Conceptualising and mapping polarisation trends in land systems

Area of Science:

• Land System Science
• Environmental Geography
• Spatial Analysis

Background:

• Land system polarization describes opposing land-change trajectories within regions, impacting sustainability.
• Current understanding of land system polarization's spatiotemporal distribution and policy integration is limited by a lack of mapping approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and test a transferable workflow for mapping land system polarization.
• To identify key dimensions for mapping land system polarization: spatial scales, temporal scales, land-use sectors, indicators, and neighborhood relationships.

Main Methods:

• Exploration of the land system polarization concept.
• Identification of five key dimensions for mapping polarization.
• Proposal and testing of a mapping workflow using EU crop production systems data (NUTS2 regions).

Main Results:

• Approximately 87% of NUTS2 regions exhibit land system polarization.
• The developed workflow is transferable across different spatial and temporal scales and contexts.
• The mapping approach provides spatially explicit information on land-change drivers and impacts.

Conclusions:

• Land system polarization is a prevalent phenomenon requiring effective mapping tools.
• The proposed workflow enables better understanding and monitoring of land system polarization.
• This approach can inform targeted interventions and policy assessments for sustainable land management.