Conservation banking and the economization of nature : an institutional analysis

During the last decade, conservation banking mechanisms have emerged in the environmental discourse as new market instruments to promote biodiversity conservation. Compensation was already provided for in environmental law in many countries, as the last step of the mitigation hierarchy. The institutional arrangements developed in this context have been redefined and reshaped as market-based instruments (MBIs). As such, they are discursively disentangled from the complex legal-economic nexus they are part of. Monetary transactions are given prominence and tend to be presented as stand alone agreements, whereas they take place in the context of prescriptive regulations. The pro-market narrative featuring conservation banking systems as market-like arrangements as well as their denunciation as instances of nature commodification tend to obscure their actual characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to describe the latter, adopting an explicitly analytical stance on these complex institutional arrangements and their performative dimensions. Beyond the discourse supporting them and notwithstanding the diversity of national policies and regulatory frameworks for compensation, the constitutive force of these mechanisms probably lies in their ability to redefine control, power and the distribution of costs and in their impacts in terms of land use rather than in their efficiency.

Estudio multidisciplinario del ecosistema manglar en la comunidad tradicional de Curral Velho : An��lisis de los servicios ecosist��micos producidos por los manglares a partir de la percepci��n de la comunidad de Curral Velho

Existe un n��mero elevado de sectores de la sociedad que identifican los beneficios ofrecidos por el ecosistema del manglar as�� como la interacci��n entre ellos y el bienestar humano. A��n as��, los servicios ecosist��micos (ESs) ofrecidos por la naturaleza son poco visibles y reconocidos legislativamente. Se puede observar que el manglar es uno de los ecosistemas m��s productivos del planeta. Tienen gran importancia tanto econ��mica, social, ambiental como cultural, pero en las ��ltimas d��cadas se ha hecho m��s notable una degradaci��n progresiva debida, en gran parte, a la cr��a de camar��n en cautividad, la camaronicultura. Por esta causa, se observa que la legislaci��n y las pol��ticas que pretenden gestionar estos ecosistemas, no act��an en consecuencia al no imponer ciertas medidas necesarias para esta vital protecci��n, ni considera la importancia de los ecosistemas para la vida de las comunidades tradicionales que dependen de sus servicios para sobrevivir. Por ello es necesario producir un conocimiento sobre ESs a partir de la percepci��n por parte de la comunidad y que la comunidad se implique en la resoluci��n de esta problem��tica, ya sea en la toma de decisiones o mediante ciertas actividades o acciones que puedan denunciar estas pr��cticas insostenibles. Frente a este contexto, este trabajo fue realizado a partir de la informaci��n obtenida en la comunidad de Curral Velho (Cear��, Brasil), con el objetivo de realizar un estudio sobre los ESs prove��dos por los manglares a partir de la percepci��n de la comunidad para demostrar la importancia que ��stos tienen para el bienestar de los habitantes de la comunidad que se benefician. Los resultados fueron alcanzados a partir de una combinaci��n de metodolog��as sociales que hacen posible la participaci��n por parte de los habitantes: free listing, encuestas de valoraci��n, grupos focales y observaci��n participante. En la aplicaci��n de estos m��todos fueron identificados nuevos ESs de car��cter psicol��gico por los pescadores/as de la pesca artesanal. Por lo que se concluye que es importante tener en cuenta la opini��n de las comunidades adyacentes para preservar los flujos ecosist��micos que proporciona el manglar.

