Learning Landscape Ecology: A Practical Guide to Concepts and Techniques - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0387952543 ISBN 13: 9780387952543

Publisher: Springer, 2001

Synopsis

This new practical guide provides a "hands-on" approach to learning the essential concepts and techniques of landscape ecology. The fundamental knowledge gained will enable students to usefully address landscape-level ecological and management issues. It is an ideal companion to the text, Landscape Ecology in Theory and Practice by Monica G. Turner, Robert H. Gardner, and Robert V. O'Neill, also published by Springer-Verlag. The book is organized into nine sections comprising 20 chapters, each of which consists of a lab focusing on an important point in the text. A variety of approaches are presented: group discussion, thought problems, written exercises, and modeling. Each exercise is categorized as to whether it is for individual, small group, or whole class study. Appendices of additional exercises using specialized technical tools of landscape ecology (for example, GIS) are supplied for instructors with appropriate equipment. The book includes a CD-ROM containing spatial data sets and modeling software for use with a number of the exercises. About the Included CD: Many of the labs use only Excel (.xls) files or Adobe (.pdf) files (or no files at all) and as such are compatible with computers running on either Mac or Windows platforms, as long as the computers have Excel and/or Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.Chapters 1, 2, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18 and part of 7 fall into this category. Several other programs require a PC running Windows: Markov, HarvestLite, Rule, Fragstats, ReserveDesign and Folio are DOS executables; ArcExplorer and Bachmap must be installed on a Windows PC. These programs require a Windows emulator for use on a Macintosh platform.

About this title

Review

From the reviews:

"This book exhaustively covers current methods and techniques in landscape ecology. It is a compendium of contributed chapters from a list of well-recognized researchers ... . It is specifically designed as a laboratory manual for university students ... . It is likely to be the best currently available resource for anyone interested in learning about or teaching landscape ecology methods at the university level." (Robert G. Deon, Environmental Conservation, Vol. 30 (1), 2003)

"There is currently no lab manual of landscape ecology that covers the breadth of topics of this book. ... This book is written for advanced undergraduate or graduate students (and their professors!). ... User-friendly, step-by-step exercises are the heart of this book. ... Each step in each exercise is laid out explicitly, making the exercises practically foolproof. ... For a highly applied discipline like landscape ecology, a book like this is a valuable resource ... ." (Nancy E. McIntyre, Ecology, Vol. 83 (7), 2002)

"The authors have recognised that despite the growth of landscape ecology courses, nearly every book is a textbook, lacking a hands-on-approach. This text is designed to fill that void by providing a collection of landscape ecology exercises ... . A variety of approaches are presented: group discussions, thought problems, written exercises and modelling." (Bulletin of the British Ecological Society, Vol. 33 (3), 2002)

"Exploring current landscape issues and resource management, this book is organised into nine sections comprising 20 chapters ... . Each of the chapters consists of practical advice and exercises to complete. ... This guide provides essential information for students and practitioners of landscape ecology." (Landscape Design, July, 2002)

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387952543
• ISBN 13: 9780387952543
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 340
• Editor: Gergel Sarah E.