ABSTRACT
Although commonly used in general language, the centrality of the concept of ‘scale’ in landscape ecology warrants a considered discussion in a stand-alone chapter. In particular, we explain here how the notion of ‘scale’ is not the same as ‘level’, although the two are closely related and often confused, given that ecological hierarchies are usually nested. We highlight the importance of considering how there is no single appropriate scale for studying patterns and processes in landscape ecology and that patterns in time and space are scale dependent. This leads to a discussion of scaling – the identification of relationships between phenomena at different scales – and the various ways in which we can establish what the most appropriate scale to work at might be in a given investigation (and even if there is one). Consequently, we conclude by examining multi-scale analyses and how these will increasingly be needed to understand landscapes in the Anthropocene.
