LandsZyklus

LandsZyklus is a concept in landscape studies that describes the cyclic evolution of a geographic area under the combined influence of natural dynamics and human activity. The term is used chiefly in German-speaking scholarly literature to denote recurring phases of landscape formation, modification, and renewal that can repeat over decades or centuries.

The LandsZyklus encompasses stages such as initiation (land abandonment or new use), expansion or intensification, stabilization or degradation, and recovery or transformation. It emphasizes feedbacks among soil quality, hydrology, vegetation, biodiversity, and land use, and it recognizes that human decisions—agriculture, forestry, urban development, restoration—can accelerate or slow the cycle.

Researchers track the LandsZyklus with remote sensing, historical maps, soil and climate data, and biodiversity surveys. Indicators include changes in land cover, soil organic matter, erosion rates, habitat connectivity, and ecosystem services such as water regulation and carbon storage.

The framework informs regional planning and conservation by highlighting the long-term consequences of land-use choices and policy changes. Critics argue that the LandsZyklus can be too broad or context-specific, and that it may oversimplify non-cyclic historical pathways, abrupt disturbances, or irreversible transitions.

Related topics include land-use change, landscape ecology, and ecological restoration.