Former field relics across Europe: a review
Abstract
Former field relics (FFR) are microtopographic features: ridge and furrow, lynchets, terraces, headland ridges, stone walls, and stone heaps, inherited from past farming practices. In Europe, they are often described as being “everywhere”, particularly in landscapes that have escaped modern agricultural intensification. In this review, we provide quantitative support for this assumption by synthesizing over 150 studies on FFR across Europe. We also mapped the spatial distribution of the reviewed FFR, with a particular focus on Central Temperate Europe. We successively examine the definitions of the most common FFR, their detection issues, chronology, legacy in contemporary landscapes, and protection status. Finally, we highlight the need for a better understanding of FFR, more harmonised research at the continental scale, and stronger measures for their protection.
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BibTeX
@article{ertlen2026former,
title = {{Former field relics across Europe: a review}},
author = {Damien Ertlen and Alexander Bonhage and Emma Borg and Eileen Eckmeier and Václav Fanta and Pierre-Alexis Herrault and Natalia Hurajtová and Johana Jackovičová and Benjamin Keller and Eileen Kerhouant and Agnieszka Latocha-Wites and Nathanaël Le Voguer and Juraj Lieskovský and Jiří Riezner and Anna Schneider and Barbora Strouhalová},
journal = {Anthropocene},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1016/j.ancene.2026.100597},
url = {https://univoak.hal.science/hal-05850286v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Former field relics across Europe: a review
AU - Damien Ertlen
AU - Alexander Bonhage
AU - Emma Borg
AU - Eileen Eckmeier
AU - Václav Fanta
AU - Pierre-Alexis Herrault
AU - Natalia Hurajtová
AU - Johana Jackovičová
AU - Benjamin Keller
AU - Eileen Kerhouant
AU - Agnieszka Latocha-Wites
AU - Nathanaël Le Voguer
AU - Juraj Lieskovský
AU - Jiří Riezner
AU - Anna Schneider
AU - Barbora Strouhalová
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
JO - Anthropocene
DO - 10.1016/j.ancene.2026.100597
UR - https://univoak.hal.science/hal-05850286v1
AB - Former field relics (FFR) are microtopographic features: ridge and furrow, lynchets, terraces, headland ridges, stone walls, and stone heaps, inherited from past farming practices. In Europe, they are often described as being “everywhere”, particularly in landscapes that have escaped modern agricultural intensification. In this review, we provide quantitative support for this assumption by synthesizing over 150 studies on FFR across Europe. We also mapped the spatial distribution of the reviewed FFR, with a particular focus on Central Temperate Europe. We successively examine the definitions of the most common FFR, their detection issues, chronology, legacy in contemporary landscapes, and protection status. Finally, we highlight the need for a better understanding of FFR, more harmonised research at the continental scale, and stronger measures for their protection.
SN - 2213-3054
SN - 2213-3054
ER -