Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Landscape services: the concept and its practical relevance

  • Perspective
  • Published:
Landscape Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recently, in addition to the popular concept of “ecosystem services” (ES), the term “landscape services” (LS) has come into use. We are examining the question of whether a stronger focus on LS would be useful, particularly with regard to case studies carried out in Germany. Important reasons for introducing the term LS include the prominent role of spatial aspects, the reference to landscape elements and the landscape character, and the relevance of LS for landscape planning. We found no strong arguments for replacing the concept of ES by LS; however, we do prefer a situation-related use of both concepts. We propose the following definition: Landscape services are the contributions of landscapes and landscape elements to human well-being.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albert C, von Haaren C, Galler C (2012) Ökosystemdienstleistungen. Alter Wein in neuen Schläuchen oder ein Impuls für die Landschaftsplanung? Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung 44:142–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Antrop M (2000) Changing patterns in the urbanized countryside of Western Europe. Landscape Ecol 15:257–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baja S, Chapman DM, Dragovich D (2002) A conceptual model for defining and assessing land management units using a fuzzy modeling approach in GIS environment. Environ Manag 29:647–661

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bastian O (2008) Landscape classification: between fact and fiction. In: Lechnio J, Kulczyk S, Malinowska E, Szumacher I (eds) Landscape classification. Theory and practice. Warsaw University, pp 13–20

  • Bastian O, Krönert R, Lipský Z (2006a) Landscape diagnosis in different space and time scales—a challenge for landscape planning. Landscape Ecol 21:359–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bastian O, Lütz M, Röder M, Syrbe R-U (2006b) The assessment of landscape scenarios with regard to landscape functions. In: Meyer BC (ed) Sustainable land use in intensively used agricultural regions. Landscape Europe. Alterra Rep. No. 1338, Wageningen, pp 15–22

  • Bastian O, Grunewald K, Syrbe R-U (2012a) Space and time aspects of ecosystem services, using the example of the EU Water Framework Directive. Int J Biodivers Sci Ecosyst Serv Manag 8(1–2):5–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bastian O, Haase D, Grunewald K (2012b) Ecosystem properties, potentials and services—the EPPS conceptual framework and an urban application example. Ecol Indic 21:7–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bastian O, Lupp G, Syrbe R-U, Steinhäußer S (2013a) Ecosystem services and energy crops—spatial differentiation of risks. Ekológia Bratislava 32:13–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Bastian O, Walz U, Decker A (2013b) Historical landscape elements: part of our cultural heritage—a methodological study from Saxony. In: Kozak J, Ostapowicz K, Bytnerowicz A, Wyzga B (eds) Integrating nature and society towards sustainability. Environmental Science and Engineering, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg, pp 441–460

  • Blaschke T (2006) The role of the spatial dimension within the framework of sustainable landscapes and natural capital. Landsc Urb Plan 75:198–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Botequilha Leitão A, Miller J, Ahern J, McGarigal K (2006) Measuring landscapes: a planner’s handbook. Island Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Burggraaff P, Kleefeld K-D (1998) Historische Kulturlandschaft und Kulturlandschaftselemente. Angewandte Landschaftsökologie 20:320

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkhard BF, Müller F, Windhorst W (2009) Landscapes‘capacities to provide ecosystem services—a concept for land-cover based assessments. Landsc Online 15:1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • CBD—Convention on Biological Biodiversity (2010) Global Biodiversity Outlook 3. CBD Secretariat, Montreal

  • Costanza R (2008) Ecosystem services: multiple classification systems are needed. Biol Conserv 141:350–352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daniel TC (2001) Whither scenic beauty? Visual landscape quality assessment in the 21th century. Landsc Urb Plan 54:267–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Groot RS, Wilson M, Boumans R (2002) A typology for description, classification and valuation of ecosystem functions, goods and services. Environ Econ 41:393–408

    Google Scholar 

  • De Groot RS, Alkemade R, Braat L, Hein L, Willemen L (2010) Challenges in integrating the concept of ecosystem services and values in landscape planning, management and decision making. Ecol Complex 7:260–272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellenberg H (1973) Die Ökosysteme der Erde: Versuch einer Klassifikation der Ökosysteme nach funktionalen Gesichtspunkten. In: Ellenberg H (ed) Ökosystemforschung. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 235–265

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Farber S, Costanza R, Childers DL, Erickson J, Gross K, Grove M, Hopkinson CS, Kahn J, Pincetl S, Troy A, Warren P, Wilson M (2006) Linking ecology and economics for ecosystem management. Bioscience 56:117–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher B, Turner RK, Morlin P (2009) Defining and classifying ecosystem services for decision-making. Ecol Econ 68:643–653

