FRAGMENTATION INDEX AS A REGION-BASED GIS OPERATOR

A fragmentation index has been implemented as a region based GIS opera tor to describe the spatial distribution of thematic classes in one da ta layer within map regions defined in another data layer. It has been applied to integrated analysis of digital maps and classified remote sensing data, for estimation of landscape complexity within watersheds and for detection of logged forest stands. The properties of the frag mentation index, when applied in this manner, are discussed. The fragm entation index is suggested as a valuable means of describing image ch aracteristics of spectrally heterogeneous map regions.