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nijc = number of disjunct core areas in patch ij based on specified edge depths (m). |
| Description | NDCA equals the sum of the number of disjunct core areas contained within each patch of the corresponding patch type; that is, the number of disjunct core areas contained within the landscape. |
| Units | None |
| Range | NDCA ≥ 0, without limit. NDCA = 0 when TCA = 0 (i.e., every location within patches of the corresponding patch type are within the specified depth-of-edge distance(s) from the patch perimeters). NDCA > 1 when, due to patch shape complexity, a patch contains more than one core area. |
| Comments | Number of disjunct core areas is defined the same at the patch level (see Number of Core Areas), but here it is aggregated (summed) over all patches of the corresponding patch type. Number of disjunct core areas is an alternative to the number of patches when it makes sense to treat the core areas as functionally distinct patches. |
