Landscape Science is linked with the understanding of relevant structures, processes and their states and drivers in the field of anthropogenic use of landscapes. Landscape Science is a meta-discipline, evolving from the synergistic application of theories, methods and knowledge of several scientific disciplines being applied in Landscape Research (e.g. agricultural sciences, forestry sciences, geo-sciences, biology, social sciences, engineering sciences, mathematics etc.).
During the fast ongoing development of the realm of landscape research the work with objects and processes in used landscapes leads to special and new theories, new concepts as well as new methods and new tools and thus new knowledge. These are the preconditions for an independent scientific discipline, at least a meta-discipline: ‘Landscape Sciences’. Scientific projects in Landscape Research operate with the theories, methods and knowledge of landscape science.
Epistemologically and methodologically the landscape science includes or addresses:
o environmental, economic and social processes induced by land use or land use changes
o spatial interactions of processes and driving forces in used landscapes
o studying multi-scale processes and cross-scale dynamics
o spatial data analysis and modelling
o landscape systems analysis and landscape modelling (e.g. scaling approaches, scenario techniques, indicator identification, complexity reduction)
o discrete and integrated impact assessment of land use
o methods and understanding of participatory approaches for land use development and decision making in land management
o fundamentals and tools for decision support systems as well as providing scientific methods in decision implementation of landscape management
o multi- and interdisciplinary approaches and transdisciplinary studies.
(based on text from A. Werner, 2008)
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The Development of Landscape Science
after Antrop, M., 2000: Geography and landscape science. Belgian Journal of Geography. Belgeo special issue. 29th International Geographical Congress (1/4), 9-35.
