 |
aij = area (m2) of patch ij. A = total landscape area (m2). |
| Description | DIVISION equals 1 minus the sum of patch area (m2) divided by total landscape area (m2), quantity squared, summed across all patches of the corresponding patch type. Note, total landscape area (A) includes any internal background present. |
| Units | Proportion |
| Range | 0 ≦ DIVISION < 1 DIVISION = 0 when the landscape consists of single patch. DIVISION approaches 1 when the focal patch type consists of single, small patch one cell in area. As the proportion of the landscape comprised of the focal patch type decreases and as those patches decrease in size, DIVISION approaches 1. |
| Comments | Division is based on the cumulative patch area distribution and is interpreted as the probability that two randomly chosen pixels in the landscape are not situated in the same patch of the corresponding patch type. Note, the similarity with Simpson's diversity index, only here the sum is across the proportional area of each patch in the focal class, rather than the proportional area of each patch 'type' in the landscape. Note, DIVISION is redundant with effective mesh size (MESH) below, i.e., they are perfectly, but inversely, correlated, but both metrics are included because of differences in units and interpretation. DIVISION is interpreted as a probability, whereas MESH is given as an area. |
