Landscape Ecology

Abstract Context In Uruguay, over one-third of native grasslands have been converted to industrial agriculture and forestry during the last 30 years. These changes have wide-ranging environmental and socioeconomic consequences, but they are rarely analyzed together. Understanding the coupled ecological and social dynamics of grassland change is essential for landscape ecology and sustainable land…

The urban–rural regional system (URRS)—a mosaic of urban, rural, and transitional areas connected through socioeconomic and ecological processes—constitutes a key spatial domain for the science and practice of landscape ecology and regional sustainability. However, we still lack an adequate understanding of how spatial sampling schemes (e.g., concentric rings vs. transects) and spatiotemporal and…

Abstract Context Landscape heterogeneity is a key driver of ecological processes, yet how spatial structure influences animal space use across scales remains insufficiently understood. In managed boreal forests, the composition and configuration of forest patches in the landscape may constrain how large herbivores use their winter habitat. Objectives We examined how multi-scale structural metrics…

Abstract Background An Ecological Site Group (ESG) is a classifi cation framework used in rangeland management to group Ecological Sites(ESs) that exhibit similar responses to land use, disturbance, conservation practices, and environmental change. Methods In this study, we applied supervised machine learning techniques to predict expert-assigned ESGs for rangelandpoints from the USDA Natural Res…

Abstract Context The recent decline in biodiversity, which is of particular concern in agriculturally managed landscapes, pushes researchers and practitioners to evaluate potential solutions, such as agricultural diversification. This requires the ability to provide robust conclusions about causal relationships in agroecosystems, which is hindered by limitations of conventional research methods. …

Abstract Context Landscape genetic studies often rely on contemporary landscape snapshots, potentially underestimating the cumulative and time-lagged effects of historical landscapes on contemporary spatial genetic structure (SGS). Objectives We aim to assess isolation-by-resistance (IBR) of Siberian roe deer across 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 throughout the Lesser Xing’an Mountains, n…

Abstract Context Density dependence can affect patterns of animal abundance and interact with environmental disturbances. Resource restrictions from environmental disturbances may increase competition to cause population die-offs, after which competition may decrease. For group-forming prey species, theory suggests reduced competition may cause changes in density-dependent group formation and hab…

Abstract Context Parsing scale-dependent responses of wildlife communities to mosaic landscapes is key to evaluating conservation outcomes of natural resource development. Objectives We evaluate how spatial heterogeneity of harvest plans and oil and gas activity influence local boreal songbird species richness at ecologically relevant spatial extents. Methods We implemented a multi-scale framewor…

Abstract Context The landscape connectivity of cities is increasingly recognized as crucial for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services. Yet, modelling ecological connectivity in cities remains challenging because landscape resistance is often based on expert judgment rather than empirical evidence, leading to varying modelling results and limited use for planning. Objectives We develope…

Abstract Context Urbanization acts as a selective filter for wildlife, favoring species pre-adapted to urban environments while creating hostile conditions for others. Previous studies have focused on which traits determine success in urban habitats, while little effort has been put into delineating how bird assemblages are spatially structured within the city. Objectives We investigated how spat…

Abstract Context Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes represent a major driver of global environmental transformation, posing significant threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services worldwide. Objectives We evaluated the effectiveness of the Natura 2000 Network (NN2000) considering an ecological approach based on ecoregions, over a 31-year period (1987–2018) within Castile and León region (S…

Sustaining agricultural productivity while maintaining ecological integrity requires understanding the spatial dynamics of ecosystem services (ES). In the Canadian prairies—an intensively modified agricultural region—the degradation of natural habitats has impacted ES flows crucial for food security. We investigated how landscape structure, acting as a structural proxy for potential internal ES f…

Abstract Context Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of droughts worldwide, with profound consequences for forest ecosystems. Although previous studies suggest that taller forests are more vulnerable during drought, their capacity to recover following drought remains poorly understood, creating substantial uncertainty for forest management. Objectives This study aimed to quant…

Invasion by combustible exotic annual grasses and increased prevalence of extreme fire weather is causing shortened wildfire return intervals in drylands across the western United States. Seeding perennial vegetation and herbicide are used to “break” this exotic grass-fire cycle, but reburning often occurs in rapid succession. We asked how fuels, characterized as fire behavior fuel models (FBFMs)…

Abstract Context Atmospheric reactive nitrogen is a major issue for urban residents both as a component of air pollution and as a nutrient input to urban ecosystems. However, patterns of atmospheric reactive nitrogen concentrations within a city are not well quantified spatially or temporally. Objectives We tested a source-sink framework, where traffic is the key source and tree canopy is a key s…