One problem with anything related to "landscapes" is the unclarity around its definition in itself. For example, I would question whether you are asking about an "agricultural landscape" or simply a landscape, given it contains both agricultural and non agricultural elements. a recent blog by CIFOR points out that what one calls a landscape differs depending on what angle is taken on it, and suggests to stay tuned to some work aiming at making more clarity:

http://blog.cifor.org/24263/coming-to-terms-with-terminology-seeking-gray-literature-on-landscapes#.VEcfqtEcTiw

with regards to "emergence", as soon as you start considering dynamics within a system, you are bound to find some emergent properties?

@ Claudio : As I was stating in the description, I'am interested in agricultural landscape, as a sum of landscape elements (plots of crops, forest, meadows and so on). I use the term "Landscape" as in "landscape ecology" which is the study of links and relationships between elements of landscapes.

As of emergence, I think of "properties that a system has which could not be derived from the parts it is composed" like a shoal of fish has an emergent feature because it gets extra protection from it that each fish would not benefit being alone.

You could usefully consult the works of geographers about landscapes, spatial analysis and complex systems. The thesis of Sébastien Caillault (downloadable on TEL) or the researche of Thomas Houet for example talk about these issues.

https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00625721v2/document

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thomas_Houet

regards

Dear Nicolas,

Certain characteristics of agricultural landscapes classify as emergent properties, although you will probably not find them labelled as such in most literature. For instance, a monoculture landscape: It is there because farmers have aggomeration benefits or benefit from external economies of scale (which are emergent properties). From ecological perspective monocultures are unfavourable, as the biodiversity and therewith the resilience (another emergent property) is undermined. I suppose that, from a landscape ecological point of view, proprties such as landscape permeability for species also classify as emergent system properties.

So, agricultural landscapes definitely exhibit emergent properties, but as they are generally not labelled as such, you have to find the right keywords to look for them. Hopefully I've given a few that are useful for you.

Yes, Nicolas, that is how I would perceive it aswell. The value of a landscape emerges from the interplay of its components at a different level of the nested hirarchical structure which is behind it. A landscape performs functions which its individual parts cannot deliver - not only more, but also other functions. Depends of course also on who perceives and benefits from those functions. Animals might benefit from the habitat function of a landscape, which indicidual components of landscapes cannoot provide. Tourists might perceive the scenic beauty of a landsccape as a benefit.

Dear Colleagues,

As you see, in Agricultural systems showed different components (out & in; major and extra), so the value of landscape emerges under structure by nature or human. It's component play a role in the system and they contribute in different function into the final outcomes; So we can made a model:

Y = a1x1 + ......anxn = Alpha +beta + gama +- Sima ax.................

So we can calculate for each component and show in the landscape emerges and see the outputs and outcome, but there is important thing, we can manage the system how to get output > input and keep environment in safe way for human, nature and resources.

So landscape emerges under structured by experts for sustainable development and keep the values in benefitary ways for labors/famers and companies/cooperatives.

Bonjour Nicola, dear all, 

some researchers from INRA (agronomists) & INRIA (IT) proposed to tackle agricultural landscape dynamics using a stochastic approach, thus observing and modeling land use successions as emergent processes. 

Do not hesitate to ask for more details if the paper here below pique your curiosity !

Article Time space stochastic modelling of agricultural landscapes f...

@ Davide : Thanks for your answer. This is very interesting. I was quite baffled by the following assumptions : " the land-use succession in a given place depends only on the land-use successions in neighbouring plots"

The result of the map is quite good but I still don't get the way this assumption works as I feel that in a landscape some plots LUs are absolutly not defined by neighbors when they are not from the same farmer/Owner.