Ecosystem Accounts – Grasslands and Croplands 2000-2022

Ecosystem Accounts

The System of Environmental Economic Accounting - Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA) is a spatially-based, integrated statistical framework for organizing biophysical information about ecosystems, measuring ecosystem services, tracking changes in ecosystem extent and condition, valuing ecosystem services and assets and linking this information to measures of economic and human activity. It is an integrated statistical framework adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission.

The SEEA-EA outlines five sets of ecosystem accounts:

1. Ecosystem extent accounts

2. Ecosystem condition accounts

3. & 4. Ecosystem services flow accounts (physical and monetary)

5. Monetary ecosystem asset accounts

This publication produced ecosystem extent, condition, and services accounts for both Grasslands and Croplands. The following sections will go into more detail about each of the accounts.

Extent

Ecosystem Extent Accounts record the spatial area of different ecosystem types within a country or Ecosystem Accounting Area (EAA) and how this extent is changing over time or over an accounting period. The EAA for this publication is Ireland while the accounting period for the extent accounts is 2000-2018. The focus of extent for this publication is primarily Grasslands and Croplands, both of these ecosystem types are broken down into subcategories at level 2 of the EU ecosystem typology.

Data

The extent accounts were compiled using the Corine Land Cover Accounting Layers datasets developed by the European Environment Agency for the years 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018.

Classifications

The EU ecosystem typology defines 12 categories of ecosystems at level 1. Level 2 of this typology breaks down the ecosystems at level 1 into further categories. For this publication, Grasslands and Croplands are considered at level 2 of the typology as shown in Table 6.1. Any other ecosystems included in the extent chapter, such as Settlements & Other Artificial Areas and Forests & Woodlands, are included at level 1 of the typology.

Table 6.1 EU Ecosystem Typology - Crop Provisioning Ecosystems
Level 1	Level 1 Description	Level 2	Level 2 Description
Settlements & Other Artificial Areas	This class represent human habitats, i.e. ecosystems that are strongly modified by people and that are characterised by buildings and other man-made structures	-	-
Croplands	Croplands are food production areas including both intensively managed cropland, extensively managed cropland, and multifunctional areas. They include areas with perennial and annual crops, and agro-ecosystems with significant coverage of natural vegetation (agricultural mosaics). Cropland also includes agroforestry areas such as cork and holm oak forests	Annual Cropland	Cropland planted for annually or regularly harvested crops other than those that carry trees or shrubs
		Permanent Crops	Crops not under a rotation system which provide repeated harvests and occupy the land for a long period before they are renewed
		Mixed Farmland	Designated as heterogeneous agricultural areas and includes non-permanent crops (arable lands) associated with permanent crops on the same plot of farmland
Grasslands	Grassland covers areas dominated by herbaceous vegetation (including in particular grasses and forbs, but also mosses and lichens) of two kinds – modified grasslands (sown and used for grazing or hay and silage production) and (semi-)natural (extensively managed) grasslands.	Sown Pastures and Fields (Modified Grasslands)	Stable grassland characterised by agricultural use or strong human disturbance
		Natural and Semi-Natural Grassland	Grasslands under no or moderate human influence
Source: Eurostat Guidance Note on Ecosystem Extent Accounts

In our 2023 publication Ecosystem Extent Accounts 2000-2018, the Corine Land Cover category "Land principally occupied by agriculture, with significant areas of natural vegetation" was accounted for in Croplands. Due to subsequent recommendations from national experts in 2024, this category is now included in Grasslands. See Table 6.2 for updated crosswalk between the EU level 1 ecosystem typology and CLC accounting layers. 

