What is a primary focus of landscape ecology?

The primary focus of landscape ecology is the relationship between landscape structure and ecological processes. This field examines how different landscape elements—such as patches of habitat, corridors, and matrix—interact with ecological phenomena like species distribution, movement, and ecosystem functioning. Understanding these relationships allows ecologists to evaluate how spatial patterns influence ecological dynamics, such as the flow of energy and materials, species interactions, and biodiversity.

In contrast, while the impacts of urban development on ecosystems, studied in a broader ecological context, may intersect with landscape ecology, it does not encompass the fundamental emphasis on landscape structure itself. Animal behavior in captivity and population genetics of wildlife, while important aspects of ecology, fall outside the purview of landscape ecology, which is more concerned with the spatial arrangement of resources and how this influences ecological processes across larger spatial scales.