Identifying Landscape Characteristics That Maximize Ecosystem Services Provision

Given global changes and the loss of ecosystem services, it is crucial to assess the effects of landscape characteristics on ecosystem service distribution for sustainable territory management. Italy’s diverse landscapes present an opportunity to study this effect. This study identified optimal elevation and landscape heterogeneity ranges that optimize four ecosystem service provisions across Italy. We mapped ecosystem services across Italy using generalized additive models (GAM) to assess their spatial relationships with landscape characteristics, such as elevation and heterogeneity, and specifically, we identified their optimal values concerning elevation and landscape heterogeneity. In Italy, agricultural production is concentrated at low altitudes, like the Po Valley, while the pre-Alps and Apennines regions at intermediate altitudes provide ecosystem services like timber production and carbon storage. However, elevation gradient and landscape heterogeneity significantly influence trade-offs between agricultural production and these services. The optimal altitude for timber production, carbon storage, and habitat quality is around 1500 m above sea level, while agricultural production peaks at the lowest and highest elevations. Our study shows landscape features’ significant role in supporting specific ecosystem services. This information is crucial for guiding land use planning and management decisions, especially under global land use and climate change.