Upon completion of the course, the student is expected to: 

• understand the importance of scale in spatial ecology
• to distinguish the different sciences that have influenced the development of Landscape Ecology, and on which this science is reliant to this day
• analyse case studies, emphasizing the importance of spatial heterogeneity in resource allocation, which in turn influences and shapes the local distribution patterns of organisms
• use selected software and models
• to distinguish important landscape elements and features, such as the various structures, the edges, the boundaries, corridors and the connecting structures that bring about different degrees of landscape fragmentation
• analyse landscape effects on selected species using real-life data

This course gives an overview of Landscape Ecology from its early development to applications in present-day science. The theory is intentionally kept at a minimal level and the emphasis is on its applications. The student learns about the different disciplines which influenced the development of the discipline, and which Landscape Ecology still relies on heavily until today. Special emphasis is put on ecology in general and population ecology in particular, especially metapopulation ecology. During the course of the lecture the students learns how different organisms are affected by their environment (biotic and abiotic) at different spatial scales depending on their ecology and biology. The importance of spatial heterogeneity in resource distribution, which in turn affects and shapes the local distribution patterns of organisms is emphasised using case studies. This knowledge is then transferred to the computer lab where the students apply this knowledge by analysing the landscape using selected softwares and models. Important landscape features such as patches, boundaries, edges, corridors and the connectivity of patches in the landscape resulting in different degrees of fragmentation are explored using a hands-on approach in practical classes. The depth of the acquired knowledge is tested by analysing the effect of landscape context on selected species using real data sets.

• Introduction to Landscape Ecology: what is Landscape Ecology, what other disciplines are important contributors?
• The development of Landscape Ecology, past to present
• Special emphasis on population ecology and selected species’ biology, case studies
• The notion of scale in Landscape Ecology: terminology and the problem of scale in Landscape Ecology
• Models, softwares and their use
• Small scale species distribution in the landscape taking into account the importance of patches, edges and boundaries, corridors and connectivity of patches, distribution mosaics, networks, fragmentation
• Definitions of distribution patterns: spatial heterogeneity in biological and ecosystemic processes
  Applied Landscape Ecology – using selected case studies in practical classes (computer lab)

1. ΣΤΑΜΟΥ, Γ. Π. (2009). ΟΙΚΟΛΟΓΙΑ – ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΗ ΣΤΗΝ ΟΙΚΟΛΟΓΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΠΛΗΘΥΣΜΩΝ. ΖΗΤΗ, ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ.
2. GERGEL, S.E. & TURNER, M.G. (2002). LEARNING LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY. SPRINGER. NEW YORK