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Biodiversity footprints and handprints in agricultural life cycle assessment a review of methods and field-based evidence

Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Biodiversity loss is a critical component of the current planetary crisis, yet it remains insufficiently represented in life cycle assessment (LCA) and in related sustainability metrics. This paper presents a narrative literature review of how biodiversity is currently incorporated into agricultural LCA, with particular attention to the extent to which field-based biodiversity monitoring data have been used to evaluate modelled indicators, and to whether environmental footprints are complemented by biodiversity handprints, that is, by positive-impact accounting. The literature was mapped narratively across four linked questions: (i) how biodiversity footprints are currently quantified in agricultural LCA; (ii) to what extent field-based biodiversity monitoring data have been used as reference or evaluation sources for these indicators; (iii) whether and how biodiversity handprints have been developed or applied within agricultural LCA; (iv) how biodiversity-inclusive LCA might be aligned with the planetary boundaries framework. Among the 106 articles reviewed in depth, four were identified that integrated independently collected field biodiversity data with modelled LCA indicators. Three of these evaluated an existing method against field observations, whereas the fourth used field records to derive new characterization factors rather than test existing model independently. No empirical application of the biodiversity handprint concept within agricultural LCA was identified in the literature reviewed here. The analysis indicates that current approaches are constrained by uneven taxonomic and geographic coverage, limited harmonisation across spatial scales, and a near-exclusive focus on negative impacts. Evidence relating modelled indicators to field observations is mixed: field-scale predictions of established methods, such as SALCA-BD, correspond reasonably well with observed richness for certain taxonomic groups but become less reliable when aggregated to landscape or regional scales, whereas regional characterization factors do not always correspond with field-scale observations. Although handprints are increasingly discussed in relation to carbon, the biodiversity handprint remains conceptually undeveloped and was not found to have been empirically applied or tested in agricultural systems in the literature retrieved by this review. Similarly, alignment of biodiversity-inclusive LCA with the planetary boundaries framework remains largely conceptual, as no operational indicators currently link product- or farm-level biodiversity assessments to global biosphere-integrity thresholds. Strengthening the empirical grounding and integration of biodiversity into LCA through field evidence, harmonised reference states, and transparent reporting of both biodiversity footprints and handprints is essential for improving impact assessment and supporting credible, science-based decision-making. Advancing harmonised biodiversity-inclusive LCA methods will enable more comprehensive sustainability assessments and help to guide transitions toward agricultural systems that operate within ecological limits while contributing to biodiversity conservation and restoration.
DOI: 10.1007/s44274-026-01085-5
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,390
OpenAlex ID: W7214516713
FWCI:
Cites: 122
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