Remote Sensing for Landscape Ecology

Ricardo "Ric" Daniel Lopez is a leader in the field of Landscape Ecology. During his tenure in academia and public service, he has lead in the geographically diverse applications of remote sensing and field-based approaches for geospatial analyses, as applied to both theoretical and applied environmental topics. This body of work includes monitoring and assessing of terrestrial, aquatic, and transitional ecosystems; invasive plant species; multi-scale indicators of sustainability; and solutions to risk-based landscape ecology issues. A native of California, Lopez has spent much of his life exploring and writing about the diverse aspects of complex landscapes, from the tropics to temperate regions, bringing his expertise as a landscape ecologist to bear on specific local, regional, and global environmental issues. Lopez earned his B.S. in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution at the University of California, San Diego, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in Environmental Science at The Ohio State University, with an emphasis in Landscape Ecology and Wetland Ecology.

"Informed stewardship calls for the capabilities of landscape ecology. The Second Edition provides important outcomes derived from integrating landscape metrics, remote sensing, and GIS for modeling of ecosystems. The reader learns of advanced tools and their applicability in case studies on ecological services, continental scale computation of landscape metrics, and watershed modeling for restoration. These approaches are illustrative, informative and actionable at a variety of scales, and applied in contemporary decision-making and public engagement for ecological benefit." — John Lyon, Fellow Member, American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing"Dr. Lopez's research is pioneering. This book documents methods and results that highlight robust mechanisms that can be used to better understand the natural environment and the impacts (good and bad) of human alterations." — Brenda L. Groskinsky, formerly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and currently retired from federal service

• Introduction. Key Processes for Effective Remote Sensing–Based Landscape Ecology Projects. Utilizing Remote Sensing to Solve Landscape Ecology Challenges in Diverse Landscapes. Applied Analyses of Broad-Scale Landscape Gradients of Condition. Applied Analyses of Regional Scale Landscape Gradients of Condition. Meeting the Landscape Ecology Challenges of the Future with Remote Sensing. References. Metadata Cited. Glossary.