Analysis of land use change in Xi’an based on GIS and RS

Abstract

Along with fast economic growth, population increase and accelerated urbanization, the land use pattern of Xi’an is experiencing tectonic changes. Studying the land use change volume and spatial distribution in different regions in Xi’an will provide a basis for future studies on the urban spatial arrangement, land use management optimization and sustainable land use development. Based on GIS and RS technologies, this study explored the land use changes in Xi’an, analyzed the type, quantity, spatial arrangement and density of land use change, and introduced quantitative parameters including the dynamic level of land use, the transfer matrix, etc., for analysis. The results revealed that: 1) the major land use types in Xi’an were farmland, forest and built-up land; 2) in these 15 years, the area of grassland and built-up land increased, while the area of farmland decreased; 3) the dynamic level of comprehensive land use change increased, indicating intensive land use changes in Xi’an.