Note the increasing fragmentation of the natural habitat as a result of

settlement. Such fragmentation can adversely affect the success

of wildlife populations.

19861975

1992

FragStats

http://www.umass.edu/landeco/research/fragstats/fragstats.html

FRAGSTATS Overview

• Derives a set of useful landscape metrics

• Public domain code developed by Kevin McGarigal and Barbara Marks under U.S.F.S. funding

FragStats 4.x

Situation

• FragStats only supporting 4.x from now on

• There tutorial data is in ArcGRID format

• Following FragStats instructions on adding support for ArcGRIDs results in:

• Only other formats supported are ASCII GRID and binary (neither appear to work)

FRAGSTATS Fundamentals

• PATCH… individual parcel (Polygon)

A single homogeneous landscape unitwith consistent vegetation characteristics,e.g. dominant species, avg. tree height,horizontal density ,etc.

A single Mixed Wood polygon(stand)

CLASS… sets of similar parcelsLANDSCAPE… all parcels within an area

FRAGSTATS FundamentalsPATCH… individual parcel (Polygon)

• CLASS… sets of similar parcels

All Mixed Wood polygons(stands)

LANDSCAPE… all parcels within an area

FRAGSTATS FundamentalsPATCH… individual parcel (Polygon)CLASS… sets of similar parcels

• LANDSCAPE… all parcels within an area “of interacting ecosystems”

e.g., all polygons within a given geographic area (landscape mosaic)

FRAGSTATS Output Metrics

• Area Metrics (6),

• Patch Density, Size and Variability Metrics (5),

• Edge Metrics (8),

• Shape Metrics (8),

• Core Area Metrics (15),

• Nearest Neighbor Metrics (6),

• Diversity Metrics (9),

• Contagion and Interspersion Metrics (2)

• …59 individual indices(US Forest Service 1995 Report PNW-GTR-351)