Estudio multidisciplinario del ecosistema manglar en la comunidad tradicional de Curral Velho : Estudio sobre la pesca artesanal y an��lisis de sus diferencias con la acuicultura del camar��n

Curral Velho es una comunitat tradicional, situada al nord-est de Brasil, que mant�� una relaci�� directa amb els ecosistemes que la envolten. La comunitat dep��n del estat de conservaci�� del medi natura, ja que obtenen diferents serveis ecositemics. En aquest territori es desenvolupen dos tipus d���economies amb unes bases molt diferents. Una economia tradicional, desenvolupada per la pr��pia comunitat, que es basa en la propietat col��lectiva del territori i en optimitzar a llarg termini els beneficis que s���obtenen del medi; y un altre com la camaronicultura, la base de la qual es la obtenci�� de beneficis a curt termini i amb un territori de propietat privada. Aquesta superposici�� de models de producci�� genera impactes ambientals, i un conflicte socio-ambiental entre la comunitat i els que desenvolupen la camaronicultura. L���objectiu es realitzar un estudi econ��mic de la pesca artesanal de Curral Velho caracteritzant manera de viure, creant una base de dades sobre pesca artesanal i elaborant indicador de beneficis econ��mics generats per la pesca artesanal. Per contextualitzar els resultats es va fer un an��lisis de les dos economies existents a la comunitat. Els resultats obtinguts en primer lloc s��n que l���economia d���explotaci�� intensiva aporta m��s guanys per les persones de la comunitat que tenen un relaci�� directa que les que es dediquen a la pesca artesanal, per�� es important no aturar-se aqu��: s���ha de realitzar un an��lisis m��s profund. Com a conclusi��, la activitat pesquera es m��s rentable a llarg termini ja que els recursos extrets de manera sostenible i aix�� s��n il��limitats y accessibles a tota la comunitat. A difer��ncia de la camaronicultura, la pesca artesanal no genera desigualtats socials ni vulneracions dels drets humans. Tot el contrari, genera forts vincles entre els individus de la comunitat basats en el treball en equip i l���aprenentatge vivencial e intergeneracional.

Building wood debris piles benefits avian seed dispersers in burned and logged Mediterranean pine forests

Salvage logging is a common practice carried out in burned forests worldwide, and intended to mitigate the economic losses caused by wildfires. Logging implies an additional disturbance occurring shortly after fire, although its ecological effects can be somewhat mitigated by leaving wood debris on site. The composition of the bird community and its capacity to provide ecosystem services such as seed dispersal offleshy-fruited plants have been shown to be affected by postfire logging. We assessedthe effects of the habitat structure resulting from different postfire management practices on the bird community, in three burned pine forests in Catalonia (western Mediterranean). For this purpose, we focused on the group of species that is responsible for seed dispersal, a process which takes place primarily during the winter in theMediterranean basin. In addition, we assessed microhabitat selection by seed disperser birds in such environments in relation to management practices. Our results showed a significant, positive relationship between the density of wood debris piles and the abundance of seed disperser birds. Furthermore, such piles were the preferredmicrohabitat of these species. This reveals an important effect of forest management on seed disperser birds, which is likely to affect the dynamics of bird-dependent seed dispersal. Thus, building wood debris piles can be a useful practice for the conservation of both the species and their ecosystem services, while also being compatible with timber harvesting

Kasvien et��suojelu ja ENSCONET-siemenpankkihanke

ENSCONET-hanke (European Native Seed Conservation Network).

People and the intertidal : human induced changes, biodiversity loss, livelihood implications and management in the Western Indian Ocean

