BIOL208 Lecture 33: Lecture 33 Landscape Ecology
12 Apr 2016
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Landscape processes: habitat fragmentation, fragmentation and habitat loss, fragmentation and edge effects, habitat corridors. Landscape ecology: the study of the relationship between spatial pattern and ecological processes over a range of scales (wu and hobbs, 2007) Landscape: a heterogeneous area consisting of distinctive patches known as landscape elements organized into a mosaic-like pattern. E. g. a mountain landscape may comprise elements such as forests, meadows, bogs and streams. Landscapes are created and change in response to the following: Geological processes (e. g. erosion, sedimentation and volcanic eruption) interact with local climate to produce landscape elements. Distinctive ecosystems may develop on these geological surfaces, resulting in patchiness in the landscape. E. g. glaciation caused erosion and vegetative patchiness in much of canada. Glaciers move soil and rock over great distances, scouring the surface and thus reshaping the landscape. More erosion occurs as rocks are ripped out of the earth and water enters crevices and freezes.
