Landscape Ecology

Brief illustration

Landscape Ecology: HistoryLandscape Ecology: History

Milan RuzickaMilan Ruzicka1975 IALE1975 IALECzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia

Landscape Ecology has been energized by key contributions from Landscape Ecology has been energized by key contributions from landscape architects, landscape architects,

foresters, foresters, planners, planners, geographergeographers, s, artists, artists, environmentalists, environmentalists, philosophers…philosophers…

Inclusive rather than ExclusiveInclusive rather than Exclusive

Landscape ecology: what is it?Landscape ecology: what is it?

Landscape ecology is the study of spatial variation in landscapes at a variety of scales. It includes the biophysical and societal causes and consequences of landscape heterogeneity. Above all, it is broadly interdisciplinary.The conceptual and theoretical core of landscape ecology links natural sciences with related human disciplines.

On the official website of IALE, 2011http://www.landscape-ecology.org/

„„Geography“ periodGeography“ period

Where it is?Where it is? What this is?What this is? Look on the landscape at a time in great scaleLook on the landscape at a time in great scale Carl Troll, 1936, using air/born photo Carl Troll, 1936, using air/born photo

of landscape of landscape

LANDEP, Ruzicka, 1980, tools for landscape LANDEP, Ruzicka, 1980, tools for landscape planingplaning

„„THE“ periodTHE“ period

Zev NavehZev Naveh, , IsIsaaak Zoneveldak Zoneveld

1975 .....1980, 19901975 .....1980, 1990

geography, humanitygeography, humanity

explicity ecumenicalexplicity ecumenical

„„Do not draw boundaries around the field too Do not draw boundaries around the field too soon. Welcome to use the insight of all relaled soon. Welcome to use the insight of all relaled fields that chaose to build liknages“fields that chaose to build liknages“

Integration, THE, intedisciplinarity...

• Bridge between science and humanities (Zev Naveh)

Spatial periodSpatial period

Forman R.T.T. and Godron, M. 1986. Landscape Forman R.T.T. and Godron, M. 1986. Landscape Ecology.Ecology.

Mosaic patterns, process and changeMosaic patterns, process and change

Patch – corridor – matrix modelPatch – corridor – matrix model

LE offers methodologically opportunities for LE offers methodologically opportunities for reserch and theoryreserch and theory

LE spatially integrating people and natureLE spatially integrating people and nature

Balance between land-use and human cultureBalance between land-use and human culture

„„Out of human systOut of human systeem“ periodm“ period

J.I. Nassauer, R. G. H. Bunce, 1990J.I. Nassauer, R. G. H. Bunce, 1990

Spatial detailsSpatial details

ModelsModels

Landscape sociology period?

Advanced illustration

Shift towards landscape (and) sociology?

Landscape ecology

• Tools for better landscape planning• Balance between land-use and human culture• Filling societal demands• Societal demands ….carrying capacity• Landscape as narrative system• Landscape as valuable system itself

……landscape (and) sociology?landscape (and) sociology?

Spatial problems of landscape – no Spatial problems of landscape – no human phenomenonhuman phenomenon

Human as the other ecological factor – Human as the other ecological factor – external effectexternal effect

Human as demands system, aim, Human as demands system, aim, strategy – planstrategy – plannninging

Human as a system itself, culture, Human as a system itself, culture, perception, values perception, values – very rare in – very rare in landscape ecologylandscape ecology

Integration, THE, intedisciplinarity...Integration, THE, intedisciplinarity...

Proclamations and factsProclamations and facts

• Bridge between science and humanities (Zev Naveh)

Our Research: Our Research: MetodologyMetodology

Content analyses 1999-2008 Content analyses 1999-2008 leading LE journals leading LE journals Landscape EcologyLandscape Ecology::

Landscape EcologyLandscape Ecology Landscape and Urban PlanningLandscape and Urban Planning Ekológia (Bratislava)Ekológia (Bratislava)..

LE 708

LUP 930

Ekológia 890

Total 2528

articles, proceeding

papers, review articles

editorials, introductions, prefaces, perspective

s, comments,

replies

yes

no

MetodologyMetodology

We reviewed 2528 abstracts of scientific articles in LE We reviewed 2528 abstracts of scientific articles in LE and LUP journals. and LUP journals.

This number means all articles from the decade available This number means all articles from the decade available through Web of Science (LE) and Science Direct through Web of Science (LE) and Science Direct (LUP). (LUP).

Articles were divided into 3 groupsArticles were divided into 3 groups/categories/categories according according to the position of human to the position of human system system (Social, Natural(Social, Natural & & Technical management). All abstracts were read, not Technical management). All abstracts were read, not just checked according to keywordsjust checked according to keywords.. IIn Social group n Social group all full version of articles were reviewed. all full version of articles were reviewed.

CategoriesCategories

SocialSocial human system is an object of researchhuman system is an object of research

NT managementNT management for human, but human systfor human, but human systeem is not m is not

research objectresearch object NaturalNatural

human syshuman system tem is not an object of reserachis not an object of reserach

Results

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Landscape Ecology

přírodní

technické

sociální

Landscape Ecology Social

5%

NT mngmt

12%

Natural83%

Results

Landscape and Urban Planning

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

přírodní

technické

sociální

Landscape and Urban Planning

Social37%

NT mngmt30%

Natural33%

Results

Ekológia

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

přírodní

technické

sociální

Ekológia

8%

12%

80%

Results (%)

LE LUP Ekológia

Social 5,5 36,2 8,4NT mngm 11,9 30,3 11,5

Natural 82,6 33,4 80,1

LE LUP Ekológia

• While some other studies and reviews are focused on more criterias, i.e. Wiens (1992), Hobbs (1997) and Andersen (2008), we focused mainly on social system in landscape as primary research object, which requires connection with social sciences. From this point of view we can note that LUP has evidently better proportional concern on social aspects of landscape than LE, even higher than Antrop’s study shows (2001). Landscape Ecology, the house journal of IALE, doesn’t meet its proclamated role to be the bridge between nature and culture, between science and humanities. Analysis of our total sample of abstracts and articles shows Andersen’s (2008) conclusion about articles focusing on sociology in LE like overemphasized, maybe due to random sampling of 50 cases and classification of papers belonging to Social system following her very broad definition as „some aspect of sociology“.

• Results show that the real cooperation with social sciences (Golley, 1996), integrating humans into landscape ecology (Wu and Hobbs, 2002) and concept of Total Human Ecosystem (Naveh, 2000) are more proclamations and wishes than a real way of thinking among the group of landscape ecologists presenting their papers in the elite house journal of IALE. It looks like reductionism towards landscape science bears fruit.

• Isn´t it the right time for return to landscape ecology?

Discussion and conclusion

Conclusion I

patterns

patterns process

patterns

process changes

scale patterns – process - changes disturbances

disturbances

Conclusion II

Have humanities something valuable to offer to natural sciences?

• Isn’t landscape too cultural construct?

• Reduction of landscape to too scientific term without any cultural context.

Ecological realityEcological reality Social constructionSocial construction

Next presentation: Landscape as Next presentation: Landscape as nature - culture continuumnature - culture continuum

Sociological perspectivesSociological perspectives

oror

Final essay concerns the possible future Final essay concerns the possible future development of Landscape Sociology or development of Landscape Sociology or Landscape Studies in generalLandscape Studies in general