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Growing concern about the loss of ecosystem services (ES) promotes their spatial representation as a key tool for the internalization of the ES framework into land use policies. Paradoxically, mapping approaches meant to inform policy decisions focus on the magnitude and spatial distribution of the biophysical supply of ES, largely ignoring the social mechanisms by which these services influence human wellbeing. If social mechanisms affecting ES demand, enhancing it or reducing it, are taken more into account, then policies are more effective. By developing and applying a new mapping routine to two distinct socio-ecological systems, we show a strong spatial uncoupling between ES supply and socio-ecological vulnerability to the loss of ES, under scenarios of land use and cover change. Public policies based on ES supply might not only fail at detecting priority conservation areas for the wellbeing of human societies, but may also increase their vulnerability by neglecting areas of currently low, but highly valued ES supply.

Agricultural intensification in rural areas of developing countries compromises the provision of ecosystem services. Social conflict arises among landholders with different preferences for ecosystem services and land-use practices in agricultural frontiers of the Argentine Dry Chaco. We explored policy and management options by assessing the actual and potential outcomes of alternative land-use systems and scenarios. We first constructed the efficiency frontier for avian habitat and agricultural productivity to analyze the combinations of ecosystem services that can be achieved under different land-use intensities. A nonlinear, concave efficiency frontier indicated opportunities to achieve large gains for production with small losses for conservation, for instance, by transitioning from low- to intermediate-intensity systems. Second, we projected production and conservation outcomes, which can be achieved through the implementation of five alternative policy options. The land sharing with conservation scenario, 70% of the landscape covered by intermediate-intensity systems and 30% by undisturbed forests, yielded the higher combination of avian habitat and agricultural productivity. Third, we constructed indifference curves of three landholder groups, i.e., preproductivist, multifunctional, and productivist, by assessing their intentions (proxies for preferences) to conserve and convert remnant forests in their landholdings. Multifunctional landholders showed balanced preferences for conserving and converting forests in their landholdings, and maintaining intermediate-intensity systems. A general willingness to conserve forests coexisted in preproductivist landholders with the intention to clear some portions of the landholding and intensify landuse, indicating the potential of an endogenously motivated transition toward a multifunctional regime. Such transition may increase their productivity by 35-65% without compromising avian habitat. Productivist landholders showed a strong inclination toward converting forests for pasture cultivation, despite the observation that they can increase their conservation outcomes by 30-50% without significantly reducing productivity by transitioning toward a multifunctional regime. Promoting this transition will require exogenous incentives and regulations tailored to the behavior of this landholder group.

Primary production hotspots in the marine environment occur where the combination of light, turbulence, temperature and nutrients makes the proliferation of phytoplankton possible. Satellite-derived surface chlorophyll-a distributions indicate that these conditions are frequently associated with sharp water mass transitions named “marine fronts”. Given the link between primary production, consumers and ecosystem functions, marine fronts could play a key role in the production of ecosystem services (ES). Using the shelf break front in the Argentine Sea as a study case, we show that the high primary production found in the front is the main ecological feature that supports the production of tangible (fisheries) and intangible (recreation, regulation of atmospheric gases) marine ES and the reason why the provision of ES in the Argentine Sea concentrates there. This information provides support to satellite chlorophyll as a good indicator of multiple marine ES. We suggest that marine fronts could be considered as marine ES hot spots.

