ABSTRACT
Land use and land cover largely determine the ecosystem functions that can occur, where they occur, and the organisms that enable those. The composition and configuration patterns of land use and land cover will impact urban biodiversity; therefore how we recognize and understand those patterns is relevant towards planning to enhance biodiversity in urban ecosystems. This chapter addresses the past, present, and future of land use and land cover in urban areas by covering three main sections: The history of land use/land cover in urban areas, how biodiversity connects to land use/land cover under a landscape ecology framework, and how planning for sustainability and fulfilment of sustainable development goals can be done by addressing urban biodiversity at a landscape scale. Through concepts, examples, and tools, we expect readers to become immersed in the importance of land use/land cover configuration and composition for urban biodiversity and related ecological processes.
