Why is it necessary to understand structural complexity?

Patches are made up of subunits. This means that smaller patches are found within larger patches. Structural complexity is therefore a function of vertical and horizontal layers of habitat and the resulting spatial complexity is pattern in the landscape that varies in space and time.

Kienast (1993) found that patterns affect net primary production and movement of species in the landscape. So the spatial arrangement of landscape elements and the relationship between these elements (complexity between and within habitat patches) influences the distribution and abundance of species in the landscape.

This is discussed in more detail in the section on Landscape function and process.