Land‐use change: incorporating the frequency, sequence, time span, and magnitude of changes into ecological research

The frequency and extent of human‐induced land‐cover changes is escalating worldwide. Recurrent turnover of land‐cover types will affect ecosystems over and above major, one‐time changes (eg deforestation). Here, we show how a deeper appreciation of the temporal dynamics of land‐cover change is needed to understand its effects on ecosystems. We distinguish between four key components of land‐change regimes: (1) frequency of land‐cover changes over a period of time, (2) the sequence of land‐cover types, (3) the time span over which each land‐cover type extends, and (4) the magnitude of difference between land‐cover types. We synthesize the impacts of these four components on ecological communities, showing that frequent land‐cover changes are likely to favor species that are habitat and dietary generalists. Greater attention to the complex dynamics of land‐cover changes is critical for a better understanding of the future impacts that human‐generated land‐use changes will have on global biodiversity.