Definition
Landscape context is an integrated measure of the quality of biotic and abiotic factors, structures, and processes surrounding a site, and the degree to which they affect the continued existence of the site (sensu NatureServe). It also needs to consider a site’s history and potential legacy issues that may affect its path forward (e.g., residual contaminants or fill).
Representative Components
Key elements of this component include:
- Landscape structure and extent surrounding the site, including genetic connectivity
- Development/maturity of the surrounding landscape context.
- Ecological processes in the surrounding landscape context.
- Species composition and biological structure of the surrounding landscape context.
- Abiotic physical/chemical factors in the surrounding landscape context.
Utility
To use landscape context in an equivalency analysis to determine the amount of out-of-kind mitigation needed for an impact by quantifying the landscape context of the impacted area and the proposed mitigation area, an integrated measure would need to be developed that could be applied to the impact and mitigation sites. This measure would mainly be determined by location in the landscape rather than activities conducted on the site. Although there might be some opportunities to increase a landscape context score by activities adjacent to a site (like enhancing the quality of the surrounding landscape), for the most part, the score would be determined by the choice of the mitigation site.
Landscape context can also be used to evaluate how an impact or mitigation project affects the distribution of habitat elements, i.e., the mosaic of the landscape.
Relevance
Landscapes are complex phenomena involving the size, shape, and spatial integration of different landscape units and the spatial relationships between those aspects. Of particular interest in the context of mitigation is the land use zone of both the focal area and the surrounding units.
Past activities have already changed the spatial configuration of landscape composition, often creating less contiguous, heterogeneous, and/or connected units across the coastal zone, in effect creating virtual islands in space. These often have more dramatic/distinct edges with minimal ecotones relative to historic conditions.
Research Needs & Hurdles
Coming soon…
Example/Representative Metrics
Key spatial elements that should be considered include:
- Rarity/historic loss
- Connectivity/isolatedness
- Ecotones
- Proximity to disturbance/urbanization
- Current and near future migration potential
Please bear with us and please check back very soon…
