What is the concept of a landscape?

A landscape does not have uniform size. This means that it is not defined by size but can be defined as being 'an interacting mosaic of patches relevant to the phenomenon under consideration' (McGarigal and Marks, 1994). Basically, different organisms view and scale the environment differently so there is no standard size for a landscape.

The concept of what is a landscape and where its boundaries lie may change depending on the organism under investigation. A landscape tends to be somewhere between an organism's home range and its regional distribution (McGarigal and Marks, 1994).

What might be the landscape boundaries for

a) A flea on a dog?
b) A space shuttle pilot on a mission?

Because the definition of a landscape is subject to the organism under investigation, this means that a particular landscape can be found within a larger landscape and this in turn can be found in a larger landscape. This means that each landscape has a context and it is part of a hierarchy.

Can you identify the hierarchy in these landscapes?
Where does each picture 'fit into' the others?

Small Scale

Medium Scale

Large Scale

Humans play an important role in determining the appearance of landscapes and their functioning: a landscape should not be viewed separate from the human population within it.

Both natural and socioeconomic factors influence landscapes, so a landscape is both a functioning economic system and an ecological one.