DOPA Agricultural Pressure Indicator (API)

Use and interpretation: This indicator can be used to assess the potential impact that agriculture may have on the biodiversity and ecological integrity of a protected area. There are several reasons why agricultural land use in a protected area may be of concern and lead to negative outcomes for the conservation of many of the habitats, species and ecological processes therein (see e.g. Green et al., 2005; Balmford, Green & Phalan, 2012; Cai & Pettenella, 2013). First, agriculture expansion is one of the main drivers of deforestation and habitat loss worldwide. Second, the input of pesticides and fertilizers may decrease habitat quality and cause declines in population sizes for many species, even at significant distances from the croplands. Third, agricultural activities such as tillage may affect soil structure and biodiversity. Fourth, agricultural land use can favor the abundance of more generalist, cosmopolitan species in the detriment of the specialist species that are associated to largely undisturbed habitats, which are usually those species of higher conservation concern, as well as promote the spread of invasive alien species. Although the API does not separately evaluate each of these pressures or potential effects, it provides a general assessment of the potential combined magnitude of all these impacts that may be associated to agricultural land use in a protected area.