Landscape is the result of long-term interaction between natural and cultural processes, and is thereby tightly linked with the organisation of society and its exploitation of resources. Developments in the natural environment in Denmark are inextricably linked to human presence and exploitation of the landscape throughout time. The driving forces in the landscape are linked with the functions the landscape have from a social perspective, and thereby with the sectors that operate in the open countryside. Where agriculture has formed the landscape over thousands of years, other influences have first appeared in more recent years, in particular urban expansion, extension of the road network, intervention in the water cycle, and outdoor activities.

Biodiversity is an important theme in landscape research including conditions for biodiversity at the landscape level, and focus is directed at the quality of habitats as well as their location and interactions in the landscape. That focus is on the landscape perspective at the international level is demonstrated by e.g. the EU 'Habitat Directive', the Water Framework Directive and the programme for development of rural districts, which all involve the geographic linkages in the open countryside as an important element.

The increasing pressure on rural areas and especially the intensification of agricultural production have significant consequences for wild animals, plants and their habitats in Denmark. For example, the geographic distribution of agricultural properties impacts on natural areas via the deposition of ammonia and thereby affects habitat type and quality. Another example is fragmentation of habitats or field enlargement, which affect feeding patterns and dispersal opportunities for animals.

The landscape perspective is therefore involved in a wide range of research areas at NERI.