Perlin noise as a hierarchical neutral landscape model

Abstract

Neutral landscape models based on fractal algorithms are used widely by landscape ecologists. Perlin noise is a spectral synthesis algorithm that has not been widely adopted by landscape ecologists, even though the hierarchical properties of Perlin noise are particularly relevant to landscape ecology. To encourage the use of Perlin noise, I provide an explanation of the algorithm in the context of neutral landscape models to demonstrate that the hierarchical nature of the algorithm not only allows for a wide range of possible spatial patterns to be produced, but also usefully parallels theories about the hierarchical structure of landscapes.