The components of the Mediterranean landscape value and the flow of ecosystem services

Abstract

The components of the Mediterranean landscape value and the flow of ecosystem services.

The variability of the Mediterranean climate, the land complexity and the history of land uses, allows us to consider the different landscapes as an adaptation to a fluctuating environment, which is in many instances markedly unpredictable. Once the previous questions are documented, the flow of ecosystem services is analyzed. Services flow is regarded as a result coming from the right connections between (1) the agroecosystem, valuable by its integrity and health, (2) the production system, according its ecological coherence and sustainability, and (3) the economic viability and profitability. Starting from a comprehensive evaluation of different present-day Spanish landscapes, the functions and services that they supply are discussed. The future of these landscapes is visualized from the perspective of the Common Agricultural Policy, focussing on functionality and protection of cultural landscapes. Finally, we emphasize the need to include agroecosystems and valuable landscapes in land management schemes derived from the application of conservation policies.