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Applied Sciences
Special Issues
Agroforestry Systems and Sustainable Development: New Challenges for Landscape Planning
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Agroforestry Systems and Sustainable Development: New Challenges for Landscape Planning

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2024) | Viewed by 10442

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Stefania Pindozzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples, Federico II, 80055 Naples, Italy
Interests: agriculture; environment; soil analysis; fertilizer sustainability; sustainable agriculture; manure management; geographic information system; land-use change; historical GIS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Elena Cervelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Naples, Italy
Interests: decision support system; spatial analysis; environment; land-use and landscape planning; land-use change; sustainability; environmental impact assessment; geographic information systems; GIS software
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Agroforestry landscapes are frequently deployed by a strong anthropogenic pressure, in favor of urban areas, industrial, tertiary, or intensive agricultural activities. Nonetheless, these areas have been studied less than other contexts, such as urban ones. The contingency of the COVID-19 crisis is highlighting a new role for rural areas, thanks to the increase in so-called “smart working” and the increasing appreciation for green spaces. Recent European policies consider the landscape/environment as the engine for sustainable and resilient development. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the EU Green Deal, and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, for example, provide new goals to be implemented on the rural landscape, such as climate change mitigation strategies, implementing local identity, balancing the distribution of population in the territories, providing ecosystem services, agricultural productions, and supporting the development of a circular economy.

All these premises establish the need of a new vision for “the future of rural areas and the place they should have in our society”. This Special Issue aims at providing new approaches, techniques, and models to provide new knowledge about rural areas, establishing a scientific debate on new integrated methodologies for land-use/cover analysis and prediction, a new delineation of rural area types or features, as well as the use of environmental indicators for the assessment of scenario analyses.

Papers on, but not limited to, the following topics are welcome:

  • The role of rural areas towards the mitigation of environmental risks (climate change, wildfires, etc.);
  • Land-use change prediction models;
  • Historical land-use change studies;
  • Ecosystem services assessment and modeling;
  • Blue and green infrastructures;
  • Decision support systems;
  • Landscape planning and design;
  • Survey and analysis techniques and tools;
  • Circular economy processes applied to rural production;
  • COVID-19 implications for agricultural activities.

Prof. Dr. Stefania Pindozzi
Dr. Elena Cervelli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • land-use/cover change
  • land-cover classification
  • ecosystem services
  • environmental impact assessment
  • local identity
  • hybrid geographies

