(C10) Largest Patch Index

a_ij =     area (m²) of patch ij.

A =     total landscape area (m²).

Description

LPI equals the area (m²) of the largest patch of the corresponding patch type divided by total landscape area (m²), multiplied by 100 (to convert to a percentage); in other words, LPI equals the percentage of the landscape comprised by the largest patch. Note, total landscape area (A) includes any internal background present.

Units 

Percent

Range

0 < LPI ≤ 100

LPI approaches 0 when the largest patch of the corresponding patch type is increasingly small. LPI = 100 when the entire landscape consists of a single patch of the corresponding patch type; that is, when the largest patch comprises 100% of the landscape.

Comments

Largest patch index at the class level quantifies the percentage of total landscape area comprised by the largest patch. As such, it is a simple measure of dominance.