Illegal fishing in small-scale fisheries is a contentious issue and resists a straightforward interpretation. Particularly, there is little knowledge regarding cooperative interactions between legal and illegal fishers and the potential effects on fisheries arising from these interactions. Taking the Chilean king crab ( Lithodes santolla ; common name centolla) fishery as a case study, our goal is twofold: (i) to model the effect of illegal-legal fishers’ interactions on the fishery and (ii) analyze how management and social behavior affect fishery’s outcomes. We framed the analysis of this problem within game theory combined with network theory to represent the architecture of competitive interactions. The fishers’ system was set to include registered (legal) fishers and unregistered (illegal) fishers. In the presence of unregistered fishers, legal fishers may decide to cooperate (ignoring the presence of illegal fishers) or defect, which involves becoming a “super fisher” and whitewashing the captures of illegal fishers for a gain. The utility of both players, standard fisher and super fisher depend on the strategy chosen by each of them, as well as on the presence of illegal fishers. The nodes of the network represent the legal fishers (both standard and super fishers) and the links between nodes indicate that these fishers compete for the resource, assumed to be finite and evenly distributed across space. The decision to change (or not) the adopted strategy is modeled considering that fishers are subjected to variable levels of temptation to whitewash the illegal capture and to social pressure to stop doing so. To represent the vital dynamics of the king crab, we propose a model that includes the Allee effect and a term accounting for the crab extraction. We found that the super fisher strategy leads to the decrease of the king crab population under a critical threshold as postulated in the tragedy of the commons hypothesis when there are: (i) high net extraction rates of the network composed of non-competing standard fishers, (ii) high values of the extent of the fishing season, and (iii) high density of illegal fishers. The results suggest that even in the presence of super fishers and illegal fishers, the choice of properly distributed fishing/closure cycles or setting an extraction limit per vessel can prevent the king crab population from falling below a critical threshold. This finding, although controversial, reflects the reality of this fishery that, for decades, has operated under a dynamic in which whitewashing and super fishers have become well established within the system.

En áreas de intensificación agropecuaria, los tomadores de decisión son los responsables del uso de las tierras y de la conservación de las franjas de vegetación ribereñas. Estas, proporcionan numerosos servicios ecosistémicos a los seres humanos. A pesar de su importancia, cuando la calidad de los suelos lo permite, son convertidas en áreas de cultivo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue comprender la influencia relativa de distintos factores psicosociales, sobre las intenciones de conservar los ambientes ribereños. Se eligieron 50 explotaciones en la Pampa Austral de Argentina, se entrevistaron a los tomadores de decisión a los que se pidió completaran una encuesta de tipo estructurada. Las respuestas fueron codificadas, analizadas estadísticamente y se obtuvieron 3 modelos de ecuaciones estructurales. El modelo basado en los factores normativos mostró el mayor peso, el segundo mejor modelo, fue el cimentado en factores cognitivos, en tanto que, el fundado en factores emocionales fue el de menor representatividad. Se concluye que si bien los factores normativos fueron los que mejor explicaron las intenciones de conservación, representan cuellos de botella en los que no se puede influir y solo se puede intervenir a través de los factores cognitivos, promoviendo el conocimiento.

The potential of landscapes to supply multiple benefits to society beyond commodities production has received increasing research and policy attention. Linking the concept of multifunctionality with the ecosystem services (ES) approach offers a promising avenue for producing scientific evidence to inform landscape planning, e.g., about the relative utility of land-sharing and land-sparing. However, the value for decision-making of ES-based multifunctionality assessments has been constrained by a significant conceptual and methodological dispersion. To contribute towards a cohesive framework for landscape multifunctionality, we analyse case studies of joint ES supply regarding ten criteria designed to ultimately answer four aspects: (i) the multifunctionality of what (e.g., landscapes), (ii) the type of multifunctionality (e.g., based on ES synergies), (iii) the procedure of multifunctionality assessments, and (iv) the purpose of multifunctionality. We constructed a typology of methodological approaches based on scores for criteria describing the evaluation method and the level of stakeholder participation in assessments of joint ES supply. Surveyed studies and underlying types of methodological approaches (spatial, socio-spatial, functional, spatio-functional) differed in most criteria. We illustrate the influence of methodological divergence on planning recommendations by comparing two studies employing contrasting approaches (spatial and functional) to assess the joint supply of wildlife habitat and agricultural production in the Argentine Chaco. We distinguish between a pattern-based and process-based multifunctionality, where the latter can only be detected through approaches considering the ecological processes (e.g., ES complementarities) supporting the supply of multiple ES (functional and spatio-functional). Finally, we propose an integrated approach for assessing a socially-relevant process-based multifunctionality.

