Patch Analyst 5
The Visual Basic 6 code has been migrated to Visual Basic .Net under the ESRI ArcObjects.Net framework, and now all functions are available under ArcMap 10. Two versions are availabe, PA 5.1 complied for running under ArcMap 10, and PA 5.0 compiled for running under ArcMap 9.3. The performance of some functions has been enhanced, and the help file updated. Audio/video tutorials have also been provided to clarify the use of the major Patch Analyst functions. 2012
Patch Analyst 5.2.0.16 -- 2015
- Dissolve polygons working again
- Correction in how area is reported for State Plane maps using ft as units
Patch Analyst 5.1 -- 2013
- Correction to reporting of Shannon and Simpson's diversity indices
- Other minor bugs
Description & History of Patch Analyst
Under Patch Analyst 5 the Visual Basic 6 code has been migrated to Visual Basic.net under the ESRI ArcObjects.Net framework. Although not a big change for users, this massive programming effort by Daniel Kaukien (OMNR) was required to continue operation and technical support of Patch Analyst under new versions of ArcMap (v 10 and onwards). Versions 5.0 (for ArcMap 9.3) and 5.1 (for ArcMap 10) use different ArcObject libraries, but functionally perform the same. The Spatial Ecology Program at the Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem (OMNR) funded and sponsored this conversion, and is making Patch Analyst available under license for no cost.
Patch Analyst 4 contains analysis & modeling functions related to polygons, while Patch Analyst (Grid) extends analysis capabilities to grids, and therefore requires Spatial Analyst. Patch Analyst (Grid) includes a user interface to the PC raster version of FRAGSTATS 2, as well as separate VB based spatial analysis functions.
Numerous patch metrics are calculated, and these include include mean and median patch size, patch size coefficient of variance, edge density, mean shape index, fractal dimension, interspersion and juxtaposition, Simpson's diversity index, and core area index. Summary statistics are reported at either the patch or landscape scale. The various patch metrics follow the definitions in FRAGSTATS (McGarigal & Marks 1993).
Version 3 introduced new concepts to Patch Analyst, providing greater emphasis and capability to perform compartmentalized analysis, where compartments can be a network of hexagon or other similar regions. Version 3 also provided the ability to relate regions to a response surface variable. See the new concepts section for more details.
Attribute modeling capabilities allow the user to translate vegetation age and composition into habitat units, or forest age/seral classes, according to pre-defined rules. An editable, text-based query allows the user to assign each polygon or grid clump to a vegetation class, seral stage, habitat unit, etc.
The Arcview extensions were initially programmed by Angus Carr through funding from the Sustainable Forest Mangement Network (NCE), and with additional financial support from the Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). The ArcGIS 9.x versions required a complete rewrite, and this was done under contract with Daniel Kaukinen (OMNR). Both extensions are based on Arc Objects accessed through Visual Basic 6. Patch Analyst © and Patch Analyst (Grid) © are not public domain, but may be used free of charge under their attached license agreements.
Patch Analyst was developed under the Spatial Ecology Program (Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research), with programming support from the Thunder Bay Geomatics Service Centre, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Thunder Bay, ON.
Patch Analyst © should be cited as: Rempel, R.S., D. Kaukinen., and A.P. Carr. 2012. Patch Analyst and Patch Grid. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research, Thunder Bay, Ontario.
© Queens Press, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 2012
Webpage update: April 2nd, 2012