1. Phil Hurvitz Avian Conservation Lab Meeting 8. March. 2002
The FocalPatch Extension
Phil Hurvitz
Avian Conservation Lab Meeting
8. March. 2002

2. Overview
Landscape Ecology
Landscape Configuration
Landscape Ecology Metrics
Fragstats
Focal Functions in GIS
The FocalPatch Extension
Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Fragstats Revisited

3. Overview
Landscape Ecology
Landscape Configuration
Landscape Ecology Metrics
Fragstats
Focal Functions in GIS
The FocalPatch Extension
Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Fragstats Revisited

4. Landscape Ecology Background
Landscape ecology emphasizes the interaction between spatial pattern and ecological process -- that is, the causes and consequences of spatial heterogeneity across a range of scales.  Two important aspects of landscape ecology distinguish it from other subdisciplines within ecology. 
First, landscape ecology explicitly addresses the importance of spatial configuration for ecological processes.  Not only is landscape ecology concerned with how much there is of a particular component but also with how it is arranged. 
Second, landscape ecology often focuses upon spatial extents that are much larger than those traditionally studied in ecology. Landscape ecology offers new concepts, theory and methods that are revealing the importance of spatial patterning on the dynamics of interacting ecosystems.
(Monica G. Turner)

5. Landscape Ecology Background, continued
Effect of spatial configuration on ecological process
Ecological process across large spatial scale
GIS must be a central (tool = language = environment) for investigation of landscape ecology issues

6. Overview
Landscape Ecology
Landscape Configuration
Landscape Ecology Metrics
Fragstats
Focal Functions in GIS
The FocalPatch Extension
Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Fragstats Revisited

7. Landscape Configuration
Varying configurations occur in both managed and unmanaged areas
near Hanford
(images from Terraserver)
east of Seattle
Yakima area

8. Landscape Configuration
Different configurations can have very different effects on ecological function
Movement of plants & animals (enhancement or inhibition)
Edge/interior effects, isolation

9. Landscape Configuration
Understanding landscape configuration and composition is a central problem in management of ecosystems
Loss or maintenance of “natural” (“sustainable”?) ecological functionality
Configuration and composition affect ecological processes

10. Landscape Configuration
Varying scale of landscape configuration can have varying effects on different species
(image from Fragstats manual)

11. Overview
Landscape Ecology
Landscape Configuration
Landscape Ecology Metrics
Fragstats
Focal Functions in GIS
The FocalPatch Extension
Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Fragstats Revisited

12. Landscape Ecology Metrics
Patterns and differences are immediately recognized by the eye + brain
Landscape Ecology Metrics allow these patterns in space to be described quantitatively

13. Landscape Ecology Metrics
Quantification of patch configuration on the landscape
Central quantitative basis for much analysis & understanding in Landscape Ecology
Attempt to quantify either individual patches, classes, or the entire landscape
Assess continuity, contiguity, or fragmentation of landscape elements

14. Overview
Landscape Ecology
Landscape Configuration
Landscape Ecology Metrics
Fragstats
Focal Functions in GIS
The FocalPatch Extension
Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Fragstats Revisited

15. Developed by Kevin McGarigal & Barbara Marks, OSU 1994
Fragstats
Developed by Kevin McGarigal & Barbara Marks, OSU 1994
Computer program for calculating a number of patch, class, and landscape ecology metrics
Integrated with ESRI GIS
fragstats.aml from McGarigal & Marks
ArcView Extension Patch Analyst (Rob Rempel)

16. Fragstats L.E. Metrics: Classes
Area
Patch density, patch size & variability
Edge
Shape
Core area
Nearest neighbor
Diversity
Contagion & interspersion

17. Fragstats
Patch metrics
(image from Fragstats manual)

18. Fragstats
Class metrics
(image from Fragstats manual)

19. Fragstats
Landscape metrics
(image from Fragstats manual)

20. Fragstats L.E. Metrics: Examples
Landscape Similarity Index (LSIM)
For each patch type, LSIM is the proportion (percentage) of the landscape in that class
Indicates the relative dominance of each different class

