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Basic and Applied Ecology 16 (2015) 661–664

DITORIAL

gricultural landscapes and ecosystem services in South-Eastsia—the LEGATO-Project

osef Settelea,b,∗, Joachim H. Spangenberga,c, Kong Luen Heongd,q,enjamin Burkharde,f, Jesus Victor Bustamanteg, Jimmy Cabbigatg,o Van Chienh, Monina Escaladai, Volker Greschoa,j, Le Huu Haik,lexander Harpkea, Finbarr G. Horgand, Stefan Hotesl, Reinhold Jahnm,

ngolf Kühna,b, Leonardo Marquezn, Martin Schädlera,b, Vera Tekkeno,oris Vetterleina, Sylvia “Bong” Villareald, Catrin Westphalp, Martin Wiemersa

UFZ—Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle, GermanyiDiv, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig,ermany

Sustainable Europe Research Institute SERI Germany e.V., Vorsterstr. 97–99, 51103 Cologne, GermanyIRRI—International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, DAPO, 7777 Metro Manila, PhilippinesInstitute for Natural Resource Conservation, Kiel University, Olshausenstraße 40, 24098 Kiel, GermanyLeibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research ZALF, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, GermanyLEGATO Office, 3601 Banaue, Ifugao, PhilippinesMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development Vietnam, Tien Giang, VietnamDepartment of Development Communication, Visayas State University, Visca, Baybay 6521, Leyte, PhilippinesOLANIS GmbH, Pittlerstraße 33, 04159 Leipzig, GermanyTien Giang University, My Tho, VietnamGeneral and Animal Ecology, Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-v.-Frisch-Str. 8, 35043 Marburg,ermanyChair of Soil Science, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Seckendorff-Platz 3, 06120 Halle, GermanyCrop Protection Division, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Maligaya, Munoz, Nueva Ecija, PhilippinesInstitute for Geography and Geology, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 16,7487 Greifswald, Germany

Agorecology, Georg-August University Göttingen, Grisebachstrasse 6, 37077 Göttingen, GermanyZhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China

eceived 13 October 2015; accepted 17 October 2015vailable online 3 November 2015

∗Corresponding author at: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Community Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle, Germany.el.: +0049 0 345 558 5320; fax: +0049 0 345 558 5329.

E-mail address: Josef.Settele@ufz.de (J. Settele).

ttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2015.10.003439-1791/© 2015 Gesellschaft für Ökologie. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

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62 J. Settele et al. / Basic and Applied Ecology 16 (2015) 661–664

eywords: Ecological engineering; Landscape structure; Media campaigns; Nutrients; Pest control; Philippines; Pollination; Silicon;ustainable land use; Vietnam

The present special feature of Basic and Applied Ecologyocusses on the LEGATO project: “Land-use intensity andcological enGineering—Assessment Tools for risks andpportunities in irrigated rice based production systems”

http://www.legato-project.net/), which aims to advanceong-term sustainable development of irrigated rice land-capes against risks arising from multiple aspects of globalhange. LEGATO is part of the framework programmeFONA—Research for Sustainability’, a funding scheme ofhe German Ministry of Education and Science—BMBFhttp://www.fona.de/en/index.php).

LEGATO quantifies the dependence of the rice-dominatedandscapes on ecosystem services (ESS) and the ecosystemunctions (ESF) they are generated from. Its focal issuesre: (i) the socio-cultural and economic contexts, (ii) locals well as regional land use intensity and biodiversity, andiii) the potential impacts of future climate and land usehange. LEGATO followed the framework of the Millenniumcosystem Assessment (MA, 2005) by selecting character-

stic elements of three MA strands of ecosystem servicesESS) for analysis: (a) Provisioning Services; (b) Regulatingervices; and (c) Cultural Services.As a core output, LEGATO develops generally applicable

rinciples of Ecological Engineering (EE). EE is an emergingiscipline, concerned with designing, constructing and mon-toring of ecosystems, and aims at developing strategies toptimise ecosystem services through exploiting natural reg-lation mechanisms instead of suppressing them (see alsourr, Wratten, & Altieri 2003; Mitsch 2012). For detailedeld work, seven regions (15 × 15 km2 each) were chosen,

hree in Luzon/Philippines (see Fig. 1), three in North Viet-am and one in the Mekong delta in South Vietnam. For theirocations and further details on their climates, land-uses andoils see Klotzbücher et al. (2015a).

