Landscape ecology, as the name implies, is the study of landscapes; specifically, the study of landscape patterns, the interactions among the elements of pattern, how patterns and interactions change over time, and the consequences (ecological and socio-economic) of these patterns and changes. In addition, landscape ecology involves the application of these principles in the formulation and solving of real-world problems. Landscape ecology is perhaps best distinguished from other ecological disciplines by its focus on: 1) spatial heterogeneity, 2) broader spatial extents than those traditionally studied in ecology, and 3) the role of humans in creating and affecting landscape patterns and process. The central unifying theme of landscape ecology is the interplay of spatial pattern and process. In other words, landscape ecology seeks to understand how spatial pattern affects and is affected by ecological and socio-economic processes.
