Cambridge Studies in Landscape Ecology – serie

Source-sink theories provide a simple yet powerful framework for understanding how the patterns, processes and dynamics of ecological systems vary and interact over space and time. Integrating multiple research fields, including population biology and landscape ecology, this book presents the latest advances in source-sink theories, methods and applications in the conservation and management of natural resources and biodiversity. The interdisciplinary team of authors uses detailed case studies, innovative field experiments and modeling, and comprehensive syntheses to incorporate source-sink ideas into research and management, and explores how sustainability can be achieved in today's increasingly fragile human-dominated ecosystems. Providing a comprehensive picture of source-sink research as well as tangible applications to real world conservation issues, this book is ideal for graduate students, researchers, natural-resource managers and policy makers.

Whilst agricultural landscapes are products of the local ecosystem and community in which they are situated, they are becoming increasingly affected by the same global issues, and are converging under the dynamics of globalisation. Combining landscape ecological research and an examination of relevant public policy, this book investigates the dynamic relationship between agricultural landscapes and the global change processes, such as urbanisation, by which they are being transformed. Landscape change is analysed in the context of biophysical patterns, market dynamics, and specific public policy frameworks, through a series of case studies from different OECD countries spanning Europe, Asia Pacific and North America. Particular emphasis is placed upon the way that landscapes are changing under differing policies of agricultural subsidy including the EU Common Agricultural Policy. This is an ideal resource for graduate students and researchers in landscape ecology and agriculture as well as policy analysts working in the agricultural sector.

The establishment of ecological networks in Europe and greenways in America has required some of the most advanced applications of the principles of landscape ecology to land use planning. This book provides a thorough overview of recent developments in this emerging field, combining theoretical concepts of landscape ecology with the actual practice of landscape planning and management. In addition to biological and physical considerations important to biodiversity protection and restoration, equal weight is given to cultural and aesthetic issues to illustrate how sympathetic, sustainable land use policies can be implemented. Examples are given for large scale areas (Estonia and Florida) as well as regional areas such as Milano, Chicago and the Argentinian Yungas. This invaluable book will provide a wealth of information for all those concerned with biodiversity conservation through networks and greenways and their relevance to the planning process, whether researcher, land manager or policy maker.

Through a series of personal essays, this book addresses a wide array of past, current, and future issues in landscape ecology. The essays have been contributed by leading landscape ecologists from North America, Europe, and Australia, and provide an overview of the rich tapestry of viewpoints and perspectives that make landscape ecology at once a well-defined and yet also a frustratingly diverse discipline. The contributions span a range of topics and approaches, addressing theory as well as practice, science as well as application, conservation as well as utilization, and aquatic as well as terrestrial systems. The volume therefore provides informative and entertaining reading for beginning and advanced students, landscape managers, conservationists, and teachers.

Landscape ecology is a relatively new area of study, which aims to understand the pattern of interaction of biological and cultural communities within a landscape. This book brings together leading figures from the field to provide an up-to-date survey of recent advances, identify key research problems and suggest a future direction for development and expansion of knowledge. Providing in-depth reviews of the principles and methods for understanding landscape patterns and changes, the book illustrates concepts with examples of innovative applications from different parts of the world. Forming a current 'state-of-the-science' for the science of landscape ecology, this book forms an essential reference for graduate students, academics, professionals and practitioners in ecology, environmental science, natural resource management, and landscape planning and design.

Whilst agricultural landscapes are products of the local ecosystem and community in which they are situated, they are becoming increasingly affected by the same global issues, and are converging under the dynamics of globalisation. Combining landscape ecological research and an examination of relevant public policy, this book investigates the dynamic relationship between agricultural landscapes and the global change processes, such as urbanisation, by which they are being transformed. Landscape change is analysed in the context of biophysical patterns, market dynamics, and specific public policy frameworks, through a series of case studies from different OECD countries spanning Europe, Asia Pacific and North America. Particular emphasis is placed upon the way that landscapes are changing under differing policies of agricultural subsidy including the EU Common Agricultural Policy. This is an ideal resource for graduate students and researchers in landscape ecology and agriculture as well as policy analysts working in the agricultural sector.

The rapidly increasing global population has dramatically increased the demands for natural resources and has caused significant changes in quantity and quality of natural resources. To achieve sustainable resource management, it is essential to obtain insightful guidance from emerging disciplines such as landscape ecology. This text addresses the links between landscape ecology and natural resource management. These links are discussed in the context of various landscape types, a diverse set of resources and a wide range of management issues. A large number of landscape ecology concepts, principles and methods are introduced. Critical reviews of past management practices and a number of case studies are presented. This text provides many guidelines for managing natural resources from a landscape perspective and offers useful suggestions for landscape ecologists to carry out research relevant to natural resource management. In addition, it will be an ideal supplemental text for graduate and advanced undergraduate ecology courses.

This book provides a new perspective on how events or conditions in environmental space have influences at other places in that space. In the first half of the book, the authors introduce the general question of propagation of ecological influences through environmental space (terrestrial, aquatic and aerial), then lay out a system for its analysis by organization into four components: initiating events or conditions, vectors conducting influences over space, entities that are transported, and the consequences of these propagation processes. Methods of representing environmental heterogeneity and for modeling transport processes are discussed in the context of such propagations. In the second half of the book, properties of eight general transport vectors and examples of transport models in realistic ecological situations are explained. For each of the vectors, a simulation model is provided on a CD included with the book (users require access to ArcView GIS software).

The establishment of ecological networks in Europe and greenways in America has required some of the most advanced applications of the principles of landscape ecology to land use planning. This book provides a thorough overview of recent developments in this emerging field, combining theoretical concepts of landscape ecology with the actual practice of landscape planning and management. In addition to biological and physical considerations important to biodiversity protection and restoration, equal weight is given to cultural and aesthetic issues to illustrate how sympathetic, sustainable land use policies can be implemented. Examples are given for large scale areas (Estonia and Florida) as well as regional areas such as Milano, Chicago and the Argentinian Yungas. This invaluable book will provide a wealth of information for all those concerned with biodiversity conservation through networks and greenways and their relevance to the planning process, whether researcher, land manager or policy maker.

European rural landscapes as we experience them today are the result of ongoing processes and interactions between nature and society. These are changing fast: the future landscapes will be different from those we know currently. Written for academics, policy-makers and practitioners, this book is the first to explore the complex histories of rural landscapes in Europe as a basis for their sound governance in future. Tensions between the needs of agricultural spaces driven by economic incentives and a variety of non-agricultural functions are explored to demonstrate current challenges and the shortfalls in the policies that address them. Using inspiring case studies that highlight the roles of regional agents and communities, the authors go further than the usual analyses to illustrate the importance of local context. Written by experts currently working to revitalise the rural landscapes of Europe, the text concludes with suggestions for improving landscape policy and planning practice.