Vad h��nder i tidvattenzonen? Var g��r gr��nsen mellan land och hav, vad h��nder i tidvattenzonen och vem ansvarar f��r detta? I v��stra Indiska oceanen (VIO) kan avst��ndet mellan den l��gsta niv��n f��r l��gvattnet och den h��gsta niv��n f��r h��gvattnet vara flera kilometer och niv��skillnaderna upp till 6 meter och detta skapar ett stort och f��r��nderligt omr��de. Syftet med min avhandling ��r att ��ka f��rst��elsen f��r tidvattenzonen i tropiska och subtropiska v��stra Indiska oceanen. Sammanfattningsvis visar mina studier att det finns ett mycket stort v��rde i den komplexa tidvattenzonen, men ocks�� att det h��r omr��det hotas fr��n b��de land och hav, genom t.ex. ��verexploatering, erosion och f��roreningar. Uttnyttjandet av tidvattenzonen ��r stort och min avhandling har visat att aktiviteter s��som fiske i form av plocking av musslor och andra ryggradsl��sa djur och hamnaktiviteter p��verkar den biologiska m��ngfalden negativt, vilket leder till f��rs��mrad levnadsstandard f��r resursutnyttjande m��nniskor i regionen. F��r att f��rb��ttra situationen kr��vs det mer forskning, milj����vervakning och b��ttre f��rvaltning av tidvattenzonen. Experter i regionen har rangordnat f��rslag p�� f��rvaltningsstrategier som skulle kunna testas f��r att f��rb��ttra milj��n och skapa ett mer h��llbart nyttjande. Avhandlingen visar ��ven att det ��r m��jligt att anv��nda fj��rranalysteknik s��som satellitbildsanalys f��r att kvantifiera m��ngden sj��gr��svegetation (i form av biomassa), vilket kan ha stor betydelse f��r att f��rb��ttra storskalig milj����vervakning av kustn��ra naturtyper (habitat). I avhandlingsarbetet har jag anv��nt mig av ett multidisciplin��rt tillv��gag��ngss��tt och anv��nt metoder s��som ekologisk och biologisk provtagning, intervjuer, observationer, diskussionsgrupper, fr��geformul��r och fj��rranalys. Resultaten presenterade i denna avhandling ger en ��kad kunskap om tidvattenzonen i utvecklingsl��nderna inom VIO-regionen som kan anv��ndas f��r att initiera och forts��tta att utveckla h��llbara f��rvaltningsstrategier av biologiska resurser.

Uutta tietoa Kainuun soista : Kainuun suoselvitys -projektin tulosraportti

Raportissa esitell����n Kainuun suoselvitys -projektin keskeisimpi�� tuloksia ja niist�� vedettyj�� johtop����t��ksi��. Vuosina 2010���2012 toteutetun projektin tarkoituksena on ollut parantaa tietopohjaa Kainuun soista, ja sit�� kautta luoda edellytyksi�� soiden eri k��ytt��muotojen yhteensovittamiselle ja samalla nostaa esille Kainuun soihin liittyvi�� mahdollisuuksia. Soiden k��ytt�� n��htiin projektissa laajasti, sis��lt��en paitsi erilaiset taloudellisen hy��dynt��misen muodot my��s soiden merkityksen ihmisten virkistykselle ja hyvinvoinnille sek�� luonnon monimuotoisuudelle ja monille s����televille toiminnoille. Taustana projektille on samaan aikaan laadittu kansallinen suostrategia. Sen mukaan soiden luonnontilaa muuttavien toimintojen, maa-, mets��- ja turvetalouden, tulisi jatkossa toimia jo ojitetuilla tai muuten merkitt��v��sti muuttuneilla soilla. N��in soiden luonnontilaisuudesta hy��tyville soiden k��yt��n muodoille ja ekosysteemipalveluille j���� paremmin tilaa toimia. Kainuu on Suomen kolmanneksi soisin maakunta. Suot ovat keskeinen osa sen luontoa ja maisemaa ja my��s monipuolinen luonnonvara. Valtaosa Kainuun suopinta-alasta on ojitettu. Uutta tietoa on projektissa tuotettu paikkatietomenetelmin ja kohdennetuin maastoselvityksin. Raportin aihepiirej�� ovat Kainuun soiden k��ytt��, j��ljell�� olevat ojittamattomat suot, suojeltujen soiden vesitaloudellinen eheys, mets��talouden k��yt��st�� poistuvat ojitetut suot, soiden merkitys virkistyksen ja matkailun kannalta sek�� maastossa tutkittujen 143 suon arviointi turpeennoston ja luonnon monimuotoisuuden kannalta. Raportissa esitet����n, ett�� kansallisen suostrategian tavoite soiden kest��v��st�� ja vastuullisesta k��yt��st�� ja suojelusta on mahdollista saavuttaa eri toimijoiden yhteisty��n ja maank��yt��n ohjauksen avulla. Se edellytt���� sitoutumista suostrategian linjauksiin sek�� tietopohjan parantamista soista ja eri toimintojen vaikutuksista. Kainuun suoselvitys -projektissa on osaltaan tuotettu t��t�� tietoa ja my��s kehitelty menetelmi�� sen hankkimiseksi.

