Anthropogenic Geomorphology - A Guide to Man-Made Landforms

"Chapter 4 Anthropogenic Geomorphology and Landscape Ecology (p. 39-40)

Péter Csorba

Abstract Since landscape ecology is the discipline of functionally studying natural factors and anthropogenic processes in light of the present and forecasted land-use tendencies, anthropogenic geomorphology easily fits in among the various fields of landscape ecology. The spatial distribution of human structures (builtup areas, roads, railways, channels and others) is always adjusted to topographic conditions.

To rank the intensity of anthropogenic impact on a qualitative range, so-called hemeroby levels have been established by German scientists.When assessing hemeroby, estimations are made for the degree of human geomorphic impact based on the rate of soil erosion, surface dissection or the abundance of terraces, escarpments and artificial excavational features.

At the highest level of human impact, in urban-industrial (or urban-technical) ecosystems, even remnant patches of semi-natural ecosystems seldom occur wedged into built-up areas and into linear infrastructural elements. The micro- and meso-elements of topography are often totally destroyed by terrain modification, such as levelling for development. Relying on anthropogenic geomorphology, landscape ecology can make significant practical contributions to landscape planning. Keywords Landscape ecology · Hemeroby · Landscapes · Cultivated landscapes

4.1 Landscape Ecology as a Discipline

Landscape geographical research, since the 1960s, has increasingly acquired an ecological approach (Leser 1991; Finke 1986; Farina 1998; Csorba 2003; Wu and Hobbs 2007). In its simplest form, it means that phenomena and processes are studied embedded in their environmental systems. Recently the denomination “landscape research of ecological approach” is used for this field of research. It is not much modified by the fact that the term “landscape ecology (or geoecology)” has become widespread in the international usage (Leser 1991; Huggett 1995).

Among the fundamental characteristics of landscape ecology, a practical approach should also be accentuated (Helming and Wiggering 2003; Wiens and Moss 2005). Landscape ecology research primarily aims at fulfilling social demands in a way they should have the least pressure on potential natural resources and hinder the satisfaction of other social demands to the least possible extent. Landscape ecology provides a scientific background to achieve reasonable landscape management and land-use compromises (Marsh 1997; Ingegnoli 2002; Jongman 2005). Landscape ecology, as a result of its roots in geography, also inherited the spatial approach of geography.

A decisive question is where the various forms of social activities could be accommodated at the lowest physical-economic-social conflicts. According to Carl Troll, the founder of landscape ecology as an independent discipline (1939), landscape ecology is “Raumökologie der Erdoberfläche”, i.e. the science of ecological processes on the Earth’s surface."