Quantification of landscape pattern is of primary interest in landscape ecological studies. For quantification purposes, a large number of landscape metrics have been developed, with definitions based on measurable patch attributes. Calculation of these metrics is commonly conducted on wall-to-wall maps, whereas a new interest is to use sample data. It is argued that a sample survey takes less time and results are more reliable. The overall objective in this paper was to present the potential of the line interest sampling method for estimating a special contagion metric.

Dehloran is located on the southeastern Ilam Province. It has a great potential for tourism development due to natural, cultural and historical attractions including national natural monuments as well as three rare phenomena of hot springs, bat cave and bitumen springs. In the current study, TOPSIS and AHP methods were applied to conduct the land capability evaluation study. A total number of 16 criteria and 10 constraints were initially determined and then; each map-layer was standardized using fuzzy and Boolean logics.

Increasing land utilization through diverse forms of human activities, such as agriculture, forestry, urban growth, and industrial development, has led to negative impacts on the water quality of rivers. To find out how catchment attributes, such as land use, hydrologic soil groups, and lithology, can affect water quality variables (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, Cl⁻, HCO₃⁻, pH, TDS, EC, SAR), a spatio-statistical approach was applied to 23 catchments in southern basins of the Caspian Sea.