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Did you know nearly all humans live in areas changed by humans? These “human-modified environments” cover 77% of the Earth’s land. They challenge the idea of untouched, “natural” landscapes. Anthropogenic landscapes, or “cultural landscapes,” are places where humans have changed the environment a lot. This change is for our needs like food, shelter, and fun. These areas are growing fast because of more people, cities, and our need for resources. It’s important to understand how these changes affect the Earth. They are big reasons for changes in climate, nature, and the way the Earth works. Key Takeaways Anthropogenic landscapes cover most of the Earth’s land, with nearly all humans living in these changed areas. These cultural landscapes are shaped by human actions to meet needs like food, shelter, and resources. Anthropogenic landscape changes are a big reason for global changes in climate, nature, and the Earth’s chemistry. Knowing about the effects of anthropogenic landscapes is key for managing and saving the environment. Anthropogenic landscapes show a big change in how humans relate to nature. We need a full approach to managing ecosystems. What are Anthropogenic Landscapes? Anthropogenic landscapes are made up of many different parts, shaped by people over many years. They have clear boundaries like buildings and roads. These boundaries change how nature works in these areas. Definition and Characteristics Anthropogenic landscapes are places where people have changed the natural world a lot. Humans have been changing the earth for about 200,000 years. This change is known as the Anthropocene era. It includes things like global warming, losing species, pollution, and more. These changes affect all living things. In these landscapes, nature works differently than in untouched areas. Things like bringing in new species, managing animal populations, and changing the land with buildings and roads happen here. Using fossil fuels, changing the soil, and adding fertilizers also play a big part. Significance and Impact Anthropogenic landscapes are key to big changes in the climate, the variety of life, and how the earth works. They lead to things like losing species, changing the climate, pollution, and more. People looking for quick profits have hurt the environment over the past 200 years. Scientists and experts are working together to understand these landscapes better. They look at how human actions shape the land. For example, a study in the Søby Brown Coal Beds shows how a disturbed area can turn into a forest over time. Studies on disturbance ecologies show how human actions can create new ecosystems. Anthropogenic landscapes are made by people changing the environment. Humans are now big players in shaping the earth, just like nature is. Ecological Processes and Fragmentation Ecological processes in human-made landscapes are very different from those in untouched or slightly changed ecosystems. These processes include introducing new species, managing and harvesting populations, and changing the soil with buildings and roads. They also include burning fossil fuels, watering plants, and adding nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. Human-made landscapes are often broken up into small, managed areas. These areas have clear edges, like buildings, roads, and gardens. This breaking up of land affects how ecosystems work and the variety of life they support. Types of Anthropogenic Landscapes There are many kinds of human-made landscapes, depending on how many people live there, what the land is used for, and how much hard surface there is. These differences shape the ecosystems in each type of landscape. Urban residential landscapes have lots of people, are used for many things, and have a lot of hard surfaces. Developed villages have some people, a bit of farming, and some hard surfaces. Agricultural villages have more people, focus on farming, and have fewer hard surfaces. Pastoral villages have fewer people, focus on raising animals, and sometimes farm, with not many hard surfaces. Shifting cultivation landscapes have few people, use traditional farming methods, and have few hard surfaces. Extensive pastoral landscapes have few people and focus on moving animals around, with no hard surfaces. Intensive non-residential disturbance landscapes have few people, have low hard surfaces, and are often cleared for mining or deforestation. The mix and layout of these landscape features greatly affect the ecological processes and the variety of life in human-made landscapes. Landscape Type Population Density Land Use Impervious Surface Area Urban Residential High Non-agricultural High Developed Villages Moderate Some Vestigial Agriculture Moderate Agricultural Villages Moderate Intensive Agriculture Low to Moderate Pastoral Villages Moderate to Low Sedentary Pastoral Livestock Production Low to Moderate Shifting Cultivation Low Non-intensive Traditional Agriculture Low Extensive Pastoral Low Migratory Non-intensive Traditional Livestock Management None Intensive Non-residential Disturbance Low Active Deforestation, Mining, and Other Intensive Disturbances Low The breaking up of human-made landscapes affects the ecological processes and the variety of life in these areas. Knowing about these landscapes helps us make better plans for conservation and management. “Anthropogenic landscape transformation (land-use change) is one of the primary drivers of global changes in climate, biodiversity, and biogeochemistry.” What is an Anthropogenic Landscape? Anthropogenic landscapes, also known as “human landscapes,” are places where humans change the environment a lot. They are made when people change nature to fit their needs. This includes building cities, farming, making industries, mining, and building infrastructure. Types of Anthropogenic Landscapes There are many kinds of anthropogenic landscapes. They include: Urban landscapes – These are places with lots of people and buildings, like cities and towns. Agricultural landscapes – These are mainly used for farming and raising animals. Industrial landscapes – These have a lot of factories and places where things are made. Mining landscapes – These are where people dig for minerals and other valuable resources. Infrastructure landscapes – These have lots of roads, railways, airports, and other man-made features. Each type of anthropogenic landscape affects nature in different ways. They can change how many different species live, the services nature provides, and how well ecosystems work. Type of Anthropogenic Landscape Key Characteristics Typical Examples Urban Landscapes High population density, extensive built environment, impervious surfaces Cities, towns, suburbs Agricultural Landscapes Dominated by croplands,