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E = total length (m) of edge in landscape. A = total landscape area (m2). |
| Description | ED equals the sum of the lengths (m) of all edge segments in the landscape, divided by the total landscape area (m2), multiplied by 10,000 (to convert to hectares). If a landscape border is present, ED includes landscape boundary segments representing 'true' edge only (i.e., abutting patches of different classes). If a landscape border is absent, ED includes a user-specified proportion of the landscape boundary. Regardless of whether a landscape border is present or not, ED includes a user-specified proportion of internal background edge. Note, total landscape area (A) includes any internal background present. |
| Units | Meters per hectare |
| Range | ED ≥ 0, without limit. ED = 0 when there is no edge in the landscape; that is, when the entire landscape and landscape border, if present, consists of a single patch and the user specifies that none of the landscape boundary and background edge be treated as edge. |
| Comments | Edge density has the same utility and limitations as Total Edge (see Total Edge description), except that edge density reports edge length on a per unit area basis that facilitates comparison among landscapes of varying size. |