The analysis of soil processes as the basis for riceroduction is one focal theme of LEGATO research on pro-isioning ESS. Klotzbücher et al. (2015a) investigated thetatus of plant-available silicon (=Si ) in all our research

explained by geo-/pedologic conditions. The authors assumethat the large Sipa concentrations in Philippine soils aremainly due to a large Sipa input by weathering processes inthese areas of volcanic origin during recent geologic history.In some Vietnamese sites, the concentrations of Sipa werebelow critical values proposed in literature, and a field exper-iment conducted at one of the sites showed that addition of Sifertilizers indeed did enhance rice production (Marxen et al.,2015). In that article, the LEGATO researchers also demon-strated that rice straw decomposition is an important sourceof Sipa in paddy soils. Hence, the removal of rice straw fromfields, a frequent practice in the Vietnamese study regions,might contribute to the low Sipa concentrations. Water man-agement might also be an important factor for the siliconsupply to plants, because irrigation can be a relevant Sipasource (Klotzbücher et al., 2015b).

One important source of nutrients is the decomposition oforganic materials. Schmidt et al. (2015a) studied invertebratedecomposers and showed that they substantially contributedto the decay of rice straw residues in paddy fields and thusmight be an important factor influencing soil fertility and siteproductivity. Their efficiency was highest near the field bor-ders, indicating a positive effect of surrounding landscapes.Furthermore, crop residue management practices were foundto significantly influence decomposition by invertebrates aswell as their community structure (Schmidt et al., 2015b).Future studies should evaluate in more detail how landmanagement and landscape structure surrounding rice fieldscontribute to the maintenance of ecosystem services providedby invertebrate decomposers, such as nutrient cycling and soilfertility. This is also relevant as the Vietnamese governmentplans to promote the merging of fields and farms into largerunits to enhance mechanisation opportunities and compen-sate for a decline in the farming population. The LEGATOresults show that such policies entail the risk of losing nutrientcycling ESS, with a subsequent risk of losses in soil fertilityand yield and increasing fertiliser demand.

Regulating ESS play a key role in irrigated rice ecosys-

paegions–which resulted in a surprisingly clearcut differenti-tion between Vietnam with low, and the Philippines withigh Sipa concentrations in topsoil. These differences can be

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ems. Recently in many cases of core pests reaching outbreakevels the lack of natural enemies has played a key role—withhe latter being mainly an effect of insecticide applications.

J. Settele et al. / Basic and Applied Ecology 16 (2015) 661–664 663

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ig. 1. LEGATO landscape near Batad within region “PH 3 Ifugaore part of the UNESCO world heritage sites of Ifugao province, N

o counteract the detrimental effects of ongoing land usentensification in rice production systems, these need to beanaged in a more sustainable manner with the goal to

onserve and enhance biodiversity and the provisioning ofcosystem services (Godfray & Garnett, 2014). Westphalt al. (2015) review management options for multiple ecosys-em services and evaluate the merits of mass media campaignsnd participatory approaches for more sustainable rice pro-uction. They conclude that generally, the implementationf flower strips within EE programs is one potential optiono enhance pest regulation, pollination and cultural services,uch as recreation, in rice production landscapes. However,ore experimental studies are needed to identify seed mix-

ures and to analyse potential interactions between differentpatial scales and ecosystem services. Rice farmers shouldarticipate in the development, research and evaluation ofcological engineering programs. The authors conclude thatomprehensive EE programs are needed, which combine par-icipatory approaches, mass media campaigns and flowertrip implementation to motivate farmers and to increase theustainability of rice production in Asia and to enhance ESS.

Cultural ESS are a frequently underrated componentf landscape management. LEGATO investigates the mul-idimensional values and practices connected with naturer biodiversity relevant for rice cultivation. This is impor-ant as resource management and ecological awareness areocio-culturally determined and changes related to landnd environment impact on e.g. traditional livelihoods ornowledge. In this regard, one important feature of ongo-

ng LEGATO activities is the transfer of research resultshich need to be adapted to specific circumstances of local

takeholders (or farmers). For this undertaking the results ofK

pare Klotzbücher et al., 2015a). These Amphitheatre-like terraces, Philippines (© J. Settele).

he three papers published in the present special feature willonstitute important baselines.

cknowledgements

We are really indebted to “our” more than 70 farmersho have wholeheartedly supported our research within theirelds. We also thank the German Federal Ministry of Educa-

ion and Research (BMBF) for funding the LEGATO projectFunding codes 01LL0917A until 01LL0917O) within theMBF-Funding Measure “Sustainable Land Management”

http://nachhaltiges-landmanagement.de), and especially Utaon Witsch for her continuous support from the fundingrganisation’s side. We are also indebted to Patrick Vanamme and Klaus Hubacek for critically accompanying theroject.

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