Spatial social-ecological land systems of the tri-national Alto Paraná Atlantic Forest of South America

The global challenge of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development remains a central concern for policy makers and researchers worldwide. In this study we explored a social-ecological land systems (SELS) methodological approach as a tool for integrating spatial, ecological, and social dimensions into conservation and development planning using participatory approaches, and regardless of established administrative borders. We focused on the Alto Paraná Atlantic Forest (APAF), a highly bio-culturally diverse yet threatened ecoregion spanning Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, where deforestation and agricultural expansion have driven significant landscape transformations. We generated SELS typologies based on quantitative analysis and participatory mapping, incorporating historical, ecological, and social-economic factors. We identified nine spatial SELS typologies that capture interdisciplinary land-use processes and offer insights for cross-border landscape management. These results highlight the importance of local experts’ characterizations, international cooperation, and provide a foundation for developing sustainable policies and conservation strategies in transnational contexts. For example, SELS 4 was defined as a consolidated intensive agribusiness landscape with high anthropization resulting from processes that facilitated the expansion of the soybean agribusiness from Brazil to Paraguay. Conversely, SELS 1, was defined as a native-forested landscape immersed in heterogeneous productive matrices with low population density, which was preserved because of historical differences and governance measures. Overall, the methods used helped address the limitations of traditional disciplines and facilitated the observation of intertwined spatial combinations, such as those resulting from the Human Development Index and Biodiversity Intactness Index. This can highlight trade-offs of social and ecological interactions in the region, otherwise obscured by administrative-level units. These findings advance our understanding of how social-ecological systems evolve under external pressures and emphasize the urgent need for spatially informed and context-sensitive planning strategies.

Atlantic forest · conservation planning · Deforestation · Human Development Index · land use typology · participatory mapping · social-ecological trade-offs · Agriculture, Land Use, Rural Development · Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management · Land Use and Ecosystem Services