Landscape structure, size and behavior have been considered in many studies related to landscape habitat analysis, human impact assessment (Harris, 1984; Theobald et al., 2000; Tinker et al.,1998), and modeling and simulation of temporal changes. Most landscape studies are specific time bound, although landscapes are affected by continuously ongoing processes. Due to the dynamic nature of the landscape, temporal changes must be considered (Dunn et al., 1991), including variation of the number and size of patches, corridors, dispersion barriers, and probability of disturbance propagation (Turner, 1989).

The temporal understanding of the landscape is necessary for a deeper understanding of sustainability of natural resources. Temporal changes in a landscape structure caused by human activities have been evaluated through mapping and through calculation of landscape metrics and associated landscape structural changes (e.g., Batisani & Yarnal, 2009;Chen et al., 2001; Coppedge et al., 2001; Cushman and Wallin, 2000; Kammerbauer and Ardon, 1999; Long et al., 2009;Rao and Pant, 2001; Reed et al., 1996; Skanes and Bunce, 1997; Tavares-Correa et al., 2009;Turner et al., 1996; Wu et al., 2009;Zheng et al., 1997).