Landscape heterogeneity shows contrasting spatial patterns but similar temporal changes since the 1840s

Abstract

Studying landscape heterogeneity (LH) and its changes over time is crucial for understanding ecosystem dynamics and developing effective strategies for biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation. However, such studies over large areas and long time periods are rare due to the limited availability of land-cover data. Here, we examine two components of LH across the Czech Republic since the 1840s, namely compositional LH representing land cover diversity and configurational LH reflecting spatial landscape structure. Using digitised topographic maps and the Shannon index, we analyse LH distribution and its relationship with land cover changes. Our results show different spatial patterns in LH components, especially in low- and mid-elevation regions compared to mountainous areas. Temporal trends indicate a consistent increase in LH since the 1870s in low- and mid-elevation regions driven by land conversion to urban and agricultural areas. Conversely, mountainous regions show contrasting trends, with compositional LH declining due to forest expansion. We emphasise the importance of considering both the compositional and configurational components of LH in ecological studies and using indices that allow direct comparison between them.