Spatial Metrics

Spatial metrics quantify the spatial pattern and composition of features. These metrics have been used in landscape ecology to describe the ecologically important relationships such as connectivity and adjacency of habitat reservoirs.

CIPEC research is concerned with determining the social and biophysical factors behind landcover change, especially forest cover change. These changes are important to questions of biodiversity and carbon sequestration. In particular, CIPEC research focuses on a multi-scale analysis of spatial pattern and composition, such as describing spatial metrics within landscapes and within individual private parcels. Parcel-level metrics allow individual landholder decisions to be linked to direct outcomes on the landscape.

The following figure shows four typical metrics derived from a classified satellite image for a pair of individual landholdings in southern Indiana. The graphic shows the parcel boundaries within which the metrics were generated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Last Updated: May 11, 2005
Comments: cipec@indiana.edu 
Copyright 2005, The Trustees of Indiana University.