Landscape assessment and monitoring

Abstract

In the present chapter, we provide a basis for discussing some of the main issues concerning the dynamic behavior of landscape systems, and ways to assess their changes over time. We present an illustrative description of a particular Spanish monitoring program in which the authors have been involved. First, we describe landscapes as complex systems with ecosystems that exhibit inherently dynamic behavior. In the following section, we cover the topic of how to study landscape changes, and discuss some of the tools that have been most widely used in recent years. Section 2 discusses the main restrictions and limitations of these approaches, and Sect. 3 discusses the basic procedures used for landscape monitoring and assessment. Finally, Sect. 4 describes one assessment and monitoring program, the Spanish Rural Landscape Monitoring System (SISPARES), identifies bottlenecks, and assesses the system's strengths and weaknesses. The overall purpose of the chapter is to provide readers with methodological tools to identify and evaluate structural and functional changes in landscapes, thereby supporting the development of guidelines for effective and sustainable landscape management.