Evolution of temporal diversification in crop sequences: a case study of flanders

Temporal crop diversification is increasingly promoted to enhance the sustainability and resilience of European agricultural systems, yet long-term field-level evidence on how crop sequences evolve remains limited. This study investigates changes in crop sequence typologies and complexity in Flanders between 2008 and 2023 using Geo-Spatial Application data, with particular attention to potato return times given this crop's growing economic importance and stringent phytosanitary requirements. Crop sequence typologies were identified for two eight-year periods, while complexity was assessed using the Rotational Complexity Index. Potato return times were analysed separately using a backward-looking approach. Flemish agriculture was dominated by a limited number of typologies, particularly permanent grassland, root crop sequences, and cereal-dominated systems. Although 38.5% of the agricultural area changed typology between the two periods, transitions occurred mainly among a restricted set of dominant systems. Changes in complexity were significant but small. Potato return times were mostly three or four years, with only modest shifts towards longer intervals, suggesting persistent agronomic and economic constraints. Overall, Flemish crop sequences are changing structurally, but without substantial increases in complexity. The proposed approach provides a transferable framework for monitoring temporal diversification and a basis for investigating the drivers of changes in crop sequence complexity.