Effect of changing spatial grain size and land-use classification on landscape index — A case study of Wenxi County, Shanxi Province

Using the 1∶10 000 land-use map of Wenxi County of Shanxi Province, GIS and the landscape pattern software Fragstats, the effect of spatial grain size on landscape indices of different land-use classification systems, and the effect of land-use classification system on the landscape indices under different spatial grain sizes were investigated. The results show that with increasing spatial grain size, patch density (PD), landscape shape index (LSI) and landscape contagion (CONTAG) gradually decline, whereas perimeter-area fractal dimensions (PAFRAC) increase. There is no significant change in the largest patch index (LPI) and Shannon diversity index (SHDI). With increasing number of land-use types, PD, LSI and SHDI increase, and LPI decreases. There is no significant change in PAFRAC, and the landscape contagion curve changes rather complicated.