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Applied Landscape Ecology (Angewandte Landschaftsökologie)
Angewandte Landschaftsökologie
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:02:14
Abstract
This course encompasses the theory of landscape ecology, quantitative methods for solving ecological problems in a spatial context, and use of simulation modeling for forecasting effects of landscape change. We will see how spatial analysis, GIS, and landscape vegetation models are applied to problems in disturbance ecology, conservation management, biodiversity protection, and landscape design.
Objective
To teach the various methodologies of landscape ecological analysis in any depth would be beyond the scope of this course. The aims of this course are: (1) to demonstrate to students the relevance of the landscape ecology perspective for science and management; (2) to demonstrate the existence and utility of methods commonly employed by landscape ecologists for solving relevant applied problems; and (3) to explain the theory, mathematics, and conceptual framework underlying these tools just well enough so that students, who someday may want to employ them in their own research, would have a good foundation to start from.
Content
Course Schedule Weeks 1 - 2: Introduction to Landscape Ecology: What is it and why is it important? Theoretical basis, and key concepts. Weeks 3 - 7: Landscape Pattern, Measurement of Pattern, and Ecological Implications Week 6: Lab 1. Landscape Mosaics, Metrics, and Species Persistence: Use of FRAGSTATS metrics to evaluate forest fragmentation and habitat connectivity; a simple spreadsheet population model for assessing the probability of species persistence Week 8: No Class Weeks 9 - 12: Landscape Dynamics and Modelling Week 11: Lab 2. Landscape models of vegetation dynamics: Fire effects on the landscape age-class distribution. Weeks 13 - 14: Applications to Conservation, Natural Resource Management, and Land Use Planning Week Topics Required Reading (note: students are expected to read at least 6 of the 12 papers listed) 1. April 4 1. Course Introduction 2. Introduction to Landscape Ecology: What is it and why is it important? None 2. April 11 An Introduction to Landscape Ecology (continued): Concepts, Issues, and Applications Turner 1989 3. April 18 Landscape Pattern: 1. Quantifying Landscape Pattern: What is the State of the Art? An overview. 2. Landscape Metrics Gustafson 1998 4. April 25 Quantifying Landscape Patterns Using Metrics to Quantify Effects of Anthropogenic Disturbances Ecological Implications of Landscape Pattern: The Ecological Effects of Habitat Fragmentation Mladenoff et al. 1993 5. May 2 Quantifying Spatial Pattern using Geostatistics (in-class demo of kriging and trend surface analysis using S-Plus software) Fortin 1999 6. May 9 LABORATORY 1. Landscape Mosaics, Metrics, and Species Persistence: Use of FRAGSTATS metrics to evaluate forest fragmentation and habitat connectivity; a simple spreadsheet population model for assessing the probability of species persistence McGarigal and Marks 1995 (Selected pages) 7. May 16 Landscape Dynamics: Reconstructing the History of Disturbance and Past Vegetation Dynamics Effects of Disturbance Processes on Landscape Pattern Foster and Boose 1992 8. May 23 NO CLASS 9. May 30 Landscape Dynamics: 1. Disturbance, Patch Dynamics, and Concepts of Landscape Equilibria 2. Creating Landscape Patterns by Forest Cutting: What are the Ecological Implications? Franklin and Forman 1987 10. June 6 Modeling Dynamic Landscapes: 1. Simulating Forest Disturbance Processes at the Landsca
Resources
Lecture Notes
No textbook will be required, although the recent textbook by Turner et al. (2001) may be heavily utilized. Lecture material will also be drawn from journal articles, book chapters, and occasionally from software manuals. Students will be expected to read the detailed lecture notes prior to lecture. Notes for each lecture will be distributed to students at the end of the previous lecture, at least one week in advance. In addition, one scientific paper will be specified as “suggested reading” for each lecture .
Literature
No textbook will be required, although the recent textbook by Turner et al. (2001; see below) may be heavily utilized. Lecture material will also be drawn from journal articles, book chapters, and occasionally from software manuals. Students will be expected to read the detailed lecture notes prior to lecture. Notes for each lecture will be distributed to students at the end of the previous lecture, at least one week in advance. In addition, one scientific paper will be specified as “suggested reading” for each lecture (see below). Suggested reading: Empfohlene Literatur: Bolliger, J., F. Kienast, and H. Bugmann. 2000. Comparing models for tree distributions: concept, structures, and behavior. Ecological Modelling 134:89-102. Bugmann, H. 2001. A review of forest gap models. Climatic Change 51:259-305. Guisan, A., and N. E. Zimmermann. 2000. Predictive habitat distribution models in ecology. Ecological Modelling 135:147-186. Gustafson, E. J. 1998. Quantifying landscape spatial pattern: what is the state of the art? Ecosystems 1: 143-156. Harrison, S. and E. Bruna. 1999. Habitat fragmentation and large-scale conservation: what do we know for sure? Ecography 22: 225-232. Kienast, F., J. Fritschi, M. Bissegger, and W. Abderhalden. 1999. Modeling successional patterns of high-elevation forests under changing herbivore pressure - responses at the landscape level. Forest Ecology and Management 120:35-46. Landres, P. B., Morgan, P., and Swanson, F. J. 1999. Overview of the use of natural variability concepts in managing ecological systems. Ecological Applications 9: 1179-1188. Lee, A. S. 1995. Reviewing a manuscript for publication. Journal of Operations Management 13:87-92. Fortin, M.-J., M. R. T. Dale, and J. ver Hoef. 2001. Spatial analysis in ecology. Pages 2051-2058 in A. H. El-Shaarawi and W. W. Piegorsch, editors. The Encyclopedia of Environmetrics. John Wiley and Sons Ltd. McGarigal, K., and S. A. Cushman. 2005. The gradient concept of landscape structure. in J. A. Wiens and M. Moss, editors. Issues and Perspectives in Landscape Ecology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Turner, Monica G. 1989. Landscape Ecology: The effect of pattern on process. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 20: 171-197. Turner, M. G., Gardner, R. H., O’Neill, R. V. 2001. Landscape ecology in theory and practice: Pattern and process. New York, Springer-Verlag. 404 pp. Wiens, J. A. 1989. Spatial scaling in ecology. Functional Ecology 3:385-397.
General Information
- Language
- German
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- session examination
- Mode
- oral 30 minutes
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise | Angewandte Landschaftsökologie |
|
2 h weekly |