r.li.edgedensity(1)

NAME
r.li.edgedensity - Calculates edge density index on a raster map, using a 4 neighbour algorithm

KEYWORDS
raster, landscape structure analysis, patch index

SYNOPSIS
r.li.edgedensity
r.li.edgedensity --help
r.li.edgedensity [-b] input=name config=name output=name [patch_type=string] [--overwrite] [--help] [--verbose] [--quiet] [--ui]

  Flags:

-b
    Exclude border edges

--overwrite
    Allow output files to overwrite existing files

--help
    Print usage summary

--verbose
    Verbose module output

--quiet
    Quiet module output

--ui
    Force launching GUI dialog

  Parameters:

input=name [required]
    Name of input raster map

config=name [required]
    Configuration file

output=name [required]
    Name for output raster map

patch_type=string
    The value of the patch type
    It can be integer, double or float; it will be changed in function of map type

DESCRIPTION
r.li.edgedensity calculates:

    •   the density of all edges of patch type k , or

    •   the density of all edges in the sampling area if k is not specified,

with:

    •   k: patch type

    •   m: number of patch types

    •   n: number of edge segments of patch type k

    •   eik :total edge length in the landscape involving patch type k

    •   Area: total landscape area

The unit is meters per hectare.

NOTES
Do not use absolute path names for the config and output file/map parameters. If the "moving window" method was selected in g.gui.rlisetup, then the output will be a raster map, otherwise an ASCII file will be generated in the folder C:\Users\userxy\AppData\Roaming\GRASS7\r.li\output\ (MS-Windows) or $HOME/.grass7/r.li/output/ (GNU/Linux).

If the input raster map contains only NULL values then r.li.edgedensity consider to have 0 patches.
If area is 0 r.li.edgedensity returns NULL; this is only possible if input raster is masked.

EXAMPLES
To calculate the edge density index on map my_map, using my_conf configuration file (previously defined with g.gui.rlisetup) and saving results in my_out, run:

r.li.edgedensity input=my_map conf=my_conf output=my_out

To calculate edge density index of patch_type 34, using "my_conf" configuration file and on map "my_map", saving results in "my_out" file run:

r.li.edgedensity input=my_map conf=my_conf output=my_out patch_type=34

Forest map (Spearfish sample dataset) example:

g.region raster=landcover.30m -p
r.mapcalc "forests = if(landcover.30m >= 41 && landcover.30m <= 43,1,null())"
r.li.edgedensity input=forests conf=movwindow7 out=forests_edgedens_mov7
r.univar forests_edgedens_mov7

Forest map (North Carolina sample dataset) example:

g.region raster=landclass96 -p
r.mapcalc "forests = if(landclass96 == 5, 1, null() )"
r.li.edgedensity input=forests conf=movwindow7 out=forests_edgedensity_mov7
# verify
r.univar forests_edgedensity_mov7
r.to.vect input=forests output=forests type=area
d.mon wx0
d.rast forests_edgedensity_mov7
d.vect forests type=boundary

SEE ALSO
r.li - package overview
g.gui.rlisetup

REFERENCES
McGarigal, K., and B. J. Marks. 1995. FRAGSTATS: spatial pattern analysis program for quantifying landscape structure. USDA For. Serv. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-351. (PDF)

AUTHORS
Serena Pallecchi student of Computer Science University of Pisa (Italy).
Commission from Faunalia Pontedera (PI), Italy (www.faunalia.it)
Markus Metz

SOURCE CODE

Available at: r.li.edgedensity source code (history)

Accessed: Sunday Jun 21 14:58:42 2026

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