Monitoring land use and land cover changes in the mountainous cities of Oman using GIS and CA-Markov modelling techniques

As a result of the socioeconomic transformation, the rapid urban expansion of cities and towns in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states has predominately led to tremendous pressure on the limited natural resources and loss of productive lands. Indeed, the spatial patterns of urbanisation and their impacts on mountain resources and environment have received little attention, particularly in Oman. Predicting urban growth in the mountainous cities has the potential to better understand the interaction between the spatial growth patterns and the mountain topography. This study aims to analyse spatiotemporal dynamics of land use/land cover (LULC) (2008–2018) and simulate urban expansion (2008–2038) in Nizwa city, Al Dakhliyah governorate, Oman. Cellular Automata (CA)-Markov and geospatial techniques were utilised to assess and project urban growth and land cover changes. The analysis was based on three maps of LULC at equal intervals derived from satellite imageries: Landsat TM for 1998, 2008 and 2018, along with topographic spatial layers (elevation, aspects, and terrain slopes) derived from the ASTER digital elevation model. In addition, other spatial parameters (population density, proximity to urban centres, and proximity to major roads,) were incorporated in the simulation process. The findings revealed that the actual LULC change during 2008–2018 was 12,014 ha of net urban growth (418.5 % change), while the simulated change was expected to be 14,985 ha by 2028, with a total of 37,465 ha increase in the built-up area and urban growth by 2038. Although the topographic variability will control LULC changes, the urban expansion overly will occupy the arable land across the valleys along with the flat areas. During the next two decades, the built-up areas will dominant, with a large percentage of vacant land (net loss 12,813 ha) and vegetation cover (net loss 35 ha) will be gradually converted into residential land use. The output of the simulations in this research could serve not only as spatial guidelines for monitoring future trends of LULC dynamics, but also address the threats and deteriorates of urban sustainability in the Omani mountainous cities. Furthermore, identifying bare soils and vegetation areas that are susceptible to urbanisation is of value for the national strategy of future urban planning in Oman.     

城市热环境空间格局及影响因素分析——以大连市金州区为例

近年来,城市化发展进程加快导致热环境发生变化,本文通过单窗算法反演地表温度、随机森林分类法对地物进行划分,结合GIS空间分析,对大连市金州区城市热环境的时空特征进行了研究。得出以下三点结论:(1)中心城区具有明显的热岛效应,地表温度总体上明显高于城市边缘区和郊区;(2)研究区包含5种主要地物类型,即植被、耕地、水体、裸土、建筑土地利用空间分布,其中耕地面积最大,水体面积最小;(3)在城市地表覆盖系统内,不同土地利用类型地表温度具有明显差异,其中建筑密集区、交通发达区与植被的LST最大温差可达10℃。     

重庆市渝北区城市空间扩展模式分析

城市化过程的城区形态变异是以建设用地的向外扩展为显著特征的,而空间扩展的规律、过程和特征是衡量城市化发展水平和模式的主要标准。研究基于近二十年来重庆市渝北建成区时空分布情况,应用遥感与地理信息系统技术,分析了渝北建成区空间扩展的面积、速率、方向、模式以及区内的道路建设扩展情况,揭示了渝北建成区以及道路建设空间扩展的规律、过程和特征,为该区域的城市规划、城市水土资源管理和宏观调控决策等提供了科学的依据。     

城市用地密度分布及其演化：形态模型和过程模型的对比

研究目的：深入分析城市用地密度的空间分布及其演化特征,揭示城市空间结构特征与发展规律。研究方法：圈层分析法,形态模型（ULD）和过程模型（GMP）。研究结果：（1）城市用地密度从城市中心向外逐渐非线性衰减,呈现反S形分布,城市中心吸引和土地资源稀缺性是其形成的主要原因;（2）快速城市化时期城市郊区增长速度快于核心区,导致城市紧凑度下降,突显了合理管控城市边界的重要性;（3）城市紧凑度在城市化过程中表现出先下降后回升趋势,反映了从分散扩张到集中利用的空间模式转变;（4）对于多中心等复杂形态城市,引入新参数可以进一步提升过程模型的拟合优度。研究结论：本文揭示了城市用地密度空间衰减的形态特征和过程机理,形态和过程模型为定量理解城市用地密度空间格局提供了有效工具。     

Compliance of land cover changes with municipal land use planning: Evidence from the Lisbon metropolitan region (1990–2007)

