Landscape ecology is the study of the structure, function, pattern, and changes in heterogeneous land areas. The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program's Landscapes component (EMAP-L) will focus on those landscape patterns that affect flows of energy, water, nutrients, and biota. The primary focus will be on the societal benefits derived from watershed integrity, biotic integrity and diversity, and landscape stability and resilience. The Plan is divided into five sections which describe: (1) the theoretical basis (landscape ecology) for monitoring landscapes and how this relates to and complements the objectives of EMAP; (2) the conceptual basis of the approach, including the societal values and assessment questions to be addressed; (3) the indicators of landscape condition; (4) the methods for monitoring and assessing the status and trends of landscape condition; and (5) the research and development activities needed to implement the plan.

"March 1994." Prepared under Interagency Agreements DW64935962-01-0 with the U.S. Tennessee Valley Authority, DW89936104-01-0 with the Dept. of Energy, and under Cooperative Agreement CR-816385-01-0 with the Desert Research Institute. Contributing authors: K. Bruce Jones, Kurt H. Riitters, James D. Wickham, Iris A. Goodman. Includes bibliographical references (pages 47-53). "EPA/620/R-94/009."