LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY SREM 3011 LECTURE 9 Dr Brendan Mackey Department of Geography The Australian National University
LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY SREM 3011 LECTURE 9 Dr Brendan Mackey Department of Geography The Australian National University
Scale provides concepts and tools for ntegrating the effects of environmental processes on the occupancy of landscapes by plants and animals If we do not think about scale, then we risk being captive of scale imposed by human senses
• Scale provides concepts and tools for integrating the effects of environmental processes on the occupancy of landscapes by plants and animals • If we do not think about scale, then we risk being captive of scale imposed by human senses
Ecology is a matter of primary human experience
Ecology is a matter of primary human experience
Landscape texture horizontal a'verticals Scale at which structures occur in the landscape Structures components of a system At 'landscape to regional"scales", vegetation is a major component of"structure species composition, canopy height, vertical organization, leaf physiognomy particularly important with respect to the occupancy of landscapes by animals Texture= measure of the complexity of landscape structure E complexity in the spatial configuration of vegetation(eg. patches)
• Landscape texture ‘horizontal’ ‘vertical’ Scale at which structures occur in the landscape Structures = components of a system At ‘landscape’ to ‘regional’ “scales”, vegetation is a major component of “structure” : species composition, canopy height, vertical organization, leaf physiognomy : particularly important with respect to the occupancy of landscapes by animals Texture = measure of the complexity of landscape structure = complexity in the spatial configuration of vegetation (eg. ‘patches’)
Fine texture many, small patches with convoluted perimeters Coarse texture a few large patches with simple perimeters Vertical structure of vegetation fine/coarse textured Fractal dimension(Horizontal texture) a measure of landscape complexity OR landscape texture based on measurement of length of boundaries of entities forming patterns (1)Length of measuring unit or ' segment (2) Total length of perimeter
• Fine texture = many, small patches with convoluted perimeters • Coarse texture = a few large patches with simple perimeters • Vertical structure of vegetation fine/coarse textured Fractal dimension (Horizontal texture) - a measure of landscape complexity landscape texture - based on measurement of length of boundaries of entities forming patterns - (1) Length of measuring unit or ‘segment’ (2) Total length of perimeter OR