Predicted and observed values of effective mesh density according to the six predictive models for the six groups of regions studied in Europe

Effective mesh density values by NUTS-X region for Fragmentation Geometry FG-B2 in 2009. The NUTS-X regions represented by points above the diagonal line are more fragmented than predicted and those represented by by points below the diagonal line are less fragmented than predicted. All models shown include all available variables in each group and use a square root transformation for seff.

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The objective of this task is calculate “effective mesh size” as indicator of landscape fragmentation. Effective mesh size (Meff) is proportional to the probability of two points chosen randomly in region being connected. This probability is then converted into the size of a patch – the effective mesh size. The unit of Meff is that of area (e.g. ha). This area corresponds to the size of “meshes” of regular network that has the same degree of fragmentation and it can be compared with the values of Meff from other regions. The smaller the effective mesh size, the more fragmented the landscape.

Predicted and observed values of effective mesh density according to the six predictive models for the six groups of regions studied in Europe

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