History of Landscape Ecology Precursors… -phytosociology (Europe) and gradient analysis (N. America) -studies of distribution patterns of plant communities and relationships to spatial variation in environment -biogeography (island): study of spatial impacts on population size…influenced habitat fragmentation research

History of Landscape Ecology -as a formal discipline, originated in Central and Eastern Europe -the term ‘landscape ecology’ coined by Carl Troll, a German geographer, in late 1930s -influenced by the ecosystem concept originated by Tansley in 1935 -also influenced by the advent of aerial photography

History of Landscape Ecology -European perspective of ‘landscape’ was human-oriented; human living space as a spatial entity -in Europe, Landscape Ecology emphasized land evaluation, classification, mapping -land-use planning and landscape architecture were the major applications -’applied’ science

History of Landscape Ecology -Landscape Ecology “arrived” in North America in the early 1980s, after formation of IALE -Richard Forman was the N. Am. ‘pioneer’ of a formal Landscape Ecology discipline in the U.S. -’Allerton Park’ workshop in 1983 brought together N. Am. researchers working on the landscape scale

History of Landscape Ecology -Example of early ‘landscape scale’ ecological research in N. Am.: Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (Bormann and Likens) -long-term ecological study -does vegetation regulate ecological processes? -experimented with harvesting whole watersheds -found that removal of the vegetation on land affected water and nutrient fluxes in the stream

History of Landscape Ecology -emphasis on quantifying ecological structure and function on landscape scale -North American work less oriented towards human landscapes; more emphasis on biology -more hypothesis-driven (question–driven) than European counterpart -‘basic’ science

Problems with Landscape Ecology and its unification as a discipline?

Land(scape) Classification Why classify landscapes? (i.e. units of land) -prioritize land units for different land uses -create a common language for describing and organizing land units, i.e. an information system -allow generalizations to be made within a class of land units

Land(scape) Classification Why classify landscapes? (i.e. units of land) -early purpose: to assess potential of land for agriculture (e.g. CLI – Canada Land Inventory – 1960s) 1 Soils in this class have no significant limitations in use for crops. 2 Soils in this class have moderate limitations that restrict the range of crops or require moderate conservation practices. 3 Soils in this class have moderately severe limitations that restrict the range of crops or require special conservation practices. 4 Soils in this class have severe limitations that restrict the range of crops or require special conservation practices. 5 Soils in this class gave very severe limitations that restrict their capability in producing perennial forage crops, and improvement practices are feasible. 6 Soils in this class are capable only of producing perennial forage crops, and improvement practices are not feasible. 7 Soils in this class have no capacity for arable culture or permanent pasture. Organic Soils (not placed in capability classes).

Land(scape) Classification Why classify landscapes? (i.e. units of land) -recent focus on biodiversity conservation -prioritizing land units for reserve areas -need to consider the whole land unit (i.e. ecosystem) rather than its individual parts

natural landscape patterns e.g. caribou habitat

Land(scape) Classification In Canada: - began with Angus Hills in Ontario and V.J. Krajina in B.C. -soil scientist -classified land based on physiography -botanist -classification based on plant associations

G. A. Hills: “ if you want to know to what use to put the land, ask the land-type and the vegetation which has grown on it”

Land(scape) Classification In Canada: -J.S. Rowe’s Forest Regions of Canada in 1970s

Land(scape) Classification In Canada: -Ecological Land Classification system (Ecozones, etc.) -spatially hierarchical -divisions based on climate, regional landforms

http://www.ec.gc.ca/soer-ree/English/vignettes/default.cfm

Land(scape) Classification In Canada: -Forest Ecosystem Classification systems developed province by province for management purposes (1980s to present) -New effort to create standardized national ecosystem classification underway…

Land(scape) Classification In Canada: -New effort to create standardized national ecosystem classification underway… -Canadian Vegetation Classification System based on physiognomy, species composition, and community associations 7 levels (I – VII), progressively more detailed

Physiognomy??? -general architecture or growth form of vegetation e.g. deciduous forest, short-grass prairie -can also include morphological/life strategy distinctions such as evergreen or deciduous growth habit