Table 6.2 Crosswalk between the EU Level 1 Ecosystem Typology and CLC Accounting Layers
EU Level 1 ecosystem type category	EU Level 1 ecosystem type classes	CLC Accounting Layer Level 3 classes
1	Settlements and other artificial areas	111 Continuous urban fabric
		112 Discontinuous urban fabric
		121 Industrial or commercial units
		122 Road and rail networks and associated land
		123 Port areas
		124 Airports
		131 Mineral extraction sites
		132 Dump sites
		133 Construction sites
		141 Green urban areas
		142 Sport and leisure facilities
2	Croplands	211 Non-irrigated arable lands
		222 Fruit trees and berry plantations
		242 Complex cultivation patterns
3	Grasslands	231 Pastures
		243 Land principally occupied by agriculture, with significant areas of natural vegetation1
		321 Natural grasslands
4	Forests and woodlands	311 Broad-leaved forests
		312 Coniferous forests
		313 Mixed forest
		324 Transitional woodland-shrub
5	Heathlands and shrubs	322 Moors and heathlands
6	Sparsely vegetated ecosystems	331 Beaches, dunes and sand plains
		332 Bare rocks
		333 Sparsely vegetated areas
7	Inland wetlands	411 Inland marshes
		412 Peat bogs
8	Rivers and canals	511 Water courses
9	Lakes and reservoirs	512 Water bodies
10	Coastal beaches, dunes and associated habitats	331 Beaches, dunes and sand plains
		332 Bare rocks
		333 Sparsely vegetated areas
		421 Salt marshes
11	Marine inlets, transitional waters and wetlands	423 Intertidal flats
		521 Coastal lagoons
		522 Estuaries
12	Marine ecosystems	..
1 Previously reported as "Agriculture mosaics with significant natural vegetation" in Ecosystem Extent Accounts 2000-2018 .. not applicable

Conversion Matrix Interpretation

The conversion matrix included as Table 2.4 in the extent chapter records the conversions between the different ecosystems. For example, if there has been a reduction in extent of an ecosystem, which ecosystem(s) gained this extent as a result? To better interpret these changes, a conversion matrix is created, a hypothetical example of which is shown in Table 6.3.

The change in ecosystem extent (decrease) over the accounting period corresponds to the rows of Table 6.3. For example, considering the first row, it gives the hectares of Ecosystem 1 which stayed Ecosystem 1 (10) as well as the hectares of Ecosystem 1 which were converted to Ecosystems 2 and 3 respectively (12 and 5). The sum total of this row (27) gives the Opening extent of Ecosystem 1 at the beginning of the accounting period.

The change in ecosystem extent (increase) over the accounting period corresponds to the columns of Table 6.3. For example, considering the first column, it gives the hectares of Ecosystem 1 which stayed Ecosystem 1 (10) as well as the hectares of Ecosystem 2 and 3 respectively (0 and 7) which were converted into Ecosystem 1. The sum total of this column (17) gives the Closing extent of Ecosystem 1 at the end of the accounting period.

Condition

Ecosystem Condition considers the condition of ecosystem assets in terms of selected characteristics at specific points in time. The accounts record changes to condition over time and provide valuable information on the overall quality and health of ecosystems. Condition accounts capture the state or functioning of the ecosystem in relation to both its naturalness and its potential to supply ecosystem services.

The Common Farmland Bird Index (CFBI) is included as a condition indicator in the amended EU Regulation 691/2011 module on ecosystem accounts. This index can be reported as a national aggregate index for Croplands and Grasslands together.

Data

Data for the (CFBI) was collected from the Countryside Bird Survey (CBS) which is coordinated by Birdwatch Ireland and funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The CBS aims to monitor the status of common and widespread breeding bird populations in Ireland. The CFBI is based on 14 breeding farmland birds monitored by the CBS namely Kestrel, Woodpigeon, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat, Magpie, Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet and Yellowhammer.

Several key points should be considered to correctly interpret the CFBI indicator:

