A Geospatial Modelling Approach to Assess the Capability of High-Country Stations in Delivering Ecosystem Services

Autor: Fabiellen C. Pereira, Stuart Charters, Carol M. S. Smith, Thomas M. R. Maxwell, Pablo Gregorini
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Land, Vol 12, Iss 6, p 1243 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2073-445X
DOI: 10.3390/land12061243
Popis: The creation of more sustainable land use strategies is paramount to designing multifunctional agricultural landscapes that allow grasslands to continually deliver multiple ecosystem services. A mapping modelling approach would provide us with a tool for system diagnosis to better assess the value of a landscape and define place-based practices for designing more context-adjusted systems that are in synergy with the complexity of grasslands. To assess the potential capability of a high-country pastoral livestock production system in New Zealand in delivering ecosystem services, this work uses a geospatial model as a decision support tool to identify management practices that enhance grassland health. The model uses national, climatic, soil, and landcover data to assess the agricultural productivity, flood mitigation, C sequestration, erosion, and sediment delivery capacity of a case study high-country station in New Zealand. Model outcomes suggest that the station has the potential for increased agricultural productivity although varying spatially, a high flood mitigation capacity, a high capacity for C sequestration, a moderate risk of erosion, a capacity to reduce sediment delivery to streams, and overall, a low to moderate nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation. Output maps display a spatial visualisation of ecosystem services associated with the landscape topography, soil, and vegetation patterns that allow the identification of neglected areas and planning of best place-based management practices strategies to enhance the health of grasslands.
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