Analysis of a Landscape in the Sphere of Ecology - Term Paper Example

Analysis of a land scape Name Institution Date Introduction Landscape, in the sphere of ecology, refers to the myriad of interrelated elements such as ecosystems. Specifically, it refers to an area of land at any given scale, containing a pattern that can be affected by the ecological process. Landscape ecology is the study of various landscape patterns in the world and how they interact and change over a given period. To be precise, it entails the composition, function and structure of different types of landscapes across the world. The study of landscapes focuses on spatial heterogeneity, the role of people in creating and affecting the landscapes as well as broader spatial extents (Forman & Godron, 1986). Landscape ecology has gained rapid recognition in the recent years owing to its importance in understanding the different landscapes in the world. Particularly, this field of study has helped the land-use planners as well as landscape items in facilitating their work. Dramstad states, “Landscape ecology, the ecology of large heterogeneous areas, of landscapes, of regions, of portions thereof, or simply of land mosaics, have increasingly appeared on the palette (2006). Nowadays, landscape ecology has become a powerful discipline that can contribute to the study of complex fields such as biology, physical geography or ecology in its broadest sense. Landscape ecology follows important principles. These principles are landscape composition, function, change and structure. The composition entails the genetic configuration of populations, their nature in terms of identity and the range of species in a particular ecosystem. It also looks at the various varieties of societies in the area. The principle of structure embroils the diversity of habitat patches or ecologies, as well as their patterns. It also involves the scope and organization of patches or ecologies together with the structure of pools in a river, problems and felled trees in a forested expanse, and vertical layering of vegetation. The function encompasses the climatic, geographical, ecological, and evolutionary progressions like seed dispersal and the flow of the gene. Lastly, change comprises of the perpetual condition of flux existing in ecologies (Forman & Godron, 1986). Landscape ecology plays an important role in the field of geography. It helps solve problems that no other field of study can decipher. For instance, landscape ecology aids identifying the impact of global weather changes and consequently contributes towards finding the solutions. It also contributes towards effective management of woodlands and species conservation. The need for ecosystem investigation has grown rapidly as data collection and analysis options are on the increase. Landscape ecology focuses on the identification and investigation of land usage. Further, it contributes towards identifying how human use their land for various economic activities including agricultural science and urban development. Of note, land usage may affect the migration of some animal species. Thus, landscape ecology becomes an important field of study in order to avoid environmental problems. Landscape ecologists help in identifying proper forest management techniques. This field of study has also led to construction of many models that help to predict forest patterns in the face of rapid climatic changes and human activities in protected areas. Landscape ecology has also facilitated and helped forest managers make decisions on measures to take in the event an ecological problem occurs. The objectives of this study are to investigate the Yarra Valley Parklands, Lower Plenty VIC 3093 landscape by critically assessing the area from a landscape perspective. Analyze the Yarra Valley Parklands landscape in terms of its structure, function and change. Additionally, the objective of this study is to develop a basis for further understanding of principles in landscape ecology. Study Area Yarra Valley is located in Victoria, Australia approximately 20 kilometers from Melbourne Central Business District (CBD). In Yarra Valley, there is Yarra Valley Parklands that extends along the Yarra River. There are a lot of parks which include Banksia Park, Candlebark Parks, Birrarrung Park, Westerfolds, among others. The parklands form is very important because it interconnects features, linear grounds, marshlands and watercourses all through the urban area. There is a considerable variation in altitutde throughout the Yarra Valley Parklands in the northern and southern areas. There are noticeably different types of soil in the area. There are grey-brown soil, loam and clay with a mixture of rocks. Some parts, however, have vivid red soil of volcanic origin (Beardsell, 1996). In Melbourne, Yarra Valley Parklands are a significant expanse of open space as they are characterized by an array of diverse landscapes such as floodplains, paddocks and bushland all interconnected by the Yarra River (Parks Victoria). Covering an area of over 1500 hectares, the Yarra River Parklands include the Westerfolds Park, Yarra Flats, Birrarung Park and Banksia Park among others. Included in the parks are a variety of natural and modified landscapes such as rivers, open pastoral land, billabongs and bush; a variety of diverse vegetation from sixteen ecological vegetation classes, a result of the parklands location which lies at the boundary of two Bioregions – the Central Highland Bioregion and the Gippsland Plains Bioregion – however eight of these vegetation classes are said to be endangered and over 230 and 600 fauna and flora species respectively. The Parklands are also habitat for six migratory birds species (Parks Victoria). Landform clusters have been connected