City meadows : Vitality from a living heritage

In the middle of the hustle and bustle of a city, you may find a city meadow. A city meadow refers to a green area situated in an urban setting, the management of which aims at maintaining meadow species and facilitating outdoor recreation for city residents. Some of these green areas situated in cities are managed in a detailed and planned manner, while others have been left untended and are now wild, overgrown and in some cases impenetrable. However, all these meadows share one similarity: they play an important role in producing ecosystem services. What, then, is meant by ecosystem services? The multitude of flowers that bloom during summer, recreational opportunities, maintaining nature���s diversity, as well as filtering urban runoff are some of the everyday ���services��� that city meadows provide for the urban environment and its residents. This publication covers several different points of view by numerous experts on the importance of green areas in cities. The message is clear: management of city meadows improves both natural and cultural environments in a cost-effective manner. City meadows also help improve the health and enjoyment of city residents. When a green area is well-managed, the reputation and image of the surrounding properties and neighbourhood will also improve, as will their financial value!

Forest cover and its change in Unguja Island, Zanzibar

Tropical forests are sources of many ecosystem services, but these forests are vanishing rapidly. The situation is severe in Sub-Saharan Africa and especially in Tanzania. The causes of change are multidimensional and strongly interdependent, and only understanding them comprehensively helps to change the ongoing unsustainable trends of forest decline. Ongoing forest changes, their spatiality and connection to humans and environment can be studied with the methods of Land Change Science. The knowledge produced with these methods helps to make arguments about the actors, actions and causes that are behind the forest decline. In this study of Unguja Island in Zanzibar the focus is in the current forest cover and its changes between 1996 and 2009. The cover and changes are measured with often used remote sensing methods of automated land cover classification and post-classification comparison from medium resolution satellite images. Kernel Density Estimation is used to determine the clusters of change, sub-area ���analysis provides information about the differences between regions, while distance and regression analyses connect changes to environmental factors. These analyses do not only explain the happened changes, but also allow building quantitative and spatial future scenarios. Similar study has not been made for Unguja and therefore it provides new information, which is beneficial for the whole society. The results show that 572 km2 of Unguja is still forested, but 0,82���1,19% of these forests are disappearing annually. Besides deforestation also vertical degradation and spatial changes are significant problems. Deforestation is most severe in the communal indigenous forests, but also agroforests are decreasing. Spatially deforestation concentrates to the areas close to the coastline, population and Zanzibar Town. Biophysical factors on the other hand do not seem to influence the ongoing deforestation process. If the current trend continues there should be approximately 485 km2 of forests remaining in 2025. Solutions to these deforestation problems should be looked from sustainable land use management, surveying and protection of the forests in risk areas and spatially targeted self-sustainable tree planting schemes.

HIMALDOC: A Tool for a Regional Open Repository on Sustainable Mountain Development Issues in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

Poster at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

Evaluating land-use related environmental impacts of biomass value chains for decision-support : Comparison and testing of methodologies proposed for environmental life cycle assessment

