Landscape Ecology
" A marriage of ecology and geography.
" Studies how differences and changes in
Landscape Ecology
landscape affects biota and ecology.
" How they affect distribution, energy flow,
survival, reproduction, recruitment, etc&
Important fields of Conservation.
Landscape Ecology Landscape Ecology
" Assesses how habitat integrity, " Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
patchiness, fragmentation, connectivity, has become very important in the study of
etc. affect population viability. Landscape Ecology.
" In other words, it addresses the causes
and consequences of spatial
heterogeneity
Landscape Ecology Landscape Ecology
" Landscape ecology emphasizes heterogeneity as a
" Normal ecology studies homogeneous
method to promote stability in an ecosystem.
community units such as species or
Heterogeneity increases types of resistances to
population or community within one kind of
catastrophes through genetic diversity, habitat
habitat type.
diversity, and strain of species distribution.
" Landscape ecology studies these in various
" Landscape ecology always understands that
interconnecting habitats.
systems change and are hierarchical (i.e. one large
is composed of many small in turn composed of
" Frequently, habitat variation is anthropogenic
smaller units of similar structure but varying function
and continuing.
(different streams in a valley of many in a forest).
Landscape Ecology: What it means
Landscape Ecology: Definitions.
to us.
1. Development and dynamics of spatial 1. Landscape: an area that consists of
heterogeneity. more than one ecosystem.
2. Biotic interactions across those different 2. Ecosystem: A group of various
landscapes. populations in one area and their
interactions among each other and with
3. How spatial variations affect biotic
their environment.
development and processes over time.
4. How to manage the changes over time
and their effects on biota.
Landscape Ecology: Definitions. Landscape Ecology: Definitions.
3. Heterogeneity: A landscape with many
7. Patch: A homogeneous area different
different ecological patterns and
from other areas around it. A patch is the
structures.
lowest ranked unit of a landscape.
4. Pattern: The ordered contents of a
8. Mosaic: is a series of patches connected
landscape.
together directly or via corridors.
5. Structure: Is a definition of the size and
9. Corridor: A particular kind of patch
distribution of pattern.
connecting two separate patches.
6. Scale is a representation of actual
distances and/or time frame of events.
Landscape Ecology: Definitions. Landscape Ecology: Definitions.
10.Types of boundaries:
10.Edge: In ecology, an edge is the area on
1. Ecotone: Transitional zone between two
the perimeter of a patch.
communities. Notice that here we have a
11.Boundary: The area including the edges
biotic definition not a geographical one.
of two adjacent, intersecting patches.
2. Ecoline: The lines of different communities
that exist within an ecotone.
Edge effect and boundary effect are very
3. Ecotope: similar area in an ecotone. They
important concepts in landscape
might be distinct and relatively far spaced
ecology.
but have similar characteristics and thus life
structure.
Fragmentation
Landscape Ecology: Definitions. Fragmentation
11.Disturbance: an event that alters the
process of change or stability of a patch
or a mosaic of patches.
12.Fragmentation: The cutting and breaking
up of a large patch into many smaller
ones separated by a new and different
kind of patch.
Landscape Ecology. Landscape Ecology.
Landscape Ecology is not really an Landscape ecology deals with a changing
independent self sufficient field of and developing vibrant environment that
science. It is a multidisciplinary field needs constant monitoring and changes
within ecology, geography, forestry, in management to suit newly developing
agriculture, urban development and the situations.
new field of eco-tourism. The most
important concept to remember though is
that: