V3

Question 1

Vertical landscape structure:

Answer 1

• Different spheres (or layers) are involved in the structure of the landscape, which penetrate and influence each other
• The “layers” of the geobiosphere are also called ‘partial complexes

Question 2

Horizontal landscape structure:

Answer 2

• spatial juxtaposition of differently composed and process‐related differentiable landscape units
• energetically and materially linked via “neighborhood” effects

Question 3

Spatial dimensions of landscape ecology:

Answer 3

• planetary/geospherical/zonal dimension:
  
  • megachore, georegion
    
    • geosphere continental, earth
• regionical dimension:
  
  • macrochore
    
    • major network of natural landscape units ~ homogenous on larger scale (macrorelief, vegetation zones, climate zones)
• choric/chorological dimension:
  
  • microchore – mesochore
    
    • ecotope structure ~ homogenous on larger scale (mesoclimate, regional water balance), heterogeneous in topes
• topical dimension:
  
  • ecotope
    
    • basic unit ~ relatively homogenous content & same processes/mechanisms
• subtopical dimension:
  
  • econ
    
    • smallest unit in LE

Question 4

Planetary / geospherical / zonal dimension (geosphärisch/zonal):

Answer 4

• ecozones
• formed by solar and tellurian influences (by actinic drivers and circulation) due to rotation and spherical shape of the earth
  
  • climate‐induced
• decisive factor:
  
  • different radiation and energy balance
• interactions with climate via albedo, carbon and water cycle (biogeophysical and chemical fluxes)

Question 5

Dimension:

Answer 5

Question 6

Regionical dimension (regionisch):

Answer 6

• regions
• formed by the topography of the continents, watersheds, relief, energy flows according to the circulation and wind systems, ocean currents and other factors
• subsystems of landscape zones characterized by parameters of macro relief and morphogenesis

Question 7

Choric/chorological dimension (chorisch):

Answer 7

• chores Landscape complexes consist of a mosaic of topes
• heterogeneous tope‐structure, brought together due to similarities and relationships among the different topes
• Macrochores (z.B. Berchtesgadener Land)
• Mesochores (z.B. Watzmann)
• Microchores (z.B. Kleiner Watzmann)
• Nanochores (z.B. summit ridge of the Kleiner Watzmann)
• Tope (z.B. summit of the Kleiner Watzmann)

Question 8

Choric dimension:

Answer 8

Question 9

Systems in choric dimension:

Answer 9

Question 10

Regionical/choric dimensions:

Answer 10

• Urban and green areas close to the city as cooling surfaces and thus responsible for air exchange
• Influence on cloud and precipitation formation, water balance
• decisive factor:
  
  • different radiation and energy balance

Question 11

Topical dimensions (topisch):

Answer 11

• ecotope
• spatial base unit
• spatial extent determined by the range of lateral
• ecological processes (e.g., cold air drainage, ground water discharge); vertical processes homogeneous
• spatial representative of different econs (sub‐topical units) of similar structure and processes that are related to each other

Question 12

Topical dimension:

Answer 12

Question 13

Systems in topical dimension:

Answer 13

Question 14

Subtopical dimension (subtopisch):

Answer 14

• econs
• smallest unit
• concrete part of the landscape with specific vertical structure of landscape components
• components cause specific processes between the compartmental spheres of the landscape
• horizontally homogenous

Question 15

Examples for dimensions in landscape ecology:

Answer 15

Question 16

Spatiotemporal dimension

disturbance regimes

Answer 16

Question 17

Spatiotemporal dimension

biota

Answer 17

Question 18

Spatiotemporal dimension

vegetation patterns

Answer 18

Question 19

Spatiotemporal dimension

forest

Answer 19

Question 20

Raumzeitliche Dimension

Hydrologie

Answer 20

Question 21

Concept of species:

Answer 21

• Different concepts:
• Biological ⇒ actual or potential reproduction with procreative offspring
• Morphological ⇒ morphological similarity, identical appearance by morphological (anatomical) criteria
• Phylogenetical ⇒ shared and unique evolutionary history and possession of a combination of certain defining, or derived, traits
• Biodiversity

Question 22

Biodiversity:

Answer 22

• Biodiversity:
  
  • diversity of all living organisms, habitats and ecosystems on land, in freshwater, in the oceans and in the air.
• it comprises:
  
  • the variety of different species and the variety within species (taxonomic diversity)
  • the genetic diversity of all organisms (genetic diversity)
  • the diversity of biotopes and ecosystems as well as ecosystem functions such as pollination and seed distribution (ecological and functional diversity)
  • the diversity of animal behavior (cultural diversity)

Question 23

Importance of biodiversity:

Answer 23

• speciesrich ecosystems are more stable and can better compensate for disruptions than species‐poor ones
• species with different needs fill different niches in the ecosystem, e.g., some insects are important pollinators, while others spread plant seeds or break down plant and animal waste.
• values of ecosystem services
• example:
  
  • insects pollinate three‐quarters of all crop plants ⇒ service to the world economy: ~ US$ 500 billion/year
• example:
  
  • the clearing work carried out by dung beetles: ~ US$ 380 billion (USA)

Question 24

Number of species:

Answer 24

Question 25

Global distribution of biodiversity example: amphibians

Answer 25

Question 26

Mass extinction events in Earth history:

Answer 26

Question 27

Risk of extinction is not distributed equally:

Answer 27

Question 28

Biodiversity – alpha‐/beta‐/gamma‐diversity:

Answer 28

• α-diversity ⇒ 3 species ⇒ 2 species
• γ-diversity: 4 species
• β-diversity: measure of comparison of diversity between ecosystems