Diversity and heterogeneity

The landscape structure contains a variety of heterogeneous landscape elements. But what do the terms diversity and heterogeneity mean, especially with regard to the landscape structure? In the following, we will clarify what the exact difference between diversity and heterogeneity is and how the terms are used in the context of landscape structure.

Diversity: "Abundance of different types, forms or the like in which something specific is present, occurs, manifests itself; great diversity" (Duden 2018: Overview of meaning; https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Vielfalt, accessed on 16.11.2018)

Heterogeneity: "Diversity, inhomogeneity, inconsistency in structure and composition" (Duden 2018: overview of meaning; https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Heterogenitaet, accessed on 16.11.2018)

Accordingly, the difference between the two terms lies in the quantity and quality of different landscape elements in the landscape.

A diversity in the landscape structure thus indicates a quantity of different landscape elements, but does not address the differences in particular. This is exactly where heterogeneity comes in. This refers to the expression of the differences between individual landscape elements.