La tensión entre las prácticas agrícolas dominantes y los problemas ambientales y sociales hacen reflexionar sobre la adopción de innovaciones que den solución a este desafío, como son las innovaciones tecnológicas sustentables (ITSA). El modelo lineal de difusión de innovaciones agrícolas no logró la interacción necesaria para su adopción.  Este trabajo busca comprender el nivel de acople entre la academia, la extensión y el sector productivo de la Provincia de Buenos Aires en relación a la adopción de las ITSA por parte de los productores y sus consecuencias sobre la implementación de prácticas que favorezcan la sustentabilidad del agroecosistema. La metodología aplicada es de naturaleza cuali-cuantitativa a partir de datos obtenidos de un cuestionario en línea aplicado a académicos, extensionistas y productores. Los resultados muestran desacoples entre los ámbitos estudiados. Los académicos tienen una visión sesgada hacia la dimensión ambiental y alejada de la realidad diaria de los productores, mientras que los extensionistas tienen una visión integral del territorio y el ámbito productivo muestra la necesidad de adoptar ITSA sin perder de vista los resultados económicos y las dificultades de su operatoria. En los tres ámbitos se reconoce al compromiso ambiental como un factor que favorece la adopción de ITSA y al contexto económico como principal limitante. Entre las diferencias, académicos y extensionistas muestran el desconocimiento y la falta de apoyo técnico como limitantes, mientras que los productores la aversión al riesgo y la “cultura” agropecuaria. Los factores técnicos y económicos no son suficientes para analizar la adopción de innovaciones.

La tension que se suscita entre las practicas agricolas dominantes y los problemas ambientales hace reflexionar sobre la contribucion que la adopcion de innovaciones tecnologicas sustentables agropecuarias (ITSA) podria hacer para aportar solucion a este conflicto. Este trabajo busca describir el nivel de acople/desacople existente entre la academia, la extension y el sector productivo de la provincia de Buenos Aires en relacion con la adopcion de las ITSA por parte de los productores y sus consecuencias sobre la implementacion de practicas que favorezcan la sustentabilidad del agroecosistema. La metodologia aplicada es de naturaleza cuali-cuantitativa, a partir del analisis de datos primarios obtenidos mediante el relevamiento de un cuestionario en linea aplicado a academicos, extensionistas y productores, entre marzo y mayo de 2022. Los resultados muestran ciertos desacoples entre los ambitos estudiados. Los academicos consultados ponen foco en la dimension ambiental, mientras que los extensionistas tienen una vision integral del territorio y el ambito productivo considera la importancia de adoptar ITSA sin perder de vista las dificultades operativas y los resultados economicos. En los tres ambitos se reconoce al compromiso ambiental como un factor que favorece la adopcion de ITSA y al contexto economico como principal limitante. Entre las diferencias, academicos y extensionistas expresan el desconocimiento y la falta de apoyo tecnico como limitantes, mientras que en los productores se hace referencia a la aversion al riesgo y la \"cultura\" agropecuaria, mostrando que los factores tecnicos y economicos no son suficientes para analizar la adopcion de las ITSA. Palabras clave: productores agropecuarios, toma de decisiones, sustentabilidad, practicas agricolas, agroecologia. The tension that arises between dominant agricultural practices and environmental problems makes us reflect on the contribution that the adoption of sustainable technological innovations in agriculture and livestock (STIAL) could make to solve this conflict. This paper seeks to describe the level of coupling/disconnection between academia, extension and the productive sector of the Province of Buenos Aires in relation to the adoption of the STIAL by producers and its consequences on the implementation of practices that favor the sustainability of the agroecosystem. The methodology applied is of a qualitative-quantitative nature, based on the analysis of primary data obtained through the survey of an online questionnaire applied to academics, extensionists and producers, between March and May 2022. The results show certain decouplings between the areas studied. The academics consulted focus on the environmental dimension, while the extensionists have an integral vision of the territory and the productive sphere considers the importance of adopting STIAL without losing sight of the operational difficulties and economic results. In all three areas, environmental commitment is recognized as a factor that favors the adoption of STIAL and the economic context as the main constraint. Among the differences, academics and extensionists express ignorance and lack of technical support as limiting factors, while producers refer to risk aversion and agricultural \"culture\", showing that technical and economic factors are not sufficient to analyze the adoption of STIALs. Keywords: Agricultural Producers, Decision Making, Sustainability, Agricultural Practices, Agro-Ecology.