In the past few decades, urbanisation has become a major phenomenon in European cities, thus representing one of the key human land cover changes with socio-economic and environmental impacts. In the Lisbon metropolitan region it is estimated that 17% of natural and farmland have been transformed into artificial areas. Since the end of 1990s, specific EU guidelines have been issued to contain urban sprawl and preserve agricultural land. Spatial planning in Portugal obviously is integrating these assumptions into the statutory land-use master plans. But what is the performance of this land use planning system regarding land cover evolution itself? Based on the Lisbon metropolitan region (LMR), one of the major areas of urban growth in Portugal, we examine spatio-temporal land cover patterns between 1990 and 2007 by integrating cross-matrix analysis, spatial metrics, and gradient analysis. Additionally, we overlay these land cover dynamics with municipal master plans that regulate land development in order to assess the compliance levels of this land-use regulatory system. Results indicate that: artificial areas are growing by coalescence and/or by scattered development along an urban–rural gradient; agricultural land is reducing and fragmentation is increasing to enlarge peri-urban spaces; there are high levels of conversion of agricultural land into urban land in protected areas, thus showing a lack of compliance to the land use regulatory system visible in the existing gaps between the original land-use assignments of the master plan and the actual developments.     

Testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis on land use: The case of Romania

The aim of the present study is to test empirically the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis for 42 Romanian counties over the 2000-2014 period. Specifically, we investigate the existence of an inverted U-shaped curve relationship between residential built-up land and economic development in a low-income EU country undergoing rapid and profound transition. We do so by making innovative use of spatial panel econometric techniques. Contrary to our expectations, the results indicate an inverted EKC, implying that higher levels of residential built-up area occur for higher levels of wealth. Moreover, we find that the built-up land in Romania mainly reflects processes of urban expansion, such as sprawl or suburbanization, that may have harmful environmental and social consequences. Spatial spill-overs in terms of built-up land arise and spread, albeit to a limited extent, to neighbouring locations. These findings are of potential significance for policy makers, because they highlight the need for coordination among neighbours. Furthermore, strengthening the institutional framework and local tax management, and planning urban regeneration better could curb and even reverse the extensive built-up land expansion and real estate speculation.     

Agricultural landscape dynamics in response to economic transition: Comparisons between different spatial planning zones in Ningbo region,China

Many major agricultural regions worldwide are experiencing drastic landscape transformations. Examining the complex links among agricultural landscape dynamics (ALD), land use and land cover (LULC) change, socioeconomic development and government planning is pivotal to enhance the efficiency of agricultural landscape management. With a case of the Ningbo region (China), this paper employs the structural equation modeling (SEM) to quantify and compare the relationships between ALD and economic transition as well as the mediating LULC factors in different spatial planning zones. ALD are quantified by time series remotely sensed imageries and a set of landscape metrics; and economic transition is described by a set of indicators from three aspects (globalization, decentralization and marketization). Results show that ALD present similar trend in the two spatial planning zones between 1979 and 2013. However, the magnitude of ALD is larger in the non-urban planning zone. In particular, agricultural landscapes change into the fragmented, irregular, decreased, and isolated patterns at a more rapid pace. Economic transition drivers and LULC mediators differ remarkably between the two spatial planning zones. For the urban planning zone, economic transition influences ALD through construction land morphological changes and water body spatial density increases. For the non-urban planning zone, economic transition influences ALD through forest morphological changes and construction land spatial density increases. In addition, the relative importance of ALD determinants differs between the two spatial planning zones. Marketization plays a more critical role in driving ALD in the urban planning zone, while decentralization has a stronger impact on ALD in the non-urban planning zone. It is argued that land use master plan for agricultural landscape protection should be implemented in the non-urban planning zones and land use plan in the two spatial planning zones should be integrated. This study contributes to the understanding of the complex mechanism of ALD in response to economic transition.     

快速城市化背景下的桂林市土地利用时空动态分析

以城市化快速发展的桂林市五城区为研究区,1991年和2006年两期TM遥感影像为数据源,利用光谱影像信息增强与监督分类相结合方法提取城市土地利用空间信息,同时借助GIS空间分析工具,对桂林市15年间的土地利用时空动态进行了分析。研究结果表明:全市各类土地利用面积发生了明显变化。城镇与居民点用地、水体和其它用地面积均有较明显增长,耕地、林地面积出现不同程度减少,城乡建设用地面积增长已成为整个区域土地扩展的主体;全市土地扩展强度指数和相对变化率存在较大区域差异,城镇与居民点用地、水体和其它用地面积在五城区均呈增长态势,其中城镇与居民点用地扩展强度指数变幅最大,七星区、叠彩区面积扩展最快,雁山区最小。耕地、林地分别以象山区和七星区减少速度最快;从缓冲区上看,城市土地扩张空间差异明显,城镇与居民点用地扩展主要集中在距市中心2～10km的建成区与边缘地带,该地带内的林地、耕地正逐渐被城乡居住、工业与交通用地所替代。     

