Figure 1. Our conceptual approach is based on a fundamental idea of Margalef (1991) according to which the relationship between the external energy reinvested in the system (E ) and the spatial ‘distribution pattern’ (I ) of this energy flows need to be considered to understand how society affects the functional structure of cultural landscapes (L ). The figure shows: a small metabolic cycle (low E , I and L values); a large metabolic cycle (high E , and low I and L values); many small interconnected metabolic cycles (low E , and high I andL values); and many large interconnected metabolic cycles (highE , I and L values). The latter case has stored more energy within and has greater capacity to organize the territory in a landscape mosaic (L ) that becomes less dependent on external energy flows.