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is one of the most established quantitative tools for environmental impact assessment of products. To be able to provide support to environmentally-aware decision makers on environmental impacts of biomass value-chains, the scope of LCA methodology needs to be augmented to cover landuse related environmental impacts. This dissertation focuses on analysing and discussing potential impact assessment methods, conceptual models and environmental indicators that have been proposed to be implemented into the LCA framework for impacts of land use. The applicability of proposed indicators and impact assessment frameworks is tested from practitioners' perspective, especially focusing on forest biomass value chains. The impacts of land use on biodiversity, resource depletion, climate change and other ecosystem services is analysed and discussed and the interplay in between value choices in LCA modelling and the decision-making situations to be supported is critically discussed. It was found out that land use impact indicators are necessary in LCA in highlighting differences in impacts from distinct land use classes. However, many open questions remain on certainty of highlighting actual impacts of land use, especially regarding impacts of managed forest land use on biodiversity and ecosystem services such as water regulation and purification. The climate impact of energy use of boreal stemwood was found to be higher in the short term and lower in the long-term in comparison with fossil fuels that emit identical amount of CO2 in combustion, due to changes implied to forest C stocks. The climate impacts of energy use of boreal stemwood were found to be higher than the previous estimates suggest on forest residues and stumps. The product lifetime was found to have much higher influence on the climate impacts of woodbased value chains than the origin of stemwood either from thinnings or final fellings. Climate neutrality seems to be likely only in the case when almost all the carbon of harvested wood is stored in long-lived wooden products. In the current form, the land use impacts cannot be modelled with a high degree of certainty nor communicated with adequate level of clarity to decision makers. The academia needs to keep on improving the modelling framework, and more importantly, clearly communicate to decision-makers the limited certainty on whether land-use intensive activities can help in meeting the strict mitigation targets we are globally facing.

Resilience in a Watershed Governance Context: A Primer

Watersheds are complex systems involving social, economic, and ecological dimensions that are constantly interacting and influencing each other, and governance of these systems involve a large and diverse cast of actors that add to the complexity and difficulty in deciding what is best for the watershed and people. Resilience thinking offers a way to understand and navigate the uncertainty, dynamics and complexity of watershed governance. This primer describes key ideas associated with resilience: more inclusive participation; building a shared understanding; inclusion of ecosystem services and functions in long-term planning; strong leadership; institutional and decision making flexibility; and, a decentralized system. This primer is an initial effort to translate the scholarly understanding of these key ideas and initiate a dialogue about their application in the context of watershed governance.

L���arbre de r��gression multivariable et les mod��les lin��aires g��n��ralis��s revisit��s : applications �� l�����tude de la diversit�� b��ta et �� l���estimation de la biomasse d���arbres tropicaux

En ��cologie, dans le cadre par exemple d�����tudes des services fournis par les ��cosyst��mes, les mod��lisations descriptive, explicative et pr��dictive ont toutes trois leur place distincte. Certaines situations bien pr��cises requi��rent soit l���un soit l���autre de ces types de mod��lisation ; le bon choix s���impose afin de pouvoir faire du mod��le un usage conforme aux objectifs de l�����tude. Dans le cadre de ce travail, nous explorons dans un premier temps le pouvoir explicatif de l���arbre de r��gression multivariable (ARM). Cette m��thode de mod��lisation est bas��e sur un algorithme r��cursif de bipartition et une m��thode de r����chantillonage permettant l�����lagage du mod��le final, qui est un arbre, afin d���obtenir le mod��le produisant les meilleures pr��dictions. Cette analyse asym��trique �� deux tableaux permet l���obtention de groupes homog��nes d���objets du tableau r��ponse, les divisions entre les groupes correspondant �� des points de coupure des variables du tableau explicatif marquant les changements les plus abrupts de la r��ponse. Nous d��montrons qu���afin de calculer le pouvoir explicatif de l���ARM, on doit d��finir un coefficient de d��termination ajust�� dans lequel les degr��s de libert�� du mod��le sont estim��s �� l���aide d���un algorithme. Cette estimation du coefficient de d��termination de la population est pratiquement non biais��e. Puisque l���ARM sous-tend des pr��misses de discontinuit�� alors que l���analyse canonique de redondance (ACR) mod��lise des gradients lin��aires continus, la comparaison de leur pouvoir explicatif respectif permet entre autres de distinguer quel type de patron la r��ponse suit en fonction des variables explicatives. La comparaison du pouvoir explicatif entre l���ACR et l���ARM a ��t�� motiv��e par l���utilisation extensive de l���ACR afin d�����tudier la diversit�� b��ta. Toujours dans une optique explicative, nous d��finissons une nouvelle proc��dure appel��e l���arbre de r��gression multivariable en cascade (ARMC) qui permet de construire un mod��le tout en imposant un ordre hi��rarchique aux hypoth��ses �� l�����tude. Cette nouvelle proc��dure permet d���entreprendre l�����tude de l���effet hi��rarchis�� de deux jeux de variables explicatives, principal et subordonn��, puis de calculer leur pouvoir explicatif. L���interpr��tation du mod��le final se fait comme dans une MANOVA hi��rarchique. On peut trouver dans les r��sultats de cette analyse des informations suppl��mentaires quant aux liens qui existent entre la r��ponse et les variables explicatives, par exemple des interactions entres les deux jeux explicatifs qui n�����taient pas mises en ��vidence par l���analyse ARM usuelle. D���autre part, on ��tudie le pouvoir pr��dictif des mod��les lin��aires g��n��ralis��s en mod��lisant la biomasse de diff��rentes esp��ces d���arbre tropicaux en fonction de certaines de leurs mesures allom��triques. Plus particuli��rement, nous examinons la capacit�� des structures d���erreur gaussienne et gamma �� fournir les pr��dictions les plus pr��cises. Nous montrons que pour une esp��ce en particulier, le pouvoir pr��dictif d���un mod��le faisant usage de la structure d���erreur gamma est sup��rieur. Cette ��tude s���ins��re dans un cadre pratique et se veut un exemple pour les gestionnaires voulant estimer pr��cis��ment la capture du carbone par des plantations d���arbres tropicaux. Nos conclusions pourraient faire partie int��grante d���un programme de r��duction des ��missions de carbone par les changements d���utilisation des terres.

