Humans occupy the space in different ways. The practices through which they deal with local biophysical potential to pursue their goals shape the space forming the “land”. We consider the land as the spatial entity whose character is defined by these human and natural interactions at a given time. “Land changes” occur when at least one of the following land components is modified: the shape of this spatial entity, its cover/use, the practices operated on it, its tenure or its accessibility. . Taken together several partial or individual changes may show common dynamics that can be named “land change transitions” (LCT). Intentional (i.e., planned) and unintentional changes coexist in the real world eventually driving these transitions according to local and global dynamics. Rethinking LCT is a way to address drastic and subtle land changes to understanding and steering them. Indeed, this is a twofold challenge for research. On the one hand research has to bridge the gap with the complex array of actions taking place on land, on the other hand understanding LCT requires to work across disciplinary boundaries. For that, our communication aims at conceptualizing LCT stressing out the “territory” as a relevant inter- and trans- disciplinary perspective. In this context territory is meant as the level of organisation for local actions in response to wider global drivers. We focus on rural territories – placed in-between the more permanent urban and natural areas – the spaces on Earth where probably the most important LCT are taking place. Changes of land cover (e.g., from agriculture to urban), so as of the land system structure (e.g., the increasing mix of urban and agricultural areas) or of the practices (e.g., the conversion to organic farming of producers located in peri-urban areas or their coordination with consumers’ associations) occur unevenly in space and over time, eventually making the land character evolving more rapidly than in the past and more deeply than in urban or natural areas. Undesired side-effects for these lands are widely documented in literature, such as the loss of the cultural character or the threatening of natural resources. We will discuss the relevance of a territorial approach to articulate local and global land change transitions, and to make explicit how the relations between different land users and managers with the local biophysical potential shape and can be used to design different land system architecture (Turner II et al., 2013).

1. Conceptualizing the land
change transitions
with a territorial approach
Global Land Project
2nd Open Science Meeting
Berlin19 March 2014
Session 32
Understanding farming
practices to rethink land
change transition
RIZZO D
INRA SAD-ASTER (FRA)
1bibliography at http://bit.ly/GLP2014
PINTO-CORREIA T
Universidade de Évora (PRT)
KRISTENSEN L
University of Copenhagen (DNK)
MARRACCINI E
Institut for Life Sciences , SSA (ITA)
LARDON S
INRA & AgroParisTech,
UMR 1273 Métafort (FRA)

2. D. RIZZO et al. | Conceptualizing land change transition
GLP OSM 2014 • Session 32 “Understanding farming practices to rethink land change transitions” | Berlin 19/03/2014
biblio at bit.ly/GLP2014 .02
Rural land & change transitions
Land
spatial entity whose character is defined by human & natural
interaction at a given time (cf. FAO CGIAR 1997)
Landchange
when at least one of the
following is modified:
• shape
• cover/use
• practices
• tenure
• accessibility
…transition
in-between
urban/natural areas
probably the places on
Earth where the most
important LCT are
occurring.
RURAL
observed past
desired future

3. D. RIZZO et al. | Conceptualizing land change transition
GLP OSM 2014 • Session 32 “Understanding farming practices to rethink land change transitions” | Berlin 19/03/2014
biblio at bit.ly/GLP2014 .03
Landscape agronomy
Benoît, Rizzo et al., 2012
Landscape agronomy: a new field for addressing
agricultural landscape dynamics (Landsc. Ecol.)
a new field for addressing
agricultural landscape dynamics

4. D. RIZZO et al. | Conceptualizing land change transition
GLP OSM 2014 • Session 32 “Understanding farming practices to rethink land change transitions” | Berlin 19/03/2014
biblio at bit.ly/GLP2014 .04
Landscape as the arena
where structural features and
social constriction converge
Pinto-Correia & Kristensen 2013
Linking research to practice: The landscape as the basis for integrating
social and ecological perspectives of the rural (Landsc. Urban Plan.)

5. D. RIZZO et al. | Conceptualizing land change transition
GLP OSM 2014 • Session 32 “Understanding farming practices to rethink land change transitions” | Berlin 19/03/2014
biblio at bit.ly/GLP2014 .05
A common conceptual framework
Level of organization for
local actions in response
to wider global drivers
A contribution for going
“integrated”
TERRITORY

6. D. RIZZO et al. | Conceptualizing land change transition
GLP OSM 2014 • Session 32 “Understanding farming practices to rethink land change transitions” | Berlin 19/03/2014
biblio at bit.ly/GLP2014 .06
Thank you for the attention !
Davide RIZZO
• ridavide@gmail.com
• twitter@pievarino
• website bit.ly/RizzoD
any question?