1. Time Period: The indicators reflect the period of time that the CBS has been in operation 1998-2022. These recent wild bird indicators should be viewed with caution and seen against the backdrop of significant declines that occurred in the 1970s and 1980s in Ireland and across Europe, before the CBS began.
2. Historic Declines: In many cases, population increases for species should be viewed as the recovery of populations rather than increases per se. Similar indicators from both Europe and the UK cover a larger amount of time than those from Ireland and provide an indication as to the ‘height’ from which Irish species had fallen from before regular annual monitoring through CBS began.
3. Species Variation: It is important to remember that the indicator is an aggregate of individual species indices and hence masks a lot of variation among individual species and groups of species. Therefore, increases in some species and decreases in other species can balance one another.
4. Population Size: These indicators do not take account of population size, so a 50% decrease in one species would effectively be cancelled out by a 50% increase in another, regardless of whether one of those species is much more numerous than the other. In this way common species (e.g. Robins, Blackbirds) do not dominate the trends over species that exist at lower densities (e.g. birds of prey).
5. Rare Species or Species that have Declined: It should be borne in mind that these indicators are based on data from common and widespread breeding bird species only. Certain species groupings, for example, breeding wading birds and some birds of prey are not included due to lack of data (do not meet the 30+ square average threshold for inclusion in analyses), nor can the indicators reflect the trends of rare/scarce species or species that have declined in number to such an extent that they are no longer common and widespread in the countryside.
6. Farmland Species: 14 species are included in the Irish CFBI. However, this includes many generalist species and very few farmland specialist species. The reason for this is largely down to island biogeography, and the poor status of some of our farmland breeding birds, many of which are now too scarce to be monitored through the CBS. As such, given that this indicator represents common Irish farmland bird species only, this is an important point to note.
7. Habitat Representation: The choice of grid squares to be surveyed through CBS is randomised, although there is an attempt to ensure some balance in terms of regionality. However, this still means that certain habitats are under-represented including upland blanket bog, and agricultural tillage. The CBS trends for species that prefer these under-represented habitats in CBS may therefore be biased, with knock-on effects for the accuracy of indicators that include these species.

For further information on the CFBI, please see BirdWatch Ireland.

Services

Grasslands and Croplands provide a wide range of ecosystem services which can be broadly classified into three main categories:

• Provisioning services
• Regulating and maintenance services
• Cultural services

Crop Provision, an example of a provisioning service, is an ecosystem service provided by both Grasslands and Croplands which is included in the amended EU Regulation 691/2011 module on ecosystem accounts.

Definitions

Crop Provision is defined in the amendment as ‘the ecosystem contributions to plant growth as approximated by the amount of harvested crops for different uses. This includes food and fibre production, fodder and energy, and grazed biomass’. The detailed breakdown of sections 1.1 - Crops (excluding fodder crops) and 1.2 - Crop residues (used), fodder crops and grazed biomass of the Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts (MFA) are used for the reporting of Crop Provision.

Crop Provision figures are reported in 1,000 tonnes at EU standard humidity with the exception of Fodder crops and grazed biomass (1.2.2) which are recorded in air dry weight standardised by a humidity degree of 15%. These crops are recorded in air dry weight based on the guidance note for the compilation of the Crop Provision ecosystem service accounts currently under development by Eurostat.

Classifications and Data

The classification of crops with regards to MFA sections 1.1 and 1.2 can be broken down as follows:

• Crops (excluding fodder crops) (1.1)
• Crop residues (used), fodder crops and grazed biomass (1.2)
  • Crop residues (used) (1.2.1)
  • Fodder crops and grazed biomass (1.2.2)

While the MFA or agriculture statistics can be used as a data source for Crop Provision, the agriculture statistics approach has been utilised for the purpose of this publication in conjunction with CSO data and expert knowledge.

Crops (excluding fodder crops) (1.1): 

This class includes primary harvest of all crops from utilised agricultural area excluding crop residuals, fodder crops, and grazed biomass. Includes Cereals, Roots and tubers, Sugar crops, Pulses, Oil-bearing crops, Vegetables, Fruits and Other crops (excluding fodder crops). All crops in this section are reported in 1,000 tonnes at EU standard humidity.

Some crops included in Other crops (excluding fodder crops) are only reported in agriculture statistics in 1,000 hectares, these crops are converted to 1,000 tonnes (at EU standard humidity) using standard yield factors from the MFA Handbook.

Data for all crops in section 1.1 has been sourced from agriculture statistics reported to Eurostat by the CSO (apro_cpsh1, Crop Production in EU Standard Humidity).

All crops in section 1.1 can be assigned to the ecosystem Croplands, while Vegetables and Fruits can be also assigned to Settlements & Other Artificial Areas to account for crops grown in artificial settings e.g. under glass or high accessible cover.

