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Dashboard (Tableau)

Landscape fragmentation in Functional Urban Areas, 2018

Dashboard (Tableau)
Prod-ID: DAS-289-en
Published 25 Mar 2022
Landscape fragmentation is the physical disintegration of continuous ecosystems into smaller units, which is most often caused by urban or transport network expansion. Breaking structural connections between habitats results in decreased resilience of habitats and a decrease in their ability to provide various ecosystem services and support biodiversity. This dashboard enables the exploration of landscape fragmentation in Functional Urban Areas (FUAs) in Europe for the year 2018.

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Based on data

Data Landscape fragmentation Effective Mesh Density time-series: major and medium anthropogenic fragmenting elements (FGA2-S) The datasets below correspond to a new version of the Effective Mesh Density (seff) 2016 dataset with improved input data, for the years 2009, 2012 and 2015. This time-series uses the Copernicus Imperviousness and the TomTom TeleAtlas datasets as fragmenting geometries. The Effective Mesh Density (seff) is a measure of the degree to which movement between different parts of the landscape is interrupted by a Fragmentation Geometry (FG). FGs are defined as the presence of impervious surfaces and traffic infrastructure, including medium sized roads. The more FGs fragment the landscape, the higher the effective mesh density hence the higher the fragmentation. An important consequence of landscape fragmentation is the increased isolation of ecosystem patches that breaks the structural connections and decreases resilience and ability of habitats to provide various ecosystem services. Fragmentation also influences human communities, agriculture, recreation and overall quality of life. Monitoring how fragmentation decreases landscape quality and changes the visual perception of landscapes provides information for policy measures that aim at improving ecosystem condition and restoration as well as maintaining the attractiveness of landscapes for recreational activities. The geographic coverage of the datasets is EEA39.
Data Landscape fragmentation indicator effective mesh density (seff) - major and medium anthrophogenic fragmentation (FGA2_S_2016) The raster file is the basis of the indicator for assessing landscape fragmentation due to urban and transport expansion. The computation is based on the method of Effective Mesh Density (seff). The Effective Mesh Density (seff) is a measure of landscape fragmentation, i.e. the degree to which movement between different parts of the landscape is interrupted by a Fragmentation Geometry (FG). FGs are defined as the presence of impervious surfaces and traffic infrastructure. The Effective Mesh Density gives the effective number of meshes (or landscape patches) per 1000 km2, in other words, the density of the meshes. The more FGs fragment the landscape, the higher the effective mesh density. The seff values are reported within the 1km sq regular LEAC grid.
External Data Spec European forest landscape: pattern, fragmentation and connectivity
External Data Spec Measuring and reporting on forest landscape pattern, fragmentation and connectivity in Europe: methods and indicators PDF report provided by: JRC-IES/Land Management and Natural Hazards Unit

Related indicator

Indicator Assessment Landscape fragmentation pressure and trends in Europe In 2015, on average, there were around 1.5 fragmented landscape elements per km 2 in the European Union  [1] , a 3.7 % increase compared with 2009. Approximately 1.13 million km 2 , around 28 % of the area of the EU  [1] , was strongly fragmented i n 2015 , a 0.7 % increase compared with 2009. There was less of an increase in fragmented landscape elements and in the area of strongly fragmented landscape between 2012 and 2015 than between 2009 and 2012 (1.4 and 0.18 percentage points, respectively). Arable lands and permanent croplands (around 42 .6 %) and pastures and farmland mosaics (around 40.2 %) were most affected by strong fragmentation pressure in 2015 in the EU. Between 2009 and 2015, however, the largest increase in the area of strongly fragmented landscape was in grasslands/pastures and in farmland mosaics.   Luxembourg (91 %), Belgium (83 %) and Malta (70 %) had the largest proportions of strongly fragmented landscape in 2015 (as a proportion of their country area). The Baltic countries and Finland and Sweden were on average the least fragmented countries in the EU. Between 2009 and 2015, the area of strongly fragmented landscape increased most in Croatia, as well as in Greece, Hungary and Poland. [1]  Romania is excluded because of the poor coverage of fragmentation geometry data in 2009.  

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For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/data-viewers/landscape-fragmentation-in-functional-urban or scan the QR code.

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