Values and attitudes of the urban public towards peri-urban agricultural land

Peri-urban agricultural landscapes around the world are undergoing rapid transformation due to urban expansion. While some landscape values are being protected by current land-use planning frameworks, we know little about the broader values and attitudes of the urban public shaping this transformation. The structure of the values assigned to peri-urban agricultural landscapes by residents of Melbourne, Australia was explored and related to stated landscape preferences and people's underlying values. Exploratory factor analysis was used to categorise assigned values in multifunctional, food and native biota groups, and stated preferences for photographs into four landscape categories: intensive landscapes, extensive landscapes, high tree cover and plantations. The structure of underlying personal values closely resembled other studies of environmental value orientations. Multiple regression analysis revealed that preferences for all landscape categories were predicted strongly by multifunctional assigned values. Significant relationships were also evident between all assigned value groups and the biospheric underlying value orientation. Attitudes towards residential development approaches were also related significantly to assigned but not underlying values. Assigned values appear therefore to mediate between underlying values and attitudes towards peri-urban landscapes. This research demonstrates that peri-urban agricultural landscapes are perceived as multifunctional systems by the urban public and are valued for a range of functions not typically included in land use policies. This study also suggests that in the context of rapid land use change, a variety of landscape types should be retained on the urban fringe for their benefit to the urban public, and synergies promoted between landscape functions.     

资源型城市空间扩展研究——以徐州市为例

以我国东部地区典型资源型城市徐州市为例,综合集成MSS、TM、SPOT等遥感影像和地形图、城市历史地图及其它空间数据,在遥感、地理信息系统等技术支持下,通过扩展强度、分形雏数、扩展方向等指标分析了徐州市城市扩展的时空特征,并从自然、经济、社会等方面探讨城市扩展的驱动力.结果表明:建国以来的近60年间,徐州市城市空间显著...     

太原城市边缘区建设用地扩展研究

城市边缘区,是城市地域结构的一个重要组成部分,在城市郊区化和乡村城镇化的双重催化下,经济发展迅速,土地利用不断变化,成为土地利用/土地覆被变化最为激烈的地区之一。本文以1990年、2000年、2006年和2010年的TM遥感影像为基础信息源,提取四个时相的建成区范围,并对近20年来的太原市城市扩展过程进行动态监测研究,结果表明:1)1990~2010年,20年间太原市边缘区建设用地共扩展了191.81 km2;2)从时间上看,2006~2010年的扩展速度最快,强度最大;3)从景观格局上看,1990~2006年以斑块数增加,紧凑度减小的分散扩展模式为主,2006年后以斑块数减少,紧凑度增大的规模扩展模式为主;4)从空间发展上看,具有明显的空间分异特征,且在不同的时间段,这种特征表现不同。     

Marginal periurban agricultural areas: A support method for landscape planning

The significant proportion of often abandoned marginal/enclosed agricultural land in city peripheries has given rise to the need for studying the delicate relationship between built-up areas and rural land. These issues are exacerbated where metropolitan settlement has no bounds and begins to invade the rural space juxtaposed between cities and urban areas.This marginal land, in particular where a minimum of agricultural activity persists, could provide support to urban activities for recreation, farm services and local production of goods, reducing energy consumption, greenhouse-gas emissions, global warming and packaging, conserving biodiversity. These actions will allow the composting and the reuse of treated waste waters for irrigation.In particular, urban agriculture can play an educational role by contributing to reducing crime and improving community/ethnic relations, encouraging time spent in the open air and ensuring food safety.This study describes a methodology related to the analysis, to the identification, of the residual agricultural areas, differentiating them in accordance with the various levels of rurality to indicate the models of use, which allow to enhance the local landscape situations (preservation of the agricultural function or insertion of integrated activities) obtaining the pertinent valorisation. This methodology has been applied to the metropolitan area in the North zone of Catania.The method has three distinct phases: (1) land analysis and GIS construction consists of acquiring and georeferencing cartographic data, field studies to check and update the maps, and carry out a questionnaire on farm data; (2) data processing with GIS to create some thematic maps; (3) proposal of suitable land-use models.     

Planning consistency and implementation in urbanizing China: Comparing urban and land use plans in suburban Beijing

The evaluation of the extent to which urban and land use planning have achieved their objectives is crucial to better management of urban land development. China’s urban and land use plans have the common purpose of controlling urban sprawl. This research aimed at comparatively assessing the consistency and implementation of these plans, considering the Changping District in suburban Beijing as a case study. Three main findings were obtained: (1) each plan used different strategies to control new developments, and there were several quantitative and spatial conflicts between the two plans; (2) neither plan has been well implemented or effective in controlling urban sprawl, despite the slightly better performance of the land use plan; (3) core-periphery decreasing trends were revealed in land quota allocation and effectiveness of planning implementation. Remote regular towns received the least land resources from the top-down planning system but also developed fast, mainly through informal and illegal approaches. Further investigation into the double failure of China’s current spatial planning system in quantitative and spatial control over urban land development requires a deeper integration of various spatial management systems, a fundamental transformation of planning philosophy, and a higher respect for peripheral areas in urban-rural integration. The planning assessment approach and reform recommendations developed on the basis of the Chinese practice are probably referable for other developing countries facing similar processes of rapid urbanization and imperfect spatial management.     

