STACCATO will:

• Investigate the interactions between crop production areas and the landscapes in which they are imbedded across a European wide field site network.
• Provide quantification (incl. the assessment of uncertainty) of the current and future dependencies of ESS of the cropping systems on a) local & regional land use intensity and its driving forces, b) biodiversity and c) climate.
• Study three ESS strands: a) nutrient status & crop production, b) crop related biocontrol & pollination, and c) cultural services and how they are affected by land use intensity.
• Develop valuations of the investigated ESF/ESS strands through monetary as well as nonmonetary methods.
• Test and further improve existing and new indicators for ESS and their values, develop an indicator based assessment of risks and opportunities of crop production in the light of ESS influenced by changes in land use intensity, biodiversity and climate.
• Co-design project activities in close interaction with stakeholders.
• Develop guidelines for decision makers (incl. farmers) to enhance ESS provision, in particular through eco-functional intensification by ecological engineering.
• Develop socio-economic analytical frameworks & tools for promotion of advanced land management practices, based on analyses of driving forces & stakeholders.
• Develop Ecological Engineering and Ecofunctional intensification in conventional, integrated or organic agriculture.
• Closely link the research activities with those of LEGATO in order to allow generalizations across continents and testing of project results for their specific or generic character.