Nearest Neighbor Index

The Nearest Neighbor Index measures a pattern's spatial distribution by comparing how far apart points are from each other to what would be expected if they were randomly distributed. It helps determine if points are clustered together, evenly spaced, or randomly placed. A value less than 1 indicates clustering, greater than 1 suggests spacing, and a value of 1 implies a random arrangement. This index is useful in various fields, such as ecology or urban planning, to understand how objects or species are positioned in a given space.