En áreas de intensificación agropecuaria, los tomadores de decisión son los responsables del uso de las tierras y de la conservación de las franjas de vegetación ribereñas. Estas, proporcionan numerosos servicios ecosistémicos a los seres humanos. A pesar de su importancia, cuando la calidad de los suelos lo permite, son convertidas en áreas de cultivo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue comprender la influencia relativa de distintos factores psicosociales, sobre las intenciones de conservar los ambientes ribereños. Se eligieron 50 explotaciones en la Pampa Austral de Argentina, se entrevistaron a los tomadores de decisión a los que se pidió completaran una encuesta de tipo estructurada. Las respuestas fueron codificadas, analizadas estadísticamente y se obtuvieron 3 modelos de ecuaciones estructurales. El modelo basado en los factores normativos mostró el mayor peso, el segundo mejor modelo, fue el cimentado en factores cognitivos, en tanto que, el fundado en factores emocionales fue el de menor representatividad. Se concluye que si bien los factores normativos fueron los que mejor explicaron las intenciones de conservación, representan cuellos de botella en los que no se puede influir y solo se puede intervenir a través de los factores cognitivos, promoviendo el conocimiento. In areas of agricultural intensification, decision makers are responsible for the land use and the conservation of riparian vegetation strips. These provide many ecosystem services to humans. Despite their importance, they are converted into crop areas when the quality of the soils allows it. The objective of this work was to understand the relative influence of different psycho-social factors on the intentions to conserve the riparian environments. Fifty decision makers of farms of the Southern Pampa of Argentina were interviewed in order to complete a structured survey. The responses were coded and statistically analyzed to determine three models ofstructural equationswere obtained. A model based on normative factors showed the greatest weight. A second model, based on cognitive factors, was most adjusted than one based on emotional factors. It is concluded that although normative factors were the ones that best explained the intentions about the conservation. These factors represent bottlenecks that cannot be influenced and can only be intervened by cognitive factors based on the promotion of the knowledge.

Wetland loss is a frequent concern for the environmental management of rural landscapes, but poor disentanglement between climatic and land management causes frequently constrains both proper diagnoses and planning. The aim of this study is to address areal changes induced by non-climatic factors on lentic water bodies (LWB) within an agricultural basin of the Argentinean Pampas, and the human activities that might be involved. The LWB of the Mar Chiquita basin (Buenos Aires province, Argentina) were mapped using Landsat images from 1998–2008 and then corrected for precipitation variability by considering the regional hydrological status on each date. LWB areal changes were statistically and spatially analyzed in relation to land use changes, channelization of streams, and drainage of small SWB in the catchment areas. We found that 12 % of the total LWB in the basin had changed ( P  < 0.05) due to non-climatic causes. During the evaluated decade, 30 % of the LWB that changed size had decreased while 70 % showed steady increases in area. The number of altered LWB within watersheds lineally increased or decreased according to the proportion of grasslands replaced by sown pastures, or the proportion of sown pastures replaced by crop fields, respectively. Drainage and channelization do not appear to be related to the alteration of LWB; however some of these hydrologic modifications may predate 1998, and thus earlier effects cannot be discarded. This study shows that large-scale changes in land cover (e.g., grasslands reduction) can cause a noticeable loss of hydrologic regulation at the catchment scale within a decade.