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frank S, Fürst C, Koschke L, Makeschin F (2012) A contribution towards a transfer of the ecosystem service concept to landscape planning using landscape metrics. Ecol Indic 21:30–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grunewald K, Bastian O (2010) Ökosystemdienstleistungen analysieren—begrifflicher und konzeptioneller Rahmen aus landschaftsökologischer Sicht. Geo-Öko 31:50–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Grunewald K, Bastian O (eds) (2013) Ökosystemdienstleistungen. Konzept, Methoden und Fallbeispiele. Springer-Spektrum, Heidelberg Berlin (English edition: Ecosystem services. 2014)

  • Grunewald K, Syrbe R-U, Renner C (2012) Analyse der ästhetischen und monetären Wertschätzung der Landschaft am Erzgebirgskamm durch den Tourismus. Geo-Öko 33:34–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Grunewald K, Syrbe R-U, Bastian O (2014) Costs of landscape management measures as indicators of the value of ecosystem services—as exemplified by the Landscape Management Strategy of Saxony. Ecol Indic 37(A):241–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunzelmann T (1987) Die Erhaltung der historischen Kulturlandschaft. Angewandte historische Geographie des ländlichen Raumes mit Beispielen aus Franken. Bamberger Wirtschaftsgeogr. Arbeiten 4, Bamberg, pp 318

  • Haase G, Mannsfeld K (eds)(2002) Naturraumeinheiten, Landschaftsfunktionen und Leitbilder am Beispiel von Sachsen. Forschungen zur deutschen Landeskunde 250, Flensburg

  • Hein L, van Koppen K, de Groot RS, van Ierland EC (2006) Spatial scales, stakeholders and the valuation of ecosystem services. Ecol Econ 57:209–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heinz Center–The H. John Heinz (III) Center for Science, Economics and the Environment (2008) Landscape pattern indicators for the nation: a report from the Heinz Center’s landscape pattern task group, Washington, DC

  • Hodder KH, Newton AC, Cantarello E, Perrella L (2014) Does landscape-scale conservation management enhance the provision of ecosystem services? Int J Biodivers Sci Ecosyst Serv Manag 10(1):71–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jedicke E (ed) (1996) Praktische Landschaftspflege—Grundlagen und Maßnahmen, 2nd edn. Ulmer, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Kienast F (2010) Landschaftsdienstleistungen: ein taugliches Konzept für Forschung und Praxis? Forum für Wissen, pp 7–12

  • Kirchhoff T, Trepl L, Vicenzotti V (2012) What is landscape ecology? An analysis and evaluation of six different conceptions. Landsc Res 38(1):33–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lang S, Walz U, Klug H, Blaschke T, Syrbe R-U (2009) Landscape metrics—a toolbox for assessing past, present and future landscape structure. In: Bender O, Evelpido N, Krek A, Vassilopoulos A (eds) Geoinformation technologies for geocultural landscapes. European Perspectives, CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 207–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Leibenath M, Gailing L (2012) Semantische Annäherung an die Worte „Landschaft“und „Kulturlandschaft“. In: Schenk W, Kühn M, Leibenath M, Tzschaschel S (eds) Suburbane Räume als Kulturlandschaften. Verlag der ARL, Hannover, pp 58–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Leser H (1997) Landschaftsökologie. 4th ed, UTB, Ulmer, Stuttgart (1st ed 1976)

  • Lupp G, Albrecht J, Darbi M, Bastian O (2011) Ecosystem services in energy crop production—a concept for regulatory measures in spatial planning? J Landscape Ecol 4:49–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Lupp G, Syrbe R-U, Steinhäußer R, Bastian O (2014) Perception of energy crops by laypersons and farmers using the approach of ecosystem services. Moravian Geogr Rep

  • Lütz M, Bastian O (2002) Implementation of landscape planning and nature conservation in the agricultural landscape—a case study from Saxony. Agric Ecosyst Environ 92:159–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MEA—Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) Ecosystems and human well-being. Synthesis. Island Press, Washington, DC

  • Müller F, de Groot R, Willemen L (2010) Ecosystem services at the landscape scale: the need for integrative approaches. Landsc Online 23:1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Neef E (1976) Nebenwirkungen der gesellschaftlichen Tätigkeiten im Naturraum. Petermanns Geogr Mitt 120:141–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Palang H, Printsmann A, Konkoly Gyuro E, Urbanc M, Skowronek E, Woloszyn W (2006) The forgotten rural landscapes of Central and Eastern Europe. Landscape Ecol 21:347–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plieninger T, Bieling C, Gerdes H, Ohnesorge B, Schaich H, Schleyer C, Trommler K, Wolff F (2010) Ökosystemdienstleistungen in Kulturlandschaften. Konzept und Anwendung am Beispiel der Biosphärenreservate Oberlausitz und Schwäbische Alb. Natur und Landschaft 85:187–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Polasky S, Nelson E, Camm J, Csuti B, Fackler B, Lonsdorf E, Montgomery C, White D, Arthur J, Garber-Yonts B, Haight R, Kagan J, Starfield A, Tobalske C (2008) Where to put things? Spatial land management to sustain biodiversity and economic returns. Biol Conserv 141:1505–1524

