Assignment ENRM 230 Introduction The study of landscape ecology focuses on the relationship between the spatial and

temporal arrangement of ecological elements and processes. It has grown rapidly in recent years because of the issues associated with habitat fragmentation, urbanization, and climate change. Several indices are developed and used in analyzing landscape structures, dynamics, processes, and the like. The purpose of this assignment is to study a landscape by using secondary data, and develop recommendations for its management. Specifically, the assignment is intended for you to study a specific characteristic of a landscape, e.g. dynamics, elements, diversity, or networks, apply a specific framework and method of analysis, and provide a set of management recommendations. Instruction Your assignment will be a scientific paper of your analysis on a landscape of your choice. Specific instruction is provided below: 1. Choose a specific landscape in your own locality. The landscape maybe a specific upland area, or lowland area, an urban area, or the entire municipality or city. 2. Identify what aspect/s of the landscape you will focus on your study. Examples may be the following: a. Change in land use-land cover b. Spatial distribution of patches, corridors, or networks c. Fragmentation process, impacts of fragmentation on the dispersion or movement of organisms d. Spatial patterns as in the case of urban landscape e. Landscape diversity (i.e. how many types of elements are found in the landscape) f. Roles or functions of hedgerows, canals, roads, rivers, etc. in the landscape g. Level of heterogeneity in the landscape h. Connectivity of landscape elements (e.g. patch-to-patch) i. Matrix roles in the distribution, dispersion, or movement of organisms j. Edge effects k. And others

3. After deciding on the focus of your study, identify the indices that you can use to quantify the variables. Some examples are the following: a. For land use-land cover change, you have to use the change in area (by hectares) of the various land use-land cover. You need to have at least two temporal points to have this analysis. For instance, land use-land cover between 1990 and 2000. b. Spatial distribution of landscape elements requires the geographical space where these elements are located. These spaces might be indicated by elevation or slope of the selected area. You need to know the size or area of the elements located in a specific slope or elevation. For instance, what landscape element is found in high elevation, or in low elevation areas, etc.? Or, how much of the agricultural patch is located in highly sloping areas? c. For landscape diversity, you may need the diversity indices or indices for measuring dominance, etc. d. Spatial patterns may require visual analysis; hence, a GIS tool is important. Shape indices may also be needed. e. For function or role analysis, you need to identify the uses (e.g. ecological, economic, etc.) of the element under study. For instance, corridors (e.g. hedgerows) might be utilized as habitat for certain organisms, sink for certain materials, or channels for movements of goods or commodities 4. After deciding on your focus, plan your data collection. You should identify the type of data that you need to come up your analysis (i.e. type and level), frequency of collection, sources of the data, process of manipulation and analysis, and the like. All landscape studies are best analyzed by using maps and overlays. It would be better if you can get a map of your chosen landscape. But of course, this will depend on the type and level of your analysis.

Note: For this course, use of secondary data is highly acceptable. Secondary data maybe coming from environmental reports, municipal land use plan, theses, and other existing official documents where data of your chosen landscape can be extracted. Good sources of data are the municipal land use plan, and reports of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources reports, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), Forest Management Bureau, Bureau of Soils and Water Management, Department of Agriculture, and other government agencies, and google maps. But maps need to be digitized to be able to compute for area and perimeter. 5. As soon as you have done all these preparations, submit a concept note to me on what you will be doing in your assignment, i.e. what landscape, what to focus, what variables, what indices, how to collect data, and how to analyze them. Just submit a brief discussion on these items 6. Collect your data. 7. Manipulate your data based on your identified type and level of analysis. 8. Write the paper. Your paper should follow the conventional format, i.e. it should contain a title, authors name and affiliation, abstract, introduction, methods, results and discussion, conclusion, and recommendations. Do not forget to properly cite the sources of all your data and other information that you borrowed from others. You can use the APA citation styles.

9. Submit your paper on September 17, 2011 through my email: ricardo.bagarinao@upou.edu.ph. a. Use assignment as the subject of your email. b. Do not forget to write your name in your assignment. c. Save your paper as .doc instead of .docx. d. If you have figures or photos or tables, submit them separately from your text. Use PowerPoint for your figures, tables, or photos. You can insert them in a PowerPoint slide. You should use only one slide for each figure, table, or photo. Use the figure, table or photo number as the filename of your PowerPoint. Again, for each filename, there should only be one figure, table, or photo that can be found. 10. Prepare a PowerPoint presentation of your study. Submit a copy to me at the latest one day before the schedule of the presentation. Wait for the announcement for the mode and schedule of the presentation. Assessment Your paper will be assessed by using the following criteria and point system: 1. 1. General content of the paper 40%

1. 2. Correctness/Appropriateness of the landscape concepts, method/s, and index/indices used 30% 1. 3. Use of words, sentence construction, clarity of the discussion 15% 1. 4. Completeness of the paper 15%

Total score for the print assignment is 100; passing is 60. Your presentation will be evaluated by using the following criteria: 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Clarity of presentation 35% 2. Ability to answer questions 30% 3. Use of visual aids 25% 4. Audience impact 10%

The total score for the oral presentation is 100; passing is 60.

Resource Materials 1. Methods for generating patch and landscape metrics http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:QOQUCkoFa0J:www.basic.ncsu.edu/pres/04bStL_ConsDesign_Laurent.pdf+landscape+metrics&hl=en&gl=ph &pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgYcXH8rpY8Gu0Qd9BUXRyHYcBZq63 s1dvwE2CQ5dmDSjvLvs953QvfCrinilVxQiQDWotbJPr38vVkX4mkPmd1IAkWCqcNdAqyZ2EdHcyptlLNNkrqqC4jLFvDR gcLRVLgr8q&sig=AHIEtbRSaYozyvLI82Oh9gvz_F5VkE94XA
1.

2. APA citation styles http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

1.

3. Writing a scientific paper http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/H TWsections.html

1.

More resources will be uploaded in the course site from time to time.