Landscape ecology definitions

For people that were interested/frustrated with the lack of a specific definition of landscape ecology, here are some definitions from major papers throughout its development as a science:

Landscape ecology ... focuses on (1) the spatial relationships among landscape elements, or ecosystems, (2) the flows of energy, mineral nutrients, and species among the elements, and (3) the ecological dynamics of the landscape mosaic through time (Forman 1983)

Landscape ecology focuses explicitly upon spatial patterns. Specifically, landscape ecology considers the development and dynamics of spatial heterogeneity, spatial and temporal interactions and exchanges across heterogeneous landscape, influences of spatial heterogeneity on biotic and abiotic processes, and management of spatial heterogeneity (Risser et al. 1984)

Landscape ecology is motivated by a need to understand the development and dynamics of pattern in ecological phenomena, the role of disturbance in ecosystems, and characteristic spatial and temporal scales of ecological events (Urban et al. 1987)

 Landscape ecology emphasizes broad spatial scales and the ecological effects of the spatial patterning of ecosystems (Turner 1989)

Landscape ecology deals with the effects of the spatial configuration of mosaics on a wide variety of ecological phenomena (Wiens et al. 1993)

Landscape ecology is the study of the reciprocal effects of spatial pattern on ecological processes; it promotes the development of models and theories of spatial relationships, the collection of new types of data on spatial pattern and dynamics, and the examination of spatial scales rarely addressed in ecology (Pickett and Cadenasso 1995)

Also, to follow up on important terms: 

Landscapes consist of:

• patches (relatively homogeneous areas that differ from surroundings),
• corridors (linear areas differing from surroundings that connect patches),
• edges (boundaries between components),
• ecotones (transitional areas between two components), and
• matrix (most abundant and connected component).  (from Turner et al. 2001)

I can get you these references if you want to read more...