Model-Based Evaluation of Land Management Strategies with Regard to Multiple Ecosystem Services

Nina Zarrineh, Karim C. Abbaspour, Ann Van Griensven, Bernard Jeangros and Annelie Holzkämper
Additional contact information
Nina Zarrineh: Agroscope, Agroecology and Environment Division, Reckenholzstrasse 191, CH-8046 Zürich, Switzerland
Karim C. Abbaspour: Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, P.O. Box 611, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
Ann Van Griensven: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Bernard Jeangros: Agroscope, Plant Production Systems, CH-1260 Nyon, Switzerland
Annelie Holzkämper: Agroscope, Agroecology and Environment Division, Reckenholzstrasse 191, CH-8046 Zürich, Switzerland

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-21

Abstract: In agroecosystem management, conflicts between various services such as food provision and nutrient regulation are common. This study examined the trade-offs between selected ecosystem services such as food provision, water quantity and quality, erosion and climate regulations in an agricultural catchment in Western Switzerland. The aim was to explore the existing land use conflicts by a shift in land use and management strategy following two stakeholder-defined scenarios based on either land sparing or land sharing concepts. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to build an agro-hydrologic model of the region, which was calibrated and validated based on daily river discharge, monthly nitrate and annual crop yield, considering uncertainties associated with land management set up and model parameterization. The results show that land sparing scenario has the highest agricultural benefit, while also the highest nitrate concentration and GHG emissions. The land sharing scenario improves water quality and climate regulation services and reduces food provision. The management changes considered in the two land use scenarios did not seem to reduce the conflict but only led to a shift in trade-offs. Water quantity and erosion regulation remain unaffected by the two scenarios.

Keywords: SWAT model; model parameterization; land sharing; land sparing; water quantity; water quality; greenhouse gas emissions; agriculture; multifunctionality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/11/3844/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/11/3844/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:11:p:3844-:d:177811

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().