21. Fragstats L.E. Metrics: Examples
Edge Contrast Index (EDGECON)
Edge contrast values [0, 1] are specified for each combination of patch types
EDGECON is the sum of (patch perimeters * edge contrast values)
Indicates a “weighted” perimeter

22. Fragstats L.E. Metrics: Examples
Fractal Dimension
Indication of the convolution of shape for each patch
R: 1 £ FRACT £ 2
Approaches 1 for simple shapes (circle, square)
Approaches 2 for highly convoluted shapes

23. Overview
Landscape Ecology
Landscape Configuration
Landscape Ecology Metrics
Fragstats
Focal Functions in GIS
The FocalPatch Extension
Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Fragstats Revisited

24. Focal Functions in GIS
Processing occurs on a central cell in conjunction with the values associated in its neighborhood
“Moving window”
“Kernel”

25. Focal Functions in GIS
Example of the focal mean function

26. Focal Functions in GIS
ArcInfo & ArcView focal functions are all “basic” statistical

27. Overview
Landscape Ecology
Landscape Configuration
Landscape Ecology Metrics
Fragstats
Focal Functions in GIS
The FocalPatch Extension
Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Fragstats Revisited

28. FocalPatch Extension
Application of focal processing on land cover grids
Instead of using ArcInfo focal statistics, calculates Fragstats Landscape Ecology metrics on a focal basis

29. FocalPatch Extension
New ArcView 3.x extension

30. FocalPatch Extension
Creates point features

31. FocalPatch Extension
Creates CWED file

32. FocalPatch Extension
Runs on points

33. FocalPatch Extension

34. FocalPatch Extension
Output files

35. On a cell-by-cell basis
FocalPatch Extension
On a cell-by-cell basis
Creates a point feature at the cell center
Extracts the region in a user-specified radius around the point
Calculates landscape metrics for that circle
Places metrics back into point attribute table

36. FocalPatch Extension
Extract circle from habitat grid at user-defined radius

37. Calculate landscape metrics
FocalPatch Extension
Calculate landscape metrics
Rempel’s interface
Rempel’s batch script

38. FocalPatch Extension
Calculates landscape metrics
Values represent the landscape metrics for the focal region around the central cell

39. FocalPatch Extension
Points can be used for interpolation of surfaces
Surfaces can represent any of the landscape metrics

40. Overview
Landscape Ecology
Landscape Configuration
Landscape Ecology Metrics
Fragstats
Focal Functions in GIS
The FocalPatch Extension
Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Fragstats Revisited

41. Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Some animal species respond to large regions of landscapes
Typical animal-landscape relationships are explored either by point processes or by land cover types
Is there a relationship between landscape metrics and actual animal usage of landscape?
Which landscape characteristics do animals respond to ?

42. Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
utilization distribution (UD)
limit processing to UD

43. Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
contrast-weighted edge surface

44. Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Regression techniques will be used to determine strength of relationship between utilization and landscape metrics
Multiple regression
Raster regression within GRID

45. Overview
Landscape Ecology
Landscape Configuration
Landscape Ecology Metrics
Fragstats
Focal Functions in GIS
The FocalPatch Extension
Patch Metrics and Utilization Distributions
Fragstats Revisited

46. Fragstats Revisited
Version 3 of Fragstats:
“ Analysis Type.–Chose between “standard” and “moving window”
Moving Window.--If moving window mode is selected, then FRAGSTATS will conduct a moving window analysis and output a separate grid for each metric selected.”

47. Fragstats Revisited
Does Fragstats v.3 actually perform moving window analysis?

48. Final Question
Given that Fragstats v.3 might perform focal analysis of landscape data, is it worth it to continue development of an ArcView 3.X interface for focal Fragstats analysis?
What are the benefits of having this within the ArcView environment?
Can this be considered original work?