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 9495 KiB  
Article
Landscape Ecological Risk Assessment and Zoning Control Based on Ecosystem Service Value: Taking Sichuan Province as an Example
by Zhuoting Jiang, Xiaoyu Gan, Jie Liu, Xinyuan Bi, Ao Kang and Bo Zhou
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(22), 12103; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132212103 - 07 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 723
Abstract
The escalation of urbanization in Sichuan Province has resulted in irrational land use and excessive resource exploitation. These developments have consequently diminished the functionality of ecosystem services and exacerbated landscape fragmentation in the region. These challenges pose significant threats to the ecological security [...] Read more.
The escalation of urbanization in Sichuan Province has resulted in irrational land use and excessive resource exploitation. These developments have consequently diminished the functionality of ecosystem services and exacerbated landscape fragmentation in the region. These challenges pose significant threats to the ecological security of the area. In this study, we computed the ecosystem service value and the landscape ecological risk index of Sichuan Province from 2005 to 2018. We analyzed the spatial autocorrelation between the ecosystem service value and the landscape ecological risk index, constructing a framework for landscape ecological risk assessment and zoning control based on ecosystem service value. The results show the following: (1) Between 2005 and 2018, the total value of ecosystem services in Sichuan Province increased from CNY 10,261.17 × 108 to CNY 10,310.43 × 108, with forest land and grassland being the primary contributors to the ESV. (2) High- and higher-risk areas within the landscape ecology of Sichuan Province are expanding, forming a pattern of high-level risk concentration from west to east. (3) There exists a negative correlation between the ecosystem service value and the landscape ecological risk index in Sichuan Province. (4) In the ecological conservation zone, the principle of low-impact development must be upheld. In the ecological cultivation zone, adjusting the proportion of land use types is necessary to enhance the rationality of the land use structure. The ecological agricultural zone should fully utilize the advantages of agriculture, while the ecological improvement zone requires focused attention to ecological restoration and land remediation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry Systems and Sustainable Development: New Challenges for Landscape Planning)
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16 pages, 3339 KiB  
Article
Circular Bioeconomy and the Forest-Wood Sector: Bridging the Gap between Policies and Disadvantaged Forest Areas
by Massimiliano Borrello, Elisa Altomonte, Luigi Cembalo, Valentina D’Amico and Alessia Lombardi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1349; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031349 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1242
Abstract
The adoption of circular bioeconomy (CBE) strategies in forest-wood supply chains is a possible avenue for the future of this sector. However, the uptake of CBE models may face several barriers in the coming years, particularly in disadvantaged forest areas lacking appropriate resources [...] Read more.
The adoption of circular bioeconomy (CBE) strategies in forest-wood supply chains is a possible avenue for the future of this sector. However, the uptake of CBE models may face several barriers in the coming years, particularly in disadvantaged forest areas lacking appropriate resources and a suitable business environment to start radical innovation pathways. Based on interviews with 29 representatives (business actors and other key informants) of the forest-food sector of the Salerno province (Italy), the current study investigated the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) involved in the transition of disadvantaged forest areas into a circular bioeconomy. Respondents also contributed to identifying the most suitable strategies in order to foster the CBE transition in the territory at hand. The paper offers an outlook for the potentialities of CBE in disadvantaged forest areas for policy actors, willing to bridge the gap between CBE agendas and territorial development challenges. The role of policy actors is particularly crucial, in order to patronize investments, stimulate improved know-how and cooperation, and fix policy inconsistencies related to biomass valorization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry Systems and Sustainable Development: New Challenges for Landscape Planning)
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11 pages, 4006 KiB  
Communication
Classification of Tree Composition in the Forest Using Images from SENTINEL-2: A Case Study of Geomunoreum Forests Using NDVI Images
by Yong Suk Chung, Seong Uk Yoon, Seong Heo, Yoon Seok Kim, Yoon-Ha Kim, Gyung Deok Han and Jinhyun Ahn
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 303; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010303 - 27 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1459
Abstract
Climate change may alter tree species’ distribution, which could impact on forest biodiversity. However, frequent and continuous surveys of forests need intense labor and are time-consuming. The current study utilized SENTINEL-2 images of Geomunoreum to solve this problem as a case study. Acquired [...] Read more.
Climate change may alter tree species’ distribution, which could impact on forest biodiversity. However, frequent and continuous surveys of forests need intense labor and are time-consuming. The current study utilized SENTINEL-2 images of Geomunoreum to solve this problem as a case study. Acquired images were converted into various indices, such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), which could be an efficient method to examine the diversity in forests over time. In the current study, the images were obtained in March and April from 2017 to 2021. As a result of analysis using NDVI images of the study area taken from the satellite, vegetation groups were classified into evergreen trees and deciduous trees. This implies that NDVI using extracted data from SENTINEL-2 images could be used for surveying large-scale examinations for tree classification in order to observe variations caused by climate change in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry Systems and Sustainable Development: New Challenges for Landscape Planning)
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16 pages, 1843 KiB  
Article
Contribution of Agroforestry Systems in the Cultivation of Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense) Grown in the Amazon Region of Ecuador
by Yadira Vargas, William Viera, Alejandra Díaz, Leider Tinoco, Julio Macas, Carlos Caicedo, Marcelo Almeida and Wilson Vásquez-Castillo
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(20), 10637; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122010637 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1381
Abstract
Agroforestry systems allow conservation of natural resources and promotion of sustainable agriculture in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Nevertheless, the benefit of the associated species that are part of these production systems needs to be demonstrated. The aim of this study was to find out [...] Read more.
