Spatial-temporal characteristics of land use intensity of coastal zone in China during 2000–2010

Yuandong Wang,Xianghong Di,Li Wu,Xiyong Hou

doi:10.1007/s11769-014-0707-0

Abstract

Based on remote sensing and GIS techniques, land use maps in 2000, 2005 and 2010 in China’s coastal zone were produced, and structural raster data of land use were further generated to calculate land use intensity comprehensive index (LUICI) for analyzing land use spatial-temporal characteristics at 1 km scale. Results show that: 1) from the perspective of spatial patterns of landforms at a macro scale, there is a significant difference in land use intensity between the north and the south of China’s coastal zone. Hotspots of changes mainly concentrated in metropolitan areas, estuaries and coastal wetlands; 2) elevation is an important factor that controlling land use spatial patterns at local scale. Land use intensity is much higher within areas below the elevation of 400 m and it decreased significantly as the elevation increasing; 3) there is a significant land-ocean gradient for land use intensity, which is low in island and near-shore areas, but high in the regions that 4–30 km far away the coastline because of much intensive human activities; however, in recent decades land use intensity had been promoted significantly in low near-shore area due to extensive sea reclamations; 4) significant differences of land use intensity were also found among provincial administrative units. A rising trend of land use intensity was found in provincial-level administrative units from 2000 to 2010. To sum up, elevation, land-ocean gradient, socio-economic status and policy are all influencing factors to the spatial patterns and temporal variations of land use intensity in China’s coastal zone.

Highlights

Coastal zone is a high complex region on the earth, which is situated on the multi-interface of ocean, land, air, and biosphere
Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) is a core project focusing on key problems of the global change research, and high
The land use intensity is much higher in the north, except the mountainous and hilly areas, and it is lower in the south, except the river delta and low plain regions

Summary

Introduction

Coastal zone is a high complex region on the earth, which is situated on the multi-interface of ocean, land, air, and biosphere In this region, ecosystem with high productivity and high economic assets provides breeding ground, nest site and food habitat for birds, fish, shellfish and other wildlife (Beatley et al, 2002). Ecosystem with high productivity and high economic assets provides breeding ground, nest site and food habitat for birds, fish, shellfish and other wildlife (Beatley et al, 2002) It has high levels of socio-economic development and high population density, it homes about 60% of the world's population (Field et al, 2002); under the background of global climate change and sea level rising, the ecosystem and environment are much fragile in the coastal zone. Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) is a core project focusing on key problems of the global change research, and high-

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion