Landscape ecology and climate change adaptation: new perspectives in managing the change

摘要

Managing climate change is considered one of the biggest challenges of the decades to come. Understanding its complex interaction with abiotic, biotic, and socioeco-nomic systems, as well as its effects on land use, landscapes, or even ecosystem services is an essential basis for the development of effective and efficient adaptation strategies. Landscape ecology is considered one of the disciplines that can provide essential insights into these interactions. The analysis of pattern and processes on landscape level must include assessment methods for existing trends as well as modelling of complex reactions in environmental, social, and economic systems. It can provide essential insight in the links between nature and society and derive the scientific and applied input for the adaptation to climate change. Both gradual as well as abrupt changes will affect landscapes and the services they provide for society. These effects are not only limited to direct changes of climate conditions but will also include indirect effects like changes in hydrological cycles or land use related management.