Summary
This comprehensive systematic review synthesises international definitions and standards of agricultural land use intensity and evaluates in situ and remote sensing methods for its monitoring. The authors introduce a novel remote sensing-based taxonomy of A-LUI indicators and propose an integrative framework connecting management practices, plant and soil traits, and remote sensing observables. The review highlights emerging technologies—including hyperspectral imaging, solar-induced fluorescence, radar, and artificial intelligence—as promising pathways to advance transparent, standardised, and globally comparable assessment of agricultural intensification.
Regional applicability
The review's international scope and synthesis of FAO, OECD, World Bank, and EUROSTAT standards position it as directly relevant to United Kingdom agricultural monitoring and policy. The framework and remote sensing taxonomy can inform UK approaches to monitoring land use intensity for regulatory compliance, agri-environment schemes, and evidence-based policy, though specific sensor validation and cultivar adaptation to UK conditions would be necessary.
Key measures
Remote sensing-derived indicators categorised as trait, genesis, structural, taxonomic, and functional indicators; remote sensing proxies for management practices and intensity signals; sensor capabilities and limitations; validation requirements
Outcomes reported
The study synthesised existing definitions and standards of agricultural land use intensity (A-LUI) across international organisations (FAO, OECD, World Bank, EUROSTAT) and evaluated both in situ and remote sensing methods for monitoring A-LUI. It developed a novel remote sensing-based taxonomy of A-LUI indicators structured into five complementary categories and proposed an integrative framework linking management practices, plant and soil traits, remote sensing observables, and policy relevance.
Topic tags
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