Les transformations microbiennes de l���azote dans les grandes rivi��res

Les rivi��res re��oivent de l'azote de leurs bassins versants et elles constituent les derniers sites de transformations des nutriments avant leur livraison aux zones c��ti��res. Les transformations de l���azote inorganique dissous en azote gazeux sont tr��s variables et peuvent avoir un impact �� la fois sur l���eutrophisation des c��tes et les ��missions de gaz �� effet de serre �� l�����chelle globale. Avec l���augmentation de la charge en azote d���origine anthropique vers les ��cosyst��mes aquatiques, les mod��les d�����missions de gaz �� effet de serre pr��disent une augmentation des ��missions d���oxyde nitreux (N2O) dans les rivi��res. Les mesures directes de N2O dans le Lac Saint-Pierre (LSP), un ��largissement du Fleuve Saint-Laurent (SLR) indiquent que bien qu�����tant une source nette de N2O vers l'atmosph��re, les flux de N2O dans LSP sont faibles compar��s �� ceux des autres grandes rivi��res et fleuves du monde. Les ��missions varient saisonni��rement et inter-annuellement �� cause des changements hydrologiques. Les ratios d�����missions N2O: N2 sont ��galement influenc��s par l���hydrologie et de faibles ratios sont observ��s dans des conditions de d��bit d'eau plus ��lev��e et de charge en N ��lev��. Dans une analyse effectu��e sur plusieurs grandes rivi��res, la charge hydraulique des syst��mes semble moduler la relation entre les flux de N2O annuels et les concentrations de nitrate dans les rivi��res. Dans SLR, des tapis de cyanobact��ries colonisant les zones �� faible concentration de nitrate sont une source nette d���azote gr��ce �� leur capacit�� de fixer l���azote atmosph��rique (N2). ��tant donn�� que la fixation a lieu pendant le jour alors que les concentrations d'oxyg��ne dans la colonne d'eau sont sursatur��es, nous supposons que la fixation de l���azote est effectu��e dans des micro-zones d���anoxie et/ou possiblement par des diazotrophes h��t��rotrophes. La fixation de N dans les tapis explique le remplacement de pr��s de 33 % de la perte de N par d��nitrification dans tout l'��cosyst��me au cours de la p��riode d'��tude. Dans la portion du fleuve Hudson soumis �� la mar��e, la d��nitrification et la production de N2 est tr��s variable selon le type de v��g��tation. La d��nitrification est associ��e �� la dynamique en oxyg��ne dissous particuli��re �� chaque esp��ce durant la mar��e descendante. La production de N2 est extr��mement ��lev��e dans les zones occup��es par les plantes envahissantes �� feuilles flottantes (Trapa natans) mais elle est n��gligeable dans la v��g��tation indig��ne submerg��e. Une estimation de la production de N2 dans les lits de Trapa durant l�����t��, sugg��re que ces lits repr��sentent une zone tr��s active d�����limination de l���azote. En effet, les grands lits de Trapa ne repr��sentent que 2,7% de la superficie totale de la portion de fleuve ��tudi��e, mais ils ��liminent entre 70 et 100% de l'azote total retenu dans cette section pendant les mois d'��t�� et contribuent �� pr��s de 25% de l�����limination annuelle d���azote.

