Assessment of the biocultural value of traditional agricultural landscape on a plot-by-plot level: case studies from Slovakia

In the past, historical rural Europe possessed a broad range of biological and cultural values due to landscape diversity and the use of low-impact agricultural practices. It’s typical feature was the presence of varied semi-natural habitats. The massive socioeconomic changes of the 20th caused significant loss of these habitats. The term traditional agricultural landscape (TAL) denotes the surviving remnants of this landscape heritage. Despite its exceptional value, conservation practice for TAL is very poor. The concept of “biocultural diversity” provides linkages between cultural and biological diversity and opens up new possibilities for practical conservation of TAL. In our work we have tried to develop and apply this concept. The main goal was to design an approach for assessment of biocultural value at plot level and apply it to the three different traditional rural landscapes in Slovakia—Liptovska Teplicka village, Hriňova town and Svatý Jur town, representing the most typical TAL in Slovakia. The approach was based on determination of a measurable link between ecological and cultural–historical significance. The concept of ecological significance, assessed by comparing the results of the monitoring and evaluation of taxonomic diversity and nature conservation value of vascular plant communities and selected ground-dwelling invertebrate groups (Araneae, Diplopoda, Orthoptera), was complemented by evaluation of cultural–historical significance, leading to the identification of biocultural values in TAL. These evaluations were performed on productive plots of arable lands, grasslands, vineyards, and orchards, and unproductive agrarian landforms (mostly field margins) such as terraced slopes, terraced steps, heaps, mounds and unconsolidated walls.