Analysis of Vegetation Structure in Urban Land Uses: Case of the City of Aydin

Abstract

In urban areas, each land use type possesses its own vegetation characteristics. The purpose of this study is to determine the vegetation structure of land uses in Aydin urban area by means of vegetation cover analysis. Vegetation cover analysis is an indicator of different land uses' contribution to wildlife habitat value. In the analysis, the variables of 1) vegetation ratio, 2) vegetation cover naturalness level, and 3) vegetation cover structural diversity have been used. Results of the analysis indicated that in terms of sum of all variables, natural areas (93%) obtained the highest value followed by highways (76%), and low-density residential areas (67%). Riverbeds (45%), commercial areas (39%) and industrial areas (34%) received the lowest value. The results shows that natural areas are critical in maintaining the ecological qualities of urban environments; improvement of the open spaces in the increasing residential developments contribute to the urban open space system significantly; and ecological corridor alternatives such as roads and waterways presents opportunities in improving the urban ecosystems.