movement and landscapes

landscape definition

a spatially heterogeneous area composed of a mosaic of interacting ecosystems (like forests, fields, lakes) and land uses

ecosystem vs. landscape

ecosystem includes the living creatures as well, very much overlapping terms. an ecosystem focuses on biotic and abiotic interactions, while a landscape emphasises spatial patterns and human influences.

landscape ecology

studies interactions between spatial areas and ecological processes

landscape heterogeneity

the variation in the types, arrangement, and distribution of elements across a landscape

appropriate scale to study ecological landscapes

good to look at multiple scales, depends on habitat and what is being studied. also look at political and practical designations

landscape structure

shapes the spatial realisation of species distributions in an explicit way

species traits

dictate how organisms respond spatially to resources and risks in their environment and at what scale

what happens when a landscape is more fragmented

organisms expend more energy on movement

patch

relatively homogenous area containing highly suitable habitat for a particular species or community, separated from other areas

corridor

habitat that connects patches

matrix

intervening area between patches that is unsuitable or less suitable for the organism

effect of patch shape

size of patch edge matters in terms of the ‘edge effect’, determines how much edge there is relative to the core

structural connectivity

physical landscape attributes with assumed impacts on species movement

functional connectivity

the degree to which landscapes facilitate or impede movement of organisms

consequences of isolation

• Lack of dispersal between high quality habitat

• Compromised genetic variability within isolated populations

due to lack of immigration

• Lack of rescue from extirpation

• Reduced opportunities for range shifts in response to global

climate change

• Reduced introduction of competitors, predators and diseases

• Improved likelihood of local adaptation

• Dispersal can be risky