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pijk = length (m) of edge of patch ij adjacent to patch type (class) k. dik = dissimilarity (edge contrast weight) between patch types i and k. pij = length (m) of perimeter of patch ij. |
| Description | ECON equals the sum of the patch perimeter segment lengths (m) multiplied by their corresponding contrast weights, divided by total patch perimeter (m), multiplied by 100 (to convert to a percentage). Edge segments along the landscape boundary are treated like background (as specified in the edge contrast weight file) unless a landscape border is present, in which case the boundary edge types are made explicit by the information in the border. |
| Units | Percent |
| Range | 0 ≦ ECON ≦ 100 ECON = 0 if the landscape consists of only one patch and the landscape boundary consists of all background (i.e., in the absence of a border) and is give a zero-contrast weight (d = 0). Also, ECON = 0 when all of the patch perimeter segments involve patch type adjacencies that have been given a zero-contrast weight in the edge contrast weight file. ECON = 100 when the entire patch perimeter is maximum-contrast edge (d = 1). ECON < 100 when a portion of the patch perimeter is less than maximum-contrast edge (d < 1). |
| Comments | Edge Contrast Index is founded on the notion that all edges are not created equal. To account for this, the notion of edge "contrast" was created. This index is a relative measure of the amount of contrast along the patch perimeter. |
