Table 3 Core parameter settings for fragstats and spatial analysis
Parameter category | Parameter name | Setting value | Justification basis |
|---|---|---|---|
Landscape pattern analysis | Adjacency rule | 8-neighbor | It is compatible with the 30 m grid data and the band-shaped settlement distribution characteristics, enabling comprehensive capture of both orthogonal and diagonal connectivity among settlements. The pre-experimental validation results are consistent with actual conditions. |
Landscape connectivity analysis | CONNECT threshold distance | 200 m | Based on the average minimum nearest neighbor distance of 749 settlements (156 m) and following the empirical principle of 1.2–1.5 times, the threshold effectively covers more than 80% of the potential connectivity range among settlements. |
Kernel density estimation (KDE) | Kernel function type | Gaussian kernel function (Gaussian) | Characterized by strong smoothness and weak edge effects, this setting is well-suited to the strip-shaped study area, yields the smallest cross-validation error (0.032), and clearly delineates clustering differentiation. |
Kernel density estimation (KDE) | Bandwidth (search radius) | 5500 m, cross-validation method | Adapted to the 17.6 km linear corridor along both sides of the canal and the density of 749 settlements, balancing spatial resolution and aggregation distinguishability, and cross-validated to determine the optimal value. |
