Ecosystem Services Along the Urban-Rural-Natural Gradient: An Approach for a Wide-Area Assessment and Mapping

Landscapes can be viewed as a continuum and studied using spatial gradients along which environmental modifications determine the structural and functional components of ecosystems. The analysis and quantification of Ecosystem Services, intended as the benefits people obtain from ecosystems, play a crucial role in sustainable landscape planning. In this framework we developed a novel method for the identification and characterization of the landscapes nested along the urban-rural-natural gradient and the analysis of potential ES supply and demand within said landscapes. The Kernel Density Estimation technique was applied to calculate continuous intensity indicators associated with urbanization, agriculture, and natural elements, considered as key components of the gradient. The potential ES demand and supply within each landscape area were assessed using expert–knowledge based indices associated to the LULC CORINE classes. Results showed a complex organization of “pillar” and transitional landscapes along the gradient, which match different bundles of ES demand and supply.