LandCaRe-DSS—An Interactive Model-Based Decision Support System for Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture and Agricultural Landscapes

Abstract

The current and future climate change, which is still superimposed by global change, has a serious influence on landscapes in general and agricultural landscapes in particular. To meet the challenges for society and agriculture, well-planned and sustainable adaptation measures to climate change are needed. For agriculture, the following question has to be answered: How will climate change affect regional agriculture and ecosystems and what could be possible adaptation strategies, taking into account local site potentials and the specific structure of farms and agricultural enterprises? To answer this question, both farmers and other stakeholders might need the help of computer-based decision support systems. The information and decision support system described here, called LandCaRe-DSS, is such a helping instrument. The LandCaRe-DSS is designed as a user-friendly, interactive, modelbased and spatial-oriented information and decision support system. It can be used on different spatial scales while being fully interactive. It supports long-term spatial scenario simulations, multi-ensemble and multi-model simulations at the regional level as well as complex impact assessments of potential adaptation strategies for