Spatial effects
The spatial effects of fragmentation can be related
to the altered configuration
of landscape features. These spatial changes are visible from time series
air photos.
Spatial attributes, which increase with fragmentation,
include factors like:
- patch density
- inter-patch distance
- boundary length
- stepping stones
- corridors
Also associated with fragmentation
is a decrease in:
- patch size
- connectivity
- interior to edge ratio
- maximum size of core and total
interior area
Factors that can increase, decrease
or not change at all as a result of fragmentation include
- patch shape
- fractal dimension (Forman,
1995).
