Current trends in landscape research

Abstract

Landscape is defined as the material-physical entity comprising the structures of nature and land use and their mutual relationship. This reduced but more precise specification of the landscape includes certain geo-and bioscientific problems as well as socio-economic conditions, motives and functions in the sense of a system approach, which have to be considered, but do not belong to its object sphere directly. For landscape research a multi-stage procedure is introduced. It includes (a) the scientific and technical analysis of natural and land use structures inclusive their spatial and temporal dynamics (and genesis), (b) the functional analysis of landscape within the processes of socio-economic reproduction, i.e. landscape as an object of socio-economic activities and (c) the comparison of landscape structures with standardized parameters set by society under consideration of natural regularities leading to the evaluation and prognosis of these structures or certain parts of them.

Mountain Cryosphere Landscapes in South America: Value and Protection

“…Therefore, as elements of the mountain cryosphere landscapes constitute a dynamic configuration, they often surpass a reduced definition of landscape content (e.g., visual quality bound to water quality), which, if subdivided into partial systems, can be investigated with sufficient accuracy [70]. One possibility for grasping their complexity is addressing their hydrological potential, which modifies their future value.…”

A Terrestrial Landscape Ecology Approach to the Critical Zone

“…The bio-ecological perspective, driven by ecological dogma (Forman, 1995), places emphasis on the concept of the spatial dimension of plant and animal populations (Moss, 2014;Turner, 2005). The geo-ecological perspective is based on geographic tenets, which focus on the concept of a geosystem and a systematic interpretation of the land (Haase and Richter, 1983;Rougerie and Beroutchachvili, 1991). In this context, land is understood in terms of landforms, soils, vegetation, and human activities and, more recently, incorporating energy and biogeochemical forces responsible for the formation, structure, and operation of distinct landscape units (Moss, 2014).…”

Predicting Landscapes from Environmental Conditions Using Generative Networks

“…The Earth's land surface can be considered a mosaic of landscapes [1]. Landscapes are the material-physical entities that comprise the structures of nature [2]: ecological meaningful units that have a characteristic ordering of elements [3]. Landscapes result from the long-term interaction of abiotic, biotic and anthropogenic processes.…”