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The r.le programs for multiscale analysis of landscape structure using the GRASS geographical information system

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Abstract

Geographical information systems (GIS) are well suited to the spatial analysis of landscape data, but generally lack programs for calculating traditional measures of landscape structure (e.g., fractal dimension). Standalone programs for calculating landscape structure measures do exist, but these programs do not enable the user to take advantage of GIS facilities for manipulating and analyzing landscape data. Moreover, these programs lack capabilities for analysis with sampling areas of different size (multiscale analysis) and also lack some needed measures of landscape structure (e.g., texture).

We have developed the r.le programs for analyzing landscape structure using the GRASS GIS. The programs can be used to calculate over sixty measures of landscape structure (e.g., distance, size, shape, fractal dimension, perimeters, diversity, texture, juxtaposition, edges) within sampling areas of several sizes simultaneously. Also possible are moving window analyses, which enable the production of new maps of the landscape structure within windows of a particular size. These new maps can then be used in other analyses with the GIS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, University of Wyoming, 82071, Laramie, Wyoming, USA

    William L. Baker & Yunming Cai

  2. Prisma Software, Corp., 2301 Clay St., Cedar Falls, 50613, Iowa, USA

    Yunming Cai

Authors
  1. William L. Baker
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  2. Yunming Cai
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Baker, W.L., Cai, Y. The r.le programs for multiscale analysis of landscape structure using the GRASS geographical information system. Landscape Ecol 7, 291–302 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00131258

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