Landscape Fragmentation

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1. Define a landscape. What is the focus of
   Landscape Ecology. Notes

2. Discuss the role of spatial and temporal scale
in affecting landscape composition, processes,
classification.use an example. Notes
3. Describe the major categories of processes
affecting landscapes (physical, biological,
human) and the scale(s) at which they are most
appropriately studied. Notes
4. Given a hypothetical (or actual) landscape
and several types of data about it, be able to
develop and explain a basic land classification
scheme which reflects ecology, processes etc. to
the extent possible. Labs
5. Explain are the major effects of landscape
composition, fragmentation, spatial pattern on
the ecology of plants and animals using this
landscape? TEXT Ch. 2.9, 4, 5
6. How do we quantify landscape pattern,
composition etc. and how might scale and sample
design impact this? Labs, Articles.
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Chapter 4
4.2.1 Disturbance 4.2.3 Human
disturbance 4.2.4. Gaps in forests 4.2.6
Fire 4.2.7, 4.2.8 Biotic factors 4.3
Fragmentation and its efects 4.4 Connectivity
Factors affecting ecological succession
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Fragmentation Effects
Species Composition Predation Edge
effects Animal movement altered
patterns changes in home range Metapopulation
and source-sink dynamics may occur Connectivity
Do corridors work?
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Metapopulation dynamics
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Bear Bird Turtle Frog Bat Beetle Flower
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Quantifying Landscape Pattern
Why is it important? We need to understand the
effects on ecological processes Need to inform
conservation management as best we can
However.. MUCH easier to develop and apply
various classifications and pattern indices than
it is to relate these to ecology
So.. The classification system/scale used
becomes VERY important
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What aspects of ecology should these
reveal? What do we actually measure to assess
this?
Proportion Diversity Dominance Connectivity A
djacency Patch Area/Perimeter Area weighted
patch size Fractals
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No strict rules on the use of these indices.
All are VERY influenced by the land
classification scheme.
No strict rules on a classification system except
that it needs to reflect hierarchical relations
and ecology as much as possible
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Diversity, Dominance, Evennessa variety of
numeric indices (i.e. 0-1) which characterize the
relative influence of various patch types in a
given landscape. Also very influenced by the
composition of a landcover map.
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Proportion Amount of various landcover
featuresfrequently used in predictive models
such as habitat studieswill vary greatly
depending on classification system used.
Area-weighted patch sizecompensates for the
dominance of large patches when calculating mean
patch sizescommonly used in GIS to estimate
various measures of habitat quality.
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Composition and Configuration
Patch Area and Perimeter--indices focusing
usually on a given cover types but also for the
entire landscape. Designed to quantify not just
the amounts but the distribution of these
features in a landscape (i.e. a riparian strip of
forest may have the same area but differ markedly
in E/I .
Connectivity--attempt to indicate the ease of
movement among patchesideally you would quantify
movement.
Proximity/Adjacencymeasures to quantify general
distance between patches
Complexity (i.e. fractals), Shape indices
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4. Given a hypothetical (or actual) landscape
and several types of data about it, be able to
develop and explain a basic land classification
scheme which reflects ecology, processes etc. to
the extent possible. Labs
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Final Comments
We need a convenient way to characterize
landscapes
Indices provide a potential way of boiling down
very complex processes
Landcover classification, scale, grain, extent
etc. all can be very influential
Focus on ecology and as few indices as necessary
Use appropriate sampling and statistical analyses
to determine how to characterize your landscape
and to make comparisons between indices and
processes of interest.