Modeling the interplay between land use, bioenergy production and climate change

Land use has become a force of global importance, considering that 34% of the Earth���s ice-free surface was covered by croplands or pastures in 2000. The expected increase in global human population together with eminent climate change and associated search for energy sources other than fossil fuels can, through land-use and land-cover changes (LUCC), increase the pressure on nature���s resources, further degrade ecosystem services, and disrupt other planetary systems of key importance to humanity. This thesis presents four modeling studies on the interplay between LUCC, increased production of biofuels and climate change in four selected world regions. In the first study case two new crop types (sugarcane and jatropha) are parameterized in the LPJ for managed Lands dynamic global vegetation model for calculation of their potential productivity. Country-wide spatial variation in the yields of sugarcane and jatropha incurs into substantially different land requirements to meet the biofuel production targets for 2015 in Brazil and India, depending on the location of plantations. Particularly the average land requirements for jatropha in India are considerably higher than previously estimated. These findings indicate that crop zoning is important to avoid excessive LUCC. In the second study case the LandSHIFT model of land-use and land-cover changes is combined with life cycle assessments to investigate the occurrence and extent of biofuel-driven indirect land-use changes (ILUC) in Brazil by 2020. The results show that Brazilian biofuels can indeed cause considerable ILUC, especially by pushing the rangeland frontier into the Amazonian forests. The carbon debt caused by such ILUC would result in no carbon savings (from using plant-based ethanol and biodiesel instead of fossil fuels) before 44 years for sugarcane ethanol and 246 years for soybean biodiesel. The intensification of livestock grazing could avoid such ILUC. We argue that such an intensification of livestock should be supported by the Brazilian biofuel sector, based on the sector���s own interest in minimizing carbon emissions. In the third study there is the development of a new method for crop allocation in LandSHIFT, as influenced by the occurrence and capacity of specific infrastructure units. The method is exemplarily applied in a first assessment of the potential availability of land for biogas production in Germany. The results indicate that Germany has enough land to fulfill virtually all (90 to 98%) its current biogas plant capacity with only cultivated feedstocks. Biogas plants located in South and Southwestern (North and Northeastern) Germany might face more (less) difficulties to fulfill their capacities with cultivated feedstocks, considering that feedstock transport distance to plants is a crucial issue for biogas production. In the fourth study an adapted version of LandSHIFT is used to assess the impacts of contrasting scenarios of climate change and conservation targets on land use in the Brazilian Amazon. Model results show that severe climate change in some regions by 2050 can shift the deforestation frontier to areas that would experience low levels of human intervention under mild climate change (such as the western Amazon forests or parts of the Cerrado savannas). Halting deforestation of the Amazon and of the Brazilian Cerrado would require either a reduction in the production of meat or an intensification of livestock grazing in the region. Such findings point out the need for an integrated/multicisciplinary plan for adaptation to climate change in the Amazon. The overall conclusions of this thesis are that (i) biofuels must be analyzed and planned carefully in order to effectively reduce carbon emissions; (ii) climate change can have considerable impacts on the location and extent of LUCC; and (iii) intensification of grazing livestock represents a promising venue for minimizing the impacts of future land-use and land-cover changes in Brazil.