodiversity-related ecosystem services.

Study of aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Australian grain production landscapes

AbstractAphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) were surveyed within grain production landscapes in Victoria, Australia, between 2017 and 2018, as well as more sporadically nationwide between 2016 and 2019. In addition, Aphidiinae records were collated from insect depositories around Australia and online databases. The 5525 specimens recorded constituted a total of 23 species and seven genera. Diaeretiella rapae (M'Intosh) was the most common species, representing more than 70% of all Aphidiinae recorded. This species also showed a greater northerly geographical range than other Aphidiinae. During sampling between 2017 and 2019, Aphidiinae were reared from mummies to ascertain host–parasitoid relationships. Diaeretiella rapae was again the most commonly reared parasitoid, although parasitoid preference varied with aphid host and between states and territories. An illustrated dichotomous key to Australian Aphidiinae in grain production landscapes is provided for the 11 species sampled in our field surveys. This is the first comprehensive review of Aphidiinae sampled within Australia in over two decades. Knowledge about the diversity and distribution of these parasitoids is important for understanding their impact on current and future invasions of aphid species. In addition, understanding the interactions between grain aphids and their associated parasitoids will further support the inclusion of parasitoid wasps into integrated pest management (IPM) strategies.

Prospects and Constraints of Low-Intensity Farming in Marginal Peri-Urban Areas: The Case of Lesvos, Greece

Abstract This paper critically examines the characteristics of low-intensity, small-scale family farming and related aspects of farming sustainability, in a marginally productive peri-urban landscape, that of the capital town of Lesvos Island, Mytilini, Greece. These aspects and characteristics are explored on the basis of farmers’-landowners’ perceptions and visions of local landscape/land use change, through a questionnaire survey. Our findings indicate that production is basically aimed for self-consumption; such practices yield low incomes but bear high cultural values, mostly run by hobby and part-time farmers-landowners, lacking agricultural education. Olive crops are the dominant, but decreasing, form of production, while some other less-water-reliant cultivations are increasing. Peri-urban small family farming remains significant, but in need of new policies/strategies further promoting its value and role.

Tools for Edible Cities: A Review of Tools for Planning and Assessing Edible Nature-Based Solutions

In the last five years, European research and innovation programmes have prioritised the development of online catalogues and tools (handbooks, models, etc.) to facilitate the implementation and monitoring of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). However, only a few catalogues and toolkits within European programmes are directly related to mainstreaming of NBS for food production (i.e., edible NBS). Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to present existing NBS tools through the eyes of productive urban landscapes. We reviewed 32 projects related to NBS and 50 tools were identified and characterised. Then, the six tools already available and provided indicators were further analysed in terms of their format and knowledge domains. Our main conclusion demonstrates that there is a lack of tools capable of supporting users for planning and implementing edible NBS; calculating the food potential of a city and/or of individual edible NBS, including the needed resources for implementation and operation (water, nutrients, energy); and assessing their urban design value, environmental and socio-economic impacts. Moreover, when they do exist, there is a resistance to share the models and equations behind the tools to allow other projects to reuse or validate them, a fact which is contrary to the open science principles upheld by many public research agencies.

Soft multimedia assisted new energy productive landscape design based on environmental analysis and edge-driven artificial intelligence

New energy landscape architecture is a new energy building integrated with aesthetics and art design, which can meet people's dual needs of low energy consumption and architectural aesthetics. In recent years, the development speed of new energy landscape architecture is increasing, and the design and research of new energy landscape architecture has become a hot spot. The new values, aesthetics, technology and design concepts will always stimulate and promote the urban landscape design to constantly enrich itself. Therefore, it is a new exploration direction to shape new urban landscape design through multimedia technology. Multimedia technology uses computer to process text, graphics, images, sound, animation, video and other information to establish logical relationship and human–computer interaction. The virtual reality technology in multimedia integrates the latest development achievements of computer graphics, multimedia, artificial intelligence, multi-sensor, network, parallel processing and other technologies. Multimedia technology makes the colour of the landscape form the most visual impact factors, it is easy to leave a deep impression on people, to achieve the visual effect of the landscape. Therefore, this paper studies soft multimedia assisted new energy productive landscape design based on the environmental analysis and edge-driven artificial intelligence. The designed framework is efficient through the comparison simulations.