Crop residues (used) (1.2.1):

This class represents the residues of certain common crops in section 1.1 which provide residues for further socio-economic use. Broken down into subcategories Straw and Other crop residues which have both been estimated using MFA methods from the MFA Handbook.

Straw is calculated by multiplying the crop production of Cereals (reported in section 1.1) by crop specific MFA harvest factors and MFA recovery rates.

Other crop residues is calculated by multiplying the crop production of other crops - Sugar crops and Oil-bearing crops (reported in section 1.1), by crop specific MFA harvest factors and MFA recovery rates.

Both Crop residues (used) subcategories, Straw and Other crop residues, can be assigned to Croplands.

Fodder crops and grazed biomass (1.2.2): 

Fodder crops and grazed biomass are reported in air dry weight in this publication which corresponds to a humidity degree of 15%.

Fodder crops include grass silage, hay, fodder beet, green maize, other cereals harvested green, arable silage and fodder rape and kale.

Quantities for grass silage, hay, fodder beet, arable silage and fodder rape and kale have been calculated by taking the areas under cultivation for each crop and multiplying them by national yield factors provided by Teagasc. Humidity conversions are completed if necessary to ensure weights equate to a humidity degree of 15%.

Green maize and other cereals harvested green are reported in 1,000 tonnes in agriculture statistics at EU standard humidity. These crops are converted to air dry weight which equates to a humidity degree (moisture content) of 15%. This conversion is made by applying the following formula from the Annual Crop Statistics Handbook:

Production with standard HU	=	Harvested production x (100 - harvested HU)
		100 - Standard HU

Fodder crops can be supplied by Croplands and Grasslands. The supply of Fodder crops by Croplands includes grass silage and hay from temporary grasslands, fodder beet, green maize, other cereals harvested green, arable silage and fodder rape and kale while the supply of Fodder crops by Grasslands includes grass silage and hay from permanent grasslands.

The division of grass silage and hay into a supply by Croplands and a supply by Grasslands was completed using the Census of Agriculture ratio of grass silage and hay into temporary (Croplands) and permanent (Grasslands) for 2000, 2010 and 2020. The ratio for 2000 was assigned to years 2000-2004, the ratio for 2010 was assigned to years 2005-2014 while the ratio for 2020 was assigned to years 2015-2022.

Grazed biomass can be estimated using two approaches, a supply-side approach or a demand-side approach. The supply-side approach has been taken in this publication which multiplies the areas under grass silage, hay, pasture and rough grazing by national yield factors. These national yield factors are applied across the 2000-2012 period while these factors have been adjusted based on year specific grass growth data provided by Teagasc for the 2013-2022 period.

Grazed biomass is split into a supply by Croplands and a supply by Grasslands to account for grazing that occurs on a grass rotation lasting at least one crop year and less than 5 years (Croplands) and grazing that occurs on permanent grasslands (Grasslands). 

Rough grazing is completely assigned to Grasslands while the division of grass silage, hay and pasture into a supply by Croplands and a supply by Grasslands was completed using the Census of Agriculture ratio of grass silage, hay and pasture into temporary (Croplands) and permanent (Grasslands) for 2000, 2010 and 2020. The ratio for 2000 was assigned to years 2000-2004, the ratio for 2010 was assigned to years 2005-2014 while the ratio for 2020 was assigned to years 2015-2022.

MFA figures may differ slightly with this publication due to differences in methodologies relating to the standard humidity used and the calculating and reporting of Grazed biomass. A more detailed approach is used to calculate Grazed biomass for the most recent 10-year period (2013-2022). This new innovative approach for Grazed biomass is being trialled in this Ecosystem Accounts Frontier publication with a view to applying it to the MFA from next year. The MFA currently reports Grazed biomass on a dry matter basis while this publication reports Grazed biomass at a humidity degree of 15%.

Acknowledgements

The Ecosystem Accounts Division would like to acknowledge the assistance of internal CSO divisions, Agriculture, Agriculture Surveys and Environment, in developing these ecosystem accounts.

The Ecosystem Accounts Division would also like to acknowledge the contributions of external organisations, Teagasc and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in producing these ecosystem accounts.