"Land use patterns" describes the earth's designed utilization as determined by the topographic features, geologic features, population density, economics, climate, availability of water, mature growth forests, and required need.
 
There are 7 generally recognized land-use patterns; residential, institutional, industrial, road-green belt, roadside, park, and forest. To those, I would add 7 more; sustainable-waterways, industrial-waterways, industrial-devastation, industrial-farming, sustainable-farming, reclaimed-residential, and scenic-roadways.
 
The study of land use patterns allows the appropriate application of resources, assists cities in planning future growth, and farmers to plan crop rotation. Environmentalists employ them to study the health of woodlands and water, research the utilization of new technology and apply sustainable practices. 
Land patterns also describe our reaction to the designs we notice when in a plane, flying over the patchwork quilt of the earth below, which many employ to inspire us.