Landscape ecology is the study of the distribution patterns of communities and ecosystems along with the ecological processes that effect those patterns. Research is focused on the interaction between landscape and ecological processes, especially as they affect the natural flows of water, energy, and nutrients in the environment. This broader focus allows for the examination of critical environmental problems over larger spatial scales, assessment of the cumulative risk resulting from multiple pollution sources, and represents a shift to a more holistic approach to environmental monitoring and protection.
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