Abstract
Applied with remote sensing, GIS, and mathematical statistics, the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics of urbanization expansion of Yantai city from 1974 to 2009 was studied. Based on landscape pattern metrics and ecological risk index, the landscape ecological risk from the landscape pattern dynamics was evaluated. The results showed that the area of urban land increased by 189.77 km2 with average expansion area of 5.42 km2 y−1 from 1974 to 2009. The urbanization intensity index during 2004–2009 was 3.92 times of that during 1974–1990. The land use types of urban land and farmland changed greatly. The changes of landscape pattern metrics for land use patterns indicated that the intensity of human activities had strengthened gradually in study period. The landscape ecological risk pattern of Yantai city shaped half-round rings along the coastline. The ecological risk index decreased with increase of the distance to the coastline. The ratio of high ecological risk to subhigh ecological risk zones in 2009 was 2.23 times of that in 1990. The significant linear relationship of urbanization intensity index and regional ecological risk indicated that the anthropological economic activities were decisive factors for sustainable development of costal ecological environment.
Highlights
It is common that the urbanization expansion is rapid in the world, especially in the developing countries where there are about 70% of the world’s largest cities [1,2,3]
The objectives of the present study were to reveal (1) dynamic changes and spatial characteristics of landscape pattern and the regional ecological risk and (2) the relationship between urbanization intensity index and regional ecological risk based on the analysis of urbanization expansion in Yantai city
The area of urban land increased about 137 km2 and about 237 km2 farmland lost during the period of 1990–2009
Summary
It is common that the urbanization expansion is rapid in the world, especially in the developing countries where there are about 70% of the world’s largest cities [1,2,3]. The urbanization has boosted rapidly in China since the reform and opening-up in the 1980s. The urbanized area in Yangtze River Delta region increased exponentially during 1979–2008 [4]. According to the report of the National Bureau of Statistics in 2012, the urbanization ratio of China has increased by 1.35% per year from 2002 to 2011. By the end of 2011, the total urban population has been about 690.69 million people and the urbanization ratio was about 51.27%. The human development report 2013 of the United Nations Development Programme predicted that the urban population of China will be 1000 million people and the urbanization ratio will be 70%
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
