Catálogo de publicaciones - libros

Rural landscapes are multi-functional systems. Environmental functions are influenced by both natural and cultural landscape patterns. Beyond the traditional productive functions, rural landscapes are increasingly being recognized as complementary sources of biodiversity and places for cultural identification. Rural landscapes can often be seen as a complex assemblage of structural elements (patches, corridors, and matrix) whose arrangement reflects the magnitude, intensity, and type of human intervention and influence. This chapter describes some of the cultural patterns inherent in selected rural landscapes. It outlines how cultural artifacts and remnant habitat patches can affect ecological functions in two contrasting landscapes: the relatively young agricultural landscapes of southern Ontario, Canada; and longer-established agricultural landscapes of the Apulia region in southern Italy. For these landscapes, we illustrate the effects of cultural settlement patterns on habitat patterns and discuss implications for enhancing ecological attributes through landscape planning and design

The relation between landscape patterns and ecological processes forms a central hypothesis of landscape ecology. Three types of pattern analysis to assess anthropogenic impacts on landscape ecosystems and biodiversity are presented in this chapter. Firstly, the results of an analysis of Acanthaceae data in Central Africa are presented and compared with phytogeographic theories. Phytogeography data reflect the spatial variability of plant diversity, and constitute therefore a major tool in conservation policy development. We investigated if it was possible to proxy the phytogeographic classifications by the spatial distribution of Acanthaceae only. When combined with a classic landscape pattern analysis, this type of study could provide complementary information for the definition of conservation priorities. Secondly, we present an analysis of periodic vegetations in the Sudan. It can be accepted that through an understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the formation of this unique pattern geometry, the knowledge with regard to the functioning and vulnerability of these ecosystems can be deepened. Using high-resolution remote sensing imagery and digital elevation models, the relation between pattern symmetry and slope gradient was explored. In particular, slope gradients that could condition the transition between spotted and tiger bush pattern types were focused. The influence of other sources of anisotropy was also considered. Finally, a complementary approach to the calculation of landscape metrics to analyse landscape pattern is described, using the spatial processes themselves causing landscape transformation. Landscape ecologists agree that there appears to be a limited number of common spatial configurations that can result from land transformation processes. Ten processes of landscape transformation are considered: aggregation, attrition, creation, deformation, dissection, enlargement, fragmentation, perforation, shift, and shrinkage. A decision tree is presented that enables definition of the transformation process involved using patch-based data. This technique can help landscape managers to refine their description of landscape dynamics and will assist them in identifying the drivers of landscape transformation

The consequences of the growing world population imply an increasing demand on housing, industry, roads, airports, recreation, land, water resource, etc. Their impacts on natural landscapes and ecosystems are often significant by changing landscape pattern. The current environmental effects due to human activity, such as global change, ecosystem degradation, biodiversity loss, and others, have already arisen the attention from scientists. The long-term and potential environmental effects, however, were difficult to be identified without enough scientific data across both spatial and temporal scales. A primary goal of landscape ecology is to understand the reciprocal relationship between spatial pattern and ecological flows or processes. Achieving this goal may require the extrapolation of results obtained from small-scale experiments to broad scales. Scientific monitoring data makes a solid and convincing base for studying the dynamics of landscape spatial pattern and ecological processes and the overall environmental effects of human activities. In this paper, the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) was introduced. It lays a foundation for landscape ecological research by offering long-term monitoring data. At the same time, how to effectively use the CERN to deepen landscape ecological researches was discussed in detail. Finally, perspectives for the development of landscape ecological researches in China were enumerated with special attention to ecological monitoring and the coupling of landscape pattern and ecological processes.

The conceptual and theoretical core of landscape ecology links natural sciences with related human sciences and human activity with landscape pattern, process and change and its impacts. Generating ecological networks means modeling species and landscape patterns. The concept of ecological networks is especially applicable in highly fragmented landscapes where species behave as metapopulations. Analysis of habitat availability is an important precondition for planning ecological networks. However, also the communication with the stakeholders is crucial when ecological networks have to be realized. As ecological network planning means biodiversity management outside protected nature reserves and parks, it also means confrontation between interests and finding ways for cooperation between all users of the wider landscape.

