The behaviors of landscape metrics to changing MMU and suggestions for landscape analysis

Abstract

Scale issue is one of the key issues in landscape ecology and related environmental science. Previous studies have addressed the effects of landscape metrics to changing spatial scale, grain size, and class resolution. However, Minimum mapping unit (MMU) as one of scale issues has not been well investigated. Using a real landscape, this paper examines the effects of changing MMU on landscape metrics. The sensitivity of landscape metrics to changing MMU is also calculated. The results show that changing MMU is different from changing spatial scale and grain size. The paper further provides some criteria or suggestions for selection of landscape metrics in landscape analysis. These findings are crucial for the understanding of the behaviours of landscape metrics across different scales and for selecting the appropriate metrics in landscape analysis or related environmental studies. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.