Agroforestry systems allow conservation of natural resources and promotion of sustainable agriculture in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Nevertheless, the benefit of the associated species that are part of these production systems needs to be demonstrated. The aim of this study was to find out the influence on the crop yield, carbon sequestration, presence of earthworms, and the nutritional contribution of legume species associated with the naranjilla (Solanum quitoense) crop in an agroforestry system. The research was carried out in the Palora Experimental Farm of INIAP, using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments were made up of cultivation systems (agroforestry systems with or without 50% fertilization) and monoculture as a control, with two levels of conventional fertilization (50 and 100%). In the agroforestry arrangements, Gliricidia sepium and Flemingia macrophylla were used to supply biomass. The results showed that during the three evaluation cycles, the yield of naranjilla was influenced by the quality of the biomass added to the soil and not by the amount of synthetic chemical fertilizer that was supplied. The biomass of G. sepium and F. macrophylla provided a greater amount of Mg, Mn, Zn, B, and Fe; elements that contributed to crop yield and the presence of earthworms. The results suggest that the use of legume species in agroforestry systems positively influenced naranjillla productivity, favoring sustainable agriculture in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry Systems and Sustainable Development: New Challenges for Landscape Planning)
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23 pages, 5923 KiB  
Article
Trends in the Phenology of Climber Roses under Changing Climate Conditions in the Mazovia Lowland in Central Europe
by Marta Joanna Monder
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4259; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094259 - 22 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1456
Abstract
The genetic pool of valuable old ornamental cultivars and their in situ maintenance is threated by climate change. Meanwhile, ornamental plants like roses make up an important share of both gardens and urban green spaces, where they are particularly vulnerable to multi-stress growth [...] Read more.
The genetic pool of valuable old ornamental cultivars and their in situ maintenance is threated by climate change. Meanwhile, ornamental plants like roses make up an important share of both gardens and urban green spaces, where they are particularly vulnerable to multi-stress growth conditions. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of changing climatic conditions on growth and flowering of 11 historic climber roses through long-term studies (2000–2017) conducted in Central Europe. The evaluation of plants consisted of assessment of frost damage and the timing of early phenological stages (starting of bud break, leaf unfolding), as well as gathering data on the beginning, fullness, and end of flowering and its abundance. Frost damage was not observed in any year only in ‘Mme Plantier’ and did not occur for any cultivar after the winter in the years 2007, 2008, and 2014. Only a little damage to one-year shoots was recorded after the winter in the years 2015–2017. Frost damage to ‘Alberic Barbier’, ‘Albertine’, ‘Chaplin’s Pink Climber’, ‘Orange Triumph clg’, and ‘Venusta Pendula’ led to pruning to ground level in every year excluding those listed above. Frost damage of once-blooming roses limited their flowering; however, the many-year datasets showed a trend for decreased frost damage and improved abundance of flowering, and these results can be interpreted as a response to the increase of average air temperature. The timing of bud breaking and leaf development in all climber roses was strictly correlated with average air temperature in the dormancy period. The reactions of climber roses to weather conditions confirmed the influence of climatic changes on ornamental crop plants in Central Europe, introducing the potential possibility for the wider application of climber roses, but without certainty of flowering every year. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry Systems and Sustainable Development: New Challenges for Landscape Planning)
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22 pages, 3832 KiB  
Article
Forest Dynamic in the Italian Apennines
by Enrico Pallotta, Lorenzo Boccia, Carlo Maria Rossi and Maria Nicolina Ripa
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 2474; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12052474 - 27 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1361
Abstract
In recent decades, many mountain areas of the Mediterranean countries show spontaneous reforestation or densification due to depopulation and the consequent abandonment of traditional agricultural and pastoral activities, leading to the loss of open habitats. In this paper, dynamics of natural and semi-natural [...] Read more.
In recent decades, many mountain areas of the Mediterranean countries show spontaneous reforestation or densification due to depopulation and the consequent abandonment of traditional agricultural and pastoral activities, leading to the loss of open habitats. In this paper, dynamics of natural and semi-natural areas in the summit areas of the Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise National Park are investigated, highlighting changes that occurred from 1954 to present days. Historic Land cover maps have been produced by photo interpretation. A quantitative description of changes and habitats loss in relation to the socio-economic changes is provided. As expected, a forest surface expansion and an open areas decrease are observed similarly to many marginal mountains, where land abandonment and general forest/shrub recovery are the inevitable tendencies. An intense debate is still ongoing regarding the opportunity of rewilding, allowing the natural reforestation processes, versus the management of some areas, in order to preserve habitats and cultural traditional landscapes. For the EU biodiversity conservation policy to be effective, proper planning and management of interventions as well as public support and funding, become crucial when traditional activities are no longer profitable and viable for local inhabitants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry Systems and Sustainable Development: New Challenges for Landscape Planning)
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25 pages, 4571 KiB  
Article
The Historical Transformation of Peri-Urban Land Use Patterns, via Landscape GIS-Based Analysis and Landscape Metrics, in the Vesuvius Area
by Elena Cervelli and Stefania Pindozzi
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 2442; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12052442 - 26 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1761
Abstract
Peri-urban areas constitute an enormous resource in terms of natural capital, landscape heritage and economic activities, but, at the same time, they are often affected by physical and socio-economic degradation, drawing the attention of decision makers and planners. Many studies have focused on [...] Read more.
Peri-urban areas constitute an enormous resource in terms of natural capital, landscape heritage and economic activities, but, at the same time, they are often affected by physical and socio-economic degradation, drawing the attention of decision makers and planners. Many studies have focused on these contexts both in terms of suburbs, with a close dependence on urban centers, and new land typologies. The present paper focuses on documentary evidence of the direct impacts of urban growth on rural lands. The study area entails the Vesuvius National Park, which, belonging the Naples metropolis, is well-known for its historical, geo-morphologic and naturalistic value. Furthermore, the area has a history of high-quality cartographic production: the 1817, 1907, 1960, 2009 time steps maps were digitized, georeferenced, vectorized and compared in a GIS environment. The results highlight a strong change in land-use, in vineyards and urban class types, with a more disaggregated landscape mosaic. The approach shows that the historical modeling of land-use changes supports the understanding of current land-use dynamics and landscape patterns. The study also shows the need to integrate landscape planning and landscape ecology approaches, highlighting the close interactions between urban, agricultural and natural areas, for the purpose of supporting decision makers in land-use management and conservation policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry Systems and Sustainable Development: New Challenges for Landscape Planning)
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