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ring I, Hansjürgens B, Elmqvist T, Wittmer H, Sukhdev P (2010) Challenges in framing the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity: the TEEB initiative. ScienceDirect. Curr Opin Environ Sustain 2:15–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg M, Syrbe R-U, Vowinckel J, Walz U (2014) Scenario methodology for modelling of future landscape developments as basis for assessing ecosystem services. Landsc Online 33:1–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaich H, Bieling C, Plieninger T (2010) Linking ecosystem services with cultural landscape research. Gaia 19:269–277

    Google Scholar 

  • Syrbe R-U, Walz U (2012) Spatial indicators for the assessment of ecosystem services: providing, benefiting and connecting areas and landscape metrics. Ecol Indic 21:80–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tengberg A, Fredholm S, Eliasson I, Knez I, Saltzman K, Wetterberg O (2012) Cultural ecosystem services provided by landscapes: assessment of heritage values and identity Ecosyst Serv 2:14–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Termorshuizen JW, Opdam P (2009) Landscape services as a bridge between landscape ecology and sustainable development. Landscape Ecol 24:1037–1052

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • The Countryside Agency + Scottish Natural Heritage (2002) Landscape character assessment: guidance for England and Scotland. Sheffield, pp 84

  • Tveit M, Ode Å, Fry G (2006) Key concepts in a framework for analysing visual landscape character. Landsc Res 31:229–255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uuemaa E, Antrop M, Roosaare J, Marja R, Mander Ü (2009) Landscape metrics and indices: an overview of their use in landscape research. Living Rev Landsc Res 3:1–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vandewalle M, Sykes MT, Harrison PA, Luck GW, Berry P, Bugter R, Dawson TP, Feld CK, Harrington R, Haslett JR, Hering D, Jones KB, Jongman R, Lavorel S, Martins da Silva P, Moora M, Paterson J, Rounsevell MDA, Sandin L, Settele J, Sousa JP, Zobel M (2008) Review paper on concepts of dynamic ecosystems and their services. RUBICODE Deliverable D2.1. Available from http://www.rubicode.net/rubicode/RUBICODE_e-conference_report.pdf. Accessed Dec 2013

  • von Haaren C (ed) (2004) Landschaftsplanung. UTB, Ulmer, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Walz U (2008) Monitoring of landscape change and functions in Saxony (Eastern Germany)—methods and indicators. Ecol Indic 8:807–817

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walz U (2011) Landscape structure, landscape metrics and biodiversity. Living Rev Landsc Res 5:1–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walz U, Ueberfuhr F, Schauer P, Halke E (2010) Ableitung und Bewertung von Kulturlandschaftsgebieten für das Landschaftsprogramm Sachsen. Natur und Landschaft 85:17–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Wascher DM (ed)(2005) European landscape character areas—typologies, cartography and indicators for the assessment of sustainable landscapes. Alterra Report 1254, Wageningen

  • Wende W, Wojtkiewicz W, Marschall I, Heiland S, Lipp T, Reinke M, Schaal P, Schmidt C (2012) Putting the plan into practice: implementation of proposals for measures of local landscape plans. Landsc Res 37:483–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willemen L (2010) Mapping and modeling multifunctional landscapes. PhD thesis, University of Wageningen, Wageningen

  • Willemen L, Veldkamp A, Verburg PH, Hein L, Leemans R (2012) A multi-scape modelling approach for analysing landscape service dynamics. J Environ Manag 100:86–95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu JG (2013) Landscape sustainability science: ecosystem services and human well-being in changing landscapes. Landscape Ecol 28:999–1023

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank the reviewers and the editor, Prof. J. Wu, for their helpful comments and comprehensive advices, but also Mr. Phil Hill, Berlin, for polishing the language.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development, Weberplatz 1, 01217, Dresden, Germany

    Olaf Bastian, Karsten Grunewald, Ralf-Uwe Syrbe, Ulrich Walz & Wolfgang Wende

Authors
  1. Olaf Bastian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Karsten Grunewald
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ralf-Uwe Syrbe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ulrich Walz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wolfgang Wende
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Olaf Bastian.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bastian, O., Grunewald, K., Syrbe, RU. et al. Landscape services: the concept and its practical relevance. Landscape Ecol 29, 1463–1479 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-014-0064-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-014-0064-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation