Indices of landscape pattern (original) (raw)
Abstract
Landscape ecology deals with the patterning of ecosystems in space. Methods are needed to quantify aspects of spatial pattern that can be correlated with ecological processes. The present paper develops three indices of pattern derived from information theory and fractal geometry. Using digitized maps, the indices are calculated for 94 quadrangles covering most of the eastern United States. The indices are shown to be reasonably independent of each other and to capture major features of landscape pattern. One of the indices, the fractal dimension, is shown to be correlated with the degree of human manipulation of the landscape.
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Authors and Affiliations
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 37831, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
R. V. O'Neill, R. H. Gardner, D. L. DeAngelis, M. G. Turner, S. W. Christensen, V. H. Dale & R. L. Graham - Argonne National Laboratory, 60439, Argonne, Illinois, USA
J. R. Krummel - Scripps Oceanographic Institution, University of San Diego, 92093, La Jolla, CA, USA
G. Sugihara - Computer and Telecommunications Division, Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., 37831, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
B. Jackson & B. Zygmunt - Biology Department, University of New Mexico, 87131, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
B. T. Milne
Authors
- R. V. O'Neill
- J. R. Krummel
- R. H. Gardner
- G. Sugihara
- B. Jackson
- D. L. DeAngelis
- B. T. Milne
- M. G. Turner
- B. Zygmunt
- S. W. Christensen
- V. H. Dale
- R. L. Graham
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O'Neill, R.V., Krummel, J.R., Gardner, R.H. et al. Indices of landscape pattern.Landscape Ecol 1, 153–162 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00162741
- Issue date: May 1988
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00162741