Figure 2. Statistical characterization of facies and facies patterns, Three Creeks area, as assessed from Landsat data and GIS. A) Mean size of facies, not including the inland algal marsh and open marine facies. B) Mean class shape complexity (SqP). C) Multiple linear regression model between mean patch size for each class (in m2, dependent variable) and percentage of class in landscape and entropy (independent variables). Class numbers are labeled. [For this analysis, class 1 and class 6 were not used, because of possible edge effects.] For this regression, R2 = 0.78 and RMSE = 990 m2. Note that mean patch area is well predicted using these variables that might be quantifiable from ancient peritidal successions. D) Plot of exceedance probability versus patch area, illustrating a power-law relationship between the two. This relationship illustrates that fractal nature of facies area and a fractal dimension of 1.21.