Changing Landscapes An Ecological Perspective [Paperback]

Landscape Ecology is an emerging science of gaining momentum over the past few decades in the scientific as well as in the planning-management worlds. Although the field is rooted in biology and geography, the approaches to understanding the ecology of a landscape are highly divers. This hybrid vigor provides power to the field. One can no longer view a local ecosystem or land use in isolation from global areas and time frames. The surrounding landscape mosaic and the flows and movements in a landscape must be considered, especially the linkage between humans requiring resources provided by nature, the constraints on their use as well as the responding landscape.Landscape Ecology is an emerging science of gaining momentum over the past few decades in the scientific as well as in the planning-management worlds. Although the field is rooted in biology and geography, the approaches to understanding the ecology of a landscape are highly divers. This hybrid vigor provides power to the field. One can no longer view a local ecosystem or land use in isolation from global areas and time frames. The surrounding landscape mosaic and the flows and movements in a landscape must be considered, especially the linkage between humans requiring resources provided by nature, the constraints on their use as well as the responding landscape.I Evolving Approaches.- 1. Scope and Concepts of Landscape Ecology as an Emerging Science.- 2. The History of Landscape Ecology in Europe.- 3. The Beginnings of Landscape Ecology in America.- II Energy, Nutrient, and Species Fluxes in a Mosaic.- 4. Landscape Pattern and Its Effects on Energy and Nutrient Distribution.- 5. Biogeochemical Cycles and Ecological Hierarchies.- 6. Woods as Habitat Patches for Birds; Application in Landscape Planning in the Netherlands.- 7. Hedgerow Network Patterns and Processes in France.- 8. Ecological Processes in the Time and Space of Farmland Mosaics.- III Natural and Human ProceslØ