LDT - Landscape Dynamics Typology

Synopsis: "Assessment of landscape composition and configuration via spatial metrics combination: conceptual framework proposal and method improvement."

Landscape transformations have been a central topic in landscape ecology due to their influence on ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation. Landscape dynamics can be very complex and one of the most difficult issues to analyse is the contribution and the effects of landscape composition and configuration changes to the overall impact.

Based on the area and the number of patches, we defined a Landscape Dynamics Typology (LDT), i.e, a list of possible types of dynamics (transformation patterns) that can take place in a landscape.

LDT does not aim to replace existing frameworks, but it can be a common platform with a clear terminology and help prevent the misuse of concepts and contribute to harmonizing approaches and therefore to obtain comparable outputs.
It is abstract enough to accommodate other authors' proposals and its broad nomenclature does not imply the abandonment of more accurate designations that may add interpretative value.

Overall, LDT is a simple and versatile method of landscape dynamics assessment that is being used by researchers from different countries to enrich their analysis.

Machado R, Godinho S, Pirnat J, Sousa-Neves N, Santos P (2018) Assessment of landscape composition and configuration via spatial metrics combination: conceptual framework proposal and method improvement. Landscape Research, 43:5, 652-664
DOI: 10.1080/01426397.2017.1336757