TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL CHANGES IN AN AREA OF THE NEW-JERSEY PINE-BARRENS LANDSCAPE

In order to document the extent of landscape fragmentation for a secti on of the New Jersey Pine Barrens region, we have used satellite image and spatial analysis to monitor landscape change between 1972 and 198 8. Land-cover patterns were quantified by mean, number, and size of pa tches; and amount of edges between land cover types. During the interv ening sixteen year period, fractal dimension, diversity, and contagion generally decreased while dominance, disturbance and edges increased, indicating a trend to a more dissected and disturbed landscape. There was an increase in the number of forest patches and a significant dec rease in the average size of forest patches. In contrast, the mean pat ch size for the non-forest category has increased as a result of a coa lescence of patches. The landscape fragmentation is shown by a downwar d shift in the distribution of forest patches by size class. These cha nges in landscape pattern have implications for many ecological proces ses and resources. Management practices need to consider landscape fra gmentation in the Pinelands National Reserve in order to preserve the essential character of the Pine Barrens landscape.