Landscape connectivity is a central organizing concept of spatial ecology and conservation, but the breadth of systems, methods, and disciplines invoking the term obscures its intellectual structure. This study maps that structure empirically to reveal the field’s principal divisions and their trajectories. I applied bag-of-words multivariate clustering, redundancy analysis (RDA), random forest machine learning, and multivariate trajectory analysis to 6,280 landscape-connectivity papers from the Web of Science Core Collection, examining hierarchical clusters at five levels (2, 3, 6, 12, and 18 clusters). The deepest division in the field is not methodological but framework-based: a compact, rapidly growing cluster of “ecological security pattern” planning papers—concentrated in China and built on a state-led, source–corridor–node, composite-index idiom—separates from the rest of connectivity science, distinguished by a random forest with 97.7
Conserving ecological connectivity is important for maintaining resilient and genetically diverse populations. Landscape genetic analyses represent a powerful tool to help model connectivity for conservation, but there exist risks in improper extrapolation of landscape genetic inferences. Spatially replicated analyses (conducted across multiple study areas) represent a method for developing more generalizable landscape genetic inferences, but the frequency of the practice is unclear. Here, we reviewed empirical landscape genetic literature to quantify the prevalence of replicated studies, characterize motivations for replication, and assess how often researchers compare landscape characteristics between study areas. This review also provided an opportunity to characterize systematic biases in landscape genetics such as those associated with taxonomic groups or region. Of 544 landscape genetic studies published between 2011 and 2026, only 88 (16.2
Conservation efforts are expanding from protected areas into landscapes where human activities and nature coexist. Traditional conservation planning, which relies on ecological and economic metrics, is often inadequate for these complex socio-ecological systems. This review explores the integration of relational values, the meaningful connections people form with nature, into conservation planning for these multifunctional landscapes, addressing a gap in the current literature. A review of recent literature confirms a growing but still limited adoption of relational values in conservation planning. Key findings show that successful conservation in multifunctional landscapes requires integrating ecological knowledge with social, economic, and cultural considerations through robust stakeholder engagement. However, challenges persist, including conflicts between stakeholder priorities. Furthermore, there is a lack of standardized methods for measuring both landscape multifunctionality and the plural values people hold, which can stall conservation efforts. To be more effective, conservation planning must move beyond its traditional focus and adopt a holistic approach grounded in strong ecological data and genuine engagement with diverse human values. Recognizing and incorporating relational values is needed for developing legitimate plans that inspire long-term stewardship. Achieving conservation goals necessitates a portfolio approach, using a range of tools from protected areas to incentive programs, to create resilient landscapes that benefit both people and nature. Future success depends on bridging the gap between conservation theory and on-the-ground implementation by genuinely including plural value systems in the planning process.
This review systematically analyzes the scientific literature on interactions among ecosystem services (ES) in the territory of the American Gran Chaco, covering its three constituent ecoregions (Dry, Humid, and Serrano), over the last 24 years (2001–2025). The objective is to synthesize the current state of knowledge by: (a) identifying the main documented trade-offs and synergies; (b) characterizing the analytical approaches and methods used; (c) determining the main drivers of ES interactions; and (d) identifying knowledge gaps and research priorities for more integrated and sustainable landscape management. Our analysis of 106 studies reveals that ES research in the Chaco is a growing and diversifying field of study. Although biophysical approaches have historically dominated (49
Invasive species are a global threat to biodiversity. In this review we show how the invasive species problem is hierarchical, involving species and their context-dependent interactions with other species embedded in social-ecological landscapes with the potential for positive and negative feedback dynamics, lock-ins, and emergent dynamics. We focus on how landscape pattern influences the distribution and abundance of invasive species, how reciprocal feedbacks between landscape pattern and social-ecological process shape invasion dynamics, and how invasive species reshape social-ecological landscapes. Landscape heterogeneity is responsible for the context-dependency of invasions as we explore via a series of case studies from terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Our ability to detect invasive species is being enhanced at both the smallest and largest extents through molecular, citizen science, and geospatial advances; simultaneously, computational developments are transforming how such data are interrogated. However, there are multiple lenses through which to see the ‘problem’ of invasive species. For many Indigenous peoples, humans and the environment are indivisible. Instead, humans share deep kinship ties with non-human species as expressed, for example, through the whakapapa principle of Māori (the Indigenous people of Aotearoa). Many indigenous knowledge systems emphasise the importance of place, which is critical for understanding the social-ecological context of invasive species. Invasive species and their effects are embedded in a social landscape of values as much as they are an ecological one – attempting to understand and manage invasive species at the landscape (or any) scale as a purely ecological problem is unlikely to succeed. Attempts to address the problems posed by invasive species are being facilitated by new technologies, but must consider place and context if they are to be successful.
