Exploring the role of agricultural landscape objects for socio-technical system visualization

This study explores agricultural landscape objects' role in visualizing socio-technical systems through a scoping review of scientific literature. Agricultural landscape objects are spatially discernible elements shaped by the interactions between natural processes and human activities, particularly farming practices. A systematic review of 62 studies—selected out of 1066 documents (1988–2025)—retrieved from the Web of Science database allowed us to identify four primary roles of these objects: (i) interfaces between technical and social systems, (ii) enablers for the spatialization of changes and processes, (iii) supports for ecosystem services, and (iv) mediators between perceptions and biophysical reality. These objects, including cultivated fields, livestock facilities, and terraces, facilitate understanding of how social practices and spatial elements mutually design agricultural landscapes. The results can help to inform future agent-based model development for farming system modeling and landscape management strategies.