to vegetation groups. On topographic connection and floristic configuration, landform groups classify roughly into sedimentary plain, wetland and volcanic plain. Landforms take place from the region of one meter elevation above sea level on the Yarra River bank to 55 meters at Talbot trig point (Beardsell, 1996). The area has the most diverse geomorphology in metropolitan Melbourne since the siltstone, mudstone and sandstone in the area was laid down about 450 million years ago. One of the major floodplains, the Chandler flood basin which was created when lava partially blocked the Yarra river as it flowed down the Darebin Creek 2 million years ago, is incorporated in the western end of the parklands. There are eight of out sixteen endangered vegetation classes. Two EVCs have that existed in the Swampy Reparian Woodlands and Swampy Woodland/Swampy scrub before 1750 have already disappeared. Below is a map showing Yarra Valley Parklands: Study area map Methods Field Survey and vegetation mapping The Landforms of the Yarra Valley parklands vary on topographic relation and floristic composition and are broadly categorized into alluvial plain, wetland and volcanic, and the Landform groups have been correlated to vegetation communities. There are different types of vegetation found in different regions of the parklands and the sub-communities and main occurrence are as listed below: Alluvial Plain: Consisting mainly of valleys, stream terraces and lower plain slopes have primarily grey loam topsoil with a gradient of 5 to 20 degrees. The soils in the lower plains and valleys are colluvial while in the streams, alluvial. In the terraces the soils are basically impermeable clay which causes sub-surface waterlogging. The type of vegetation found in this region is Plains Grassy Woodland. Sand-plain: The gradients in these soils do not exceed 10 degrees and the landform is raised to about 45-55 meters elevation above the Yarra. The soil is iron-stained sand, gravel, clay and quartizite. Vegetation found here is Grassy woodland. Floodplain Riverbanks, flats and swales: Soils found here are young depositional soils ranging from well-drained organic/sandy loam or well-drained yellow gradational soil. The vegetation found here is Floodplain Riparian Woodland. Cliffs, spurs, Escarpments and gullies: Sedimentary landforms occurring 300 meters of the Yarra river with gradients of 15 to 30 degrees. However the gradients of the cliff exceeds 30 degrees. The area consists mainly of grey sandy-loam topsoil and yellow duplex, high alluvium soil. The vegetation found here is Yellow Gum, Golden Wattle, Lightwood, Manna Gum, Riverrine Excarpment Shrub and Ironbank Forest. Volcanic Plain: These areas contain poorly drained topsoils that become easily waterlogged. The type of vegetaion is Reparian Shrubland and wooly tea-tree. Wetland: The soils are a mixture of gravel, sand and organic alluvium on the floodplain and grey-black clay alluviums on the wetlands. The vegetation here is Plains grassy wetlands and hollow sedge. The type of fauna found in the Yarra Valley Parklands are: spot-tailed quoll, brush-tailed Phascogale, powerful owl, barking owl, common Dunnart, Lace Monitor and Southern Toadlet among others (Strathewen Landcare). Out of 235 fauna found in the Yarra Valley Parklands, 36 have been listed as endangered. The parklands provide habitat for eleven nationally significant species: Great Egret, Australian Grayling, Grey-headed Flying fox, Muray Cod, Painted Snipe, Macquarie Perch, Swift Parrot, Regent Honeyeater, Warty Bell Frog, Trout Cod and Common Bent-wing Bat. Results There are two EVCs listed as Endangered within the Parklands and these are the Valley Healthy Forest and the Swampy Woodland. Based on the studies carried out in the Yarra Valley Parklands, the remnant vegetation in the area has proved to be of great ecological significance and the area provides suitable foraging for two significant fauna species that visit the area, the Grey-headed Flying Fox and the Swift Parrot. An array of common native fauna also that are flourishing in the landscape. The remnant vegetation however is undergoing deterioration, fragmentation and on-going loss in its quality. This is due to the construction activities and poor drainage management. Measures and Recommendations Several measures should be taken in order to mitigate the impact to the significant flora and fauna species in the Yarra Valley Parklands. All the future developments in the area should avoid and minimize the impacts to the remaining native vegetation thus reducing the requirement to remove the vegetation. Weeds should be treated and replaced with indigenous vegetation species. A fauna protection management plan should be developed in order to address issues that occur before, during and after construction so as to avoid the loss of and displacement of native vegetation. And pollution control measures should be taken to prevent impacts on waterways (Ecology and Heritage Partners, 2013). References Forman, T. and Godron, W (1986). Landscape ecology. John Wiley, New York. Beardsell, C.M. (1996). Vegetation community survey & sites of botanical significance. Yarra Valley Parklands: Burke Road to the Plenty River. Environmental Report Series No. 5. Parks Victoria. Dramstad, W. (2006). Landscape Ecology Principles in Landscape Architecture and Land-use Planning. Connecticut: Island Press. Ecology and Heritage Partners. (2013). Flora, Fauna and Net Gain Assessment for the Eastern Golf Club, Doncaster, Victoria. Retrieved fromhttp://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/313467/Yarra-Valley-Parklands-Management-Plan.pdf Strathenwel Landcare. Key Threatened Species. Retrieved from http://www.strathewenlandcare.org.au/files/Threatened_species_information.pdf Read More