Calculating the indices for Landscape Function and Soil Surface Assessment using the LFA

Excel template - lfa_saa_data_entry_v3-0_031107.xls

An Excel spreadsheet (workbook) has been developed to assist you in entering and interpreting the
data collected whilst accessing your Landscape using LFA and SSA method as per the Landscape
Function Analysis Manual.
The workbook consists of 14 worksheets. A separate workbook is required for each transect. The
data is entered in the highlighted boxes in the following way.
Name the file and save to avoid entering data in the template.
Sheet
Sheet 1

Worksheet Name
Start
(Fig 1)

Enter both the

patch and interpatch zones in this
table

Instructions
Enter the site, location, transect, observers names and
the date.
Enter the identified transect zones.
Enter the patch zones
Note:- Patch and inter-patch must be entered in both
Transect and Patch zone tables.
The code is an abbreviation of the strata name. This saves
a lot of typing when entering the transect log data.

Patch zones
only in this
table

Figure 1: The start sheet where details of transect location are entered

Sheet 2

Summary
(Fig 2)

The summary of the entered data is tabulated on this

page.
No data entered on this sheet.

Figure 2a: Showing the top of the summary sheet. No data is entered in this sheet.

Figure 2b: Showing the bottom section of the summary sheet.

Sheet 3

Charts

Sheet 4

LFA
(Fig 3)

Displays the data as charts.

Enter the transect log data on this page.

Note:- The distance is entered as metres and the width

as cm.
Allowance is made for 200 entries.

Care: overtype mistakes, do not delete or

move cells.

Figure 3: LFA sheet where the transect log data is entered. Distance is in metres and width in
cm. Allows 200 entries, overtype mistakes DO NOT DELETE OR MOVE an entry.

Sheet 5

LFA_work

Sheets 6
to 13

SSA 1-10
(Fig 4)

Calculations of inter-patch and patch values and

proportions are calculated on this sheet.
No data entered on this sheet.
Enter the soil surface indicator value for each zone type
recorded. (a separate sheet for each zone type).
The values are in the highlighted box. The spreadsheet
automatically allocates and calculates the indices which are
summarised in the summary and chart sheets.

Note:- Litter . Has a minimum of 1.

Note: For no data or n/a leave as zero this removes it from
the calculation.

Erosion type and severity

enter only the number

Figure 4: SSA sheet into which the Soil Surface Assessment data is entered. The resulting indices
can be viewed by scrolling down the page. A separate sheet is used for each zone type.

Note:- In erosion type and severity only enter the number.