(C120) Splitting Index

a_ij =     area (m²) of patch ij.

A =     total landscape area (m²).

Description

SPLIT equals the total landscape area (m²) squared divided by the sum of patch area (m²) squared, summed across all patches of the corresponding patch type. Note, total landscape area (A) includes any internal background present.

Units 

None

Range

1 ≤ SPLIT ≤ number of cells in the landscape area squared

SPLIT = 1 when the landscape consists of single patch. SPLIT increases as the focal patch type is increasingly reduced in area and subdivided into smaller patches. The upper limit of SPLIT is constrained by the ratio of landscape area to cell size and is achieved when the corresponding patch type consists of a single one pixel patch.

Comments

Split is based on the cumulative patch area distribution and is interpreted as the effective mesh number, or number of patches with a constant patch size when the corresponding patch type is subdivided into S patches, where S is the value of the splitting index.