Landscape changes in Japan based on a national grid map were examined adding current data. For detecting changed regions, we classified all of the prefectures in Japan based on naturalness to know the land use characteristics. The number of cells and percentage of degree of naturalness and limited habitats, such as wetland and tidal land decreased showing nature distraction in Japan. The area of secondary forest as representative vegetation in rural landscapes also decreased, which may be dieback due to pine wilt disease and ecological succession. Landscape types (or land use) based on special characteristics of naturalness were classified into six groups; natural forests, secondary forests and grasslands, secondary forests and plantation, agricultural fields, and urban areas. Five prefectures saw and change to plantation type from agricultural field type during 1990s. Japan was shown to have urbanization and decreasing habitat complexity, and pine wilt disease and abandoned rural landscape also led to decreasing Japanese representative cultural landscapes. These land uses and management of landscape led to changes in habitat environments with decreasing habitat complexity, ultimately having an effect on biodiversity, now an important national environmental interest in Japan. Therefore, landscape planning and management have to work to halt the decrease in habitat complexity and quality.

In order to create an accurate evaluation method that properly reflects the value of biodiversity on an ecosystem level, the current and past studies of such methods must be analysed. Biodiversity evaluation models published in journals from 1995 to 2005 were studied and was concluded that in order to create an accurate model, the following four elements need to be included: the first, species from different guilds that maximize the phylogenetic diversity, as surrogates of the ecosystem should be included. Secondly, assess the extinction probability of the selected species by Population Viability Analysis. Thirdly, identify the potential habitat area of selected species by Potential Habitat Analysis. Fifthly, estimate the survival probability of the selected species in the potential habitat area.

Establishing nature reserves is one of the most effective means for protecting endangered species and biodiversity. However, establishing nature reserves may stop gene-exchange of the target population from natural populations given that the previous human activities within the reserves were moved to the surrounding areas of the nature reserves. This may break the connection between nature reserve and natural habitats. In this study, a habitat suitability evaluation of Wolong Nature Reserve for giant panda () conservation indicates that among the total area of 202300 ha, only about 2144 ha, or 1.06%, is highly suitable, and as much as 123280 ha (more than 60% of the total area) was unsuitable for giant panda. Moreover, the highly suitable, suitable areas, and moderately suitable areas were spatially fragmented. Based on the evaluation, landscape design for giant panda conservation was performed. It was suggested that both habitat quality and patch size be considered to meet the requirements for sustaining populations when core patches in a nature reserve were designed. Buffer with right width should include all core patches to allow giant panda to move freely. On the subject of corridor design, two cases were to be identified, first, the existing corridor, which was a narrow passage between some patches, had to be protected carefully. Second, those areas, which may become the potential habitats for giant pandas after rational vegetation rehabilitation, should be identified by using GAP approaches. This study indicates that some key areas which may enable the core patches larger to accommodate more giant pandas by vegetation rehabilitation, were much more important than the other places. These areas should receive higher attentions when establishing nature reserve.

This study investigated changes in land use from the (1880s) to the (1990s) in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Shortly after Japan opened their country to foreign trade, but before outside influence had affected land use, the first mapped survey of Japan was undertaken. These original 1880s maps, which revealed traditional land use patterns, were compared with modern land use through geographic information system analysis. The amount of paddy field remained essentially unchanged between the 1880s and the 1990s, but forest vegetation decreased from 39% to 20%, and urban development land increased from 5% to 24% of the area. A comparison of land use change on each landform type indicated that land use patterns were determined more by the capability of the land in the 1880s than in the 1990s. An analysis of the transition in vegetation revealed that natural succession was underway in much of the woodland

We compared the response of various taxonomic groups, birds, butterflies, ants, trees and ferns, in the large city of Osaka, Japan in order to examine relationships between the abundance and arrangement of the habitats, and life history trait of the species. We presented species specific responses to habitat fragmentation. Species richness decreased more rapidly in birds than ants from the urban to rural ends of the urban gradient, and butterflies were intermediate. Birds were influenced by the habitat area and distance to species source. In contrast, ants were less influenced by habitat area, but were susceptible to the history of the isolated habitats. In ants, trees and ferns, some rare species occurred even in small habitats and the small habitats contributed to species diversity in the urban areas. Simultaneously, variation of the life history affected the distribution of species. For example, could breed in urban area by using scattered trees in an urban matrix; their home range enlarged in the urban area to secure sufficient food. One of the major goals of urban landscape ecology is to use scientific information to restore and preserve biodiversity in urban ecosystems. Some examples of planning and adaptive management for wildlife habitats in urban landscapes were introduced

Biological diversity has been emerged as a core concept in management and conservation of diverse ecological systems. Scaling up for biodiversity conservation in landscape system is also emerging issue in ecologists. In order to conserve biodiversity from the genetic level to ecosystem and landscape levels, multi-scale strategies and efforts are being adopted and executed in many countries. In this paper, comprehensive and necessary considerations arisen from the view of landscape ecology were discussed for the present situations of wildlife conservation and management in Korea compared with other countries. Especially, the conservation strategy and policy of biodiversity were addressed in broad senses including habitat protections, legal approaches, landscape design and ecological network programs.