aij = area (m2) of patch ij.
A = total landscape area (m2).
Description LPI equals the area (m2) of the largest patch in the landscape divided by total landscape area (m2), multiplied by 100 (to convert to a percentage); in other words, LPI equals the percent of the landscape that the largest patch comprises. Note, total landscape area (A) includes any internal background present.
Units Percent
Range 0 < LPI ≦ 100
LPI approaches 0 when the largest patch in the landscape is increasingly small. LPI = 100 when the entire landscape consists of a single patch; that is, when the largest patch comprises 100% of the landscape.
Comments Largest patch index quantifies the percentage of total landscape area comprised by the largest patch. As such, it is a simple measure of dominance.