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E* = total length (m) of edge in landscape; includes the entire landscape boundary and some or all background edge segments. A = total landscape area (m2). |
| Description | LSI equals .25 (adjustment for raster format) times the sum of the entire landscape boundary (regardless of whether it represents 'true' edge or not, or how the user specifies how to handle boundary/background) and all edge segments (m) within the landscape boundary, including some or all of those bordering background (based on user specifications), divided by the square root of the total landscape area (m2). Note, total landscape area (A) includes any internal background present. |
| Units | None |
| Range | LSI ≥ 1, without limit. LSI = 1 when the landscape consists of a single square patch; LSI increases without limit as landscape shape becomes more irregular and/or as the length of edge within the landscape increases. |
| Comments | Landscape shape index provides a standardized measure of total edge or edge density that adjusts for the size of the landscape. Because it is standardized, it has a direct interpretation, in contrast to total edge, for example, that is only meaningful relative to the size of the landscape. |
