In the past years agriculture has changed considerably. Three general processes are present: (1) a further intensification, (2) stabilisation and (3) a gradual process of change to non-agricultural activities, extensification and marginalisation.
Marginalisation of agriculture changes the relationship between the natural environment and agricultural land use in cultivated landscapes because marginalisation is regarded as a process of land use change. Where and how the process of marginalisation develops and proceeds and how spatial, ecological and socio-economic characteristics interact is not well under-stood nor described. Nevertheless, marginalisation is certain to have a major impact on landscape structure and vegetation.
The development of an integrated analyses of both landscape ecology and agricultural socio-economics for measuring the ecological changes effected by marginalisation, is needed as a basis for monitoring on behalf of planning and policy development.