2 Landscape Change in Europe
27
• “Intensification of agricultural land primarily manifests itself as an increase in
land management intensity, for example through increase in livestock density
or mechanization. In addition, intensification was observed as an expansion of
agricultural land, a decrease in landscape elements, changes toward more intensive
agricultural activities and specialization of land use activities”
• “Disintensification of agricultural land is primarily manifested as contraction,
partly caused by farmers abandoning their land, but also partly caused by conversion to urban land and natural areas. To a lesser extent, disintensification is manifested as a decrease in land management intensity, as a change to a less intensive
agricultural activity, as on-farm diversification and as an increase in landscape
elements.”
The most prominent process, as highlighted by several authors, is the disintensification of land use (Kuemmerle et al. 2016; Plieninger et al. 2016). Kuemmerle et al.
(2016) found this process in approximately 30% of Europe’s coverage, while intensification processes were present only in about 11%. Expansion and contraction of the
agricultural land area and agricultural abandonment has always occurred (Alcantara
et al. 2012); however, agricultural land abandonment in Europe became the most
prominent change after 1990 (Estel et al. 2015; Levers et al. 2016; Plieninger et al.
2016). This is partly due to the drastic institutional and socioeconomic reorganisation
that occurred after 1990 in former socialist countries, where land abandonment has
been particularly prominent (Griffiths et al. 2013; Levers et al. 2015; Prishchepov
et al. 2012). For instance, cropland abandonment was the most common land use
change in the Carpathians (Griffiths et al. 2013; Munteanu et al. 2014). Land abandonment has also been particularly intense in remote mountain areas, less productive soils and areas where urbanisation processes have been intense, such as on the
Mediterranean coast (Levers et al. 2015). Notwithstanding the magnitude of this
process, some authors have claimed that land abandonment has not yet received
enough attention, in part due to general attention to the worldwide expansion of
land management activities and accelerating competition for land (Estel et al. 2015;
Plieninger et al. 2016).
Land use intensification was most pronounced between 1960 and 1980, and since
that decade, intensity levels have remained stable (Fig. 2.3; Kuemmerle et al. 2016;
van der Sluis et al. 2016). When looking at crop yields and the amounts of nitrogen and
pesticide application as indicators of land use intensity in recent decades, crop yields
have stabilised, while nitrogen and pesticide use has generally decreased thanks to
increased farming efficiency, greater environmental awareness and more restrictive
regulations (van der Sluis et al. 2016). These increasing yields were most pronounced
in Western Europe (Kuemmerle et al. 2016). It is also in Western Europe where
nitrogen application rates were higher, although the use of nitrogen has decreased
since the 1990s. As for the use of fertilisers, declines were observed in Southeastern
Europe (e.g. in Romania) and in some countries from Central and Western Europe
(e.g. in Germany and France), while there were increases in some Eastern countries
(e.g. in Poland) (Kuemmerle et al. 2016).
27
• “Intensification of agricultural land primarily manifests itself as an increase in
land management intensity, for example through increase in livestock density
or mechanization. In addition, intensification was observed as an expansion of
agricultural land, a decrease in landscape elements, changes toward more intensive
agricultural activities and specialization of land use activities”
• “Disintensification of agricultural land is primarily manifested as contraction,
partly caused by farmers abandoning their land, but also partly caused by conversion to urban land and natural areas. To a lesser extent, disintensification is manifested as a decrease in land management intensity, as a change to a less intensive
agricultural activity, as on-farm diversification and as an increase in landscape
elements.”
The most prominent process, as highlighted by several authors, is the disintensification of land use (Kuemmerle et al. 2016; Plieninger et al. 2016). Kuemmerle et al.
(2016) found this process in approximately 30% of Europe’s coverage, while intensification processes were present only in about 11%. Expansion and contraction of the
agricultural land area and agricultural abandonment has always occurred (Alcantara
et al. 2012); however, agricultural land abandonment in Europe became the most
prominent change after 1990 (Estel et al. 2015; Levers et al. 2016; Plieninger et al.
2016). This is partly due to the drastic institutional and socioeconomic reorganisation
that occurred after 1990 in former socialist countries, where land abandonment has
been particularly prominent (Griffiths et al. 2013; Levers et al. 2015; Prishchepov
et al. 2012). For instance, cropland abandonment was the most common land use
change in the Carpathians (Griffiths et al. 2013; Munteanu et al. 2014). Land abandonment has also been particularly intense in remote mountain areas, less productive soils and areas where urbanisation processes have been intense, such as on the
Mediterranean coast (Levers et al. 2015). Notwithstanding the magnitude of this
process, some authors have claimed that land abandonment has not yet received
enough attention, in part due to general attention to the worldwide expansion of
land management activities and accelerating competition for land (Estel et al. 2015;
Plieninger et al. 2016).
Land use intensification was most pronounced between 1960 and 1980, and since
that decade, intensity levels have remained stable (Fig. 2.3; Kuemmerle et al. 2016;
van der Sluis et al. 2016). When looking at crop yields and the amounts of nitrogen and
pesticide application as indicators of land use intensity in recent decades, crop yields
have stabilised, while nitrogen and pesticide use has generally decreased thanks to
increased farming efficiency, greater environmental awareness and more restrictive
regulations (van der Sluis et al. 2016). These increasing yields were most pronounced
in Western Europe (Kuemmerle et al. 2016). It is also in Western Europe where
nitrogen application rates were higher, although the use of nitrogen has decreased
since the 1990s. As for the use of fertilisers, declines were observed in Southeastern
Europe (e.g. in Romania) and in some countries from Central and Western Europe
(e.g. in Germany and France), while there were increases in some Eastern countries
(e.g. in Poland) (Kuemmerle et al. 2016).