The mosaic of cropping systems: a hidden part of agricultural landscapes heterogeneity
Résumé
Although the mosaic landscape model has replaced the patch/ matrix model in landscape ecology over time, the diversity of agricultural landscapes is still poorly described; the main focus is still on perennial vegetation. Crop diversity is barely considered; the diversity of production systems is, at best, defined as “conventional” versus “organic” in most instances. Cropping systems result from agronomical constraints that depend on: the crops themselves; the bio-physical environment; and material and human means. They may vary widely between and within farms; thus the crop mosaic may exhibit a high diversity in the pattern of cropping systems. For species that inhabit fields and surroundings, and for species that spread out of fields, this crop management diversity, produces a hidden heterogeneity of landscape suitability and permeability. Moreover the dynamics of crop mosaics frequently create a spatial rearrangement of habitat amount and connectivity. We review the literature on these topics and propose means to integrate farming practices into the analytical framework of landscape ecology.