基于ArcGIS的河南省卫辉市耕地时空动态变化分析

随着经济的快速发展,城镇扩张速度不断增加、城镇化率不断提高,结果必然会带来土地利用结构的变化,其中影响最为显著的是由此带来的耕地的时空动态变化。通过遥感技术和ArcGIS软件相结合,并选取部分景观格局指数研究分析了近年来卫辉市城镇发展变化和耕地空间格局的时空动态变化,结果显示:2011—2015年卫辉市城镇建设用地面积由10 678.68 hm^2增加到13 047.35 hm^2,城镇化率逐渐上升,而未利用地开发强度增大,耕地面积稳中有升;受卫辉市地形影响,耕地的空间位置分布不均,增加耕地的位置较为集中,使卫辉市近年来的耕地破碎度有所下降,对农业生产发展有一定的积极作用。     

How do centrality,population growth and urban sprawl impact farmland conversion in Norway?

A strong link has been observed between urbanization processes and conversions of farmland to built-up land. Most previous research has addressed such conversion of farmland in relation to the expansion of larger cities. However, broader analysis of both rural and central areas is needed to increase the empirical basis for these claims. Based on GIS analysis of farmland conversions, this paper aims to expand our understanding of how urban sprawl affects conversion of farmland. We find that most farmland in Norway is converted to built-up areas in relation to existing urban settlement areas. In line with population growth, urban areas in the most central municipalities experience the most significant urban sprawl and loss of farmland. Moreover, the remaining farmland is located in the same areas that already have converted the most. These areas also experience significant pressure for continued land take. Assuming current trends continue, future urban sprawl will pose great challenges for the preservation of farmland in land-use planning. New research and policies are required to handle these challenges more effectively.     

2000—2015年武汉市生态用地时空变化分析

[目的]生态用地是生态文明城市建设、创造美好人居环境的关键。在城市化进程加快的背景下,分析城市生态用地的数量和空间格局变化过程及其生态效应具有重要意义。[方法]文章选用分辨率为30m的2000—2015年3期土地利用覆被数据,采用土地利用动态度、扩展综合指数、土地利用转移矩阵、土地利用转入和转出率、土地利用信息熵等地理计量模型、指标,开展武汉市生态用地时空变化分析。[结果]武汉市生态用地总面积减少,生态用地利用动态度较大,生态用地变化剧烈,其中森林、水体是转为非生态用地最多的地类,耕地是生态用地增加的主要来源。生态用地转出多,转入少,空间分布广且零散。生态用地减少整体上围绕江岸、江汉、武昌等中心城区向城郊呈现"多→少"的扩散形态。黄陂区、江夏区是森林减少的主要地区,蔡甸、新洲、武昌是主要水体转出区。生态用地增加以新洲区、东西湖区的水体和黄陂区的森林为主。生态用地信息熵整体下降,生态用地多样性降低。[结论]武汉市生态用地的变化反映了城市扩张的进程,一定程度上加剧了生态景观格局的破碎度、城市内涝问题,破坏了生态系统的稳定性和多样性。     

Assessing the fragmentation of construction land in urban areas: An index method and case study in Shunde, China

The fragmentation of construction land due to decentralised urban development, disorderly mixed land use, and large-scale transportation infrastructure poses a threat to urban integrity. There is a need to quantify the fragmentation level in a consistent way for inclusion in planning-related decisions. In the context of China's urban sprawl, this study develops a quantitative and intuitive index approach that planners can use to analyse multiple fragmentation features of construction land within urban areas. The approach can be used in planning policy reviews for timely land-use assessment and can be integrated into urban planning processes for developing strategic land-use scenarios. The method was applied in Shunde, a typical urban area in southern China, and construction-land fragmentation and its impacts on environmental quality were analysed. The results show that the entire built-up area in Shunde displays a high level of fragmentation. Patches of industrial and rural residence have been identified specifically higher fragmentation level. The shortage of available construction land makes land consolidation within built-up areas very important in planning Shunde's future development. Moreover, the land shortage requires the progressive reduction of construction land fragmentation. The results of the study also indicate that although land fragmentation has been affected by transportation infrastructure and the existence of rivers and hills in this region, decentralised decisions from hierarchical local governance regimes have greatly exacerbated this situation. Shunde provides examples of typical land-use problems associated with quasi-urbanised regions in China; construction-land fragmentation is a greater determinant for the sustainable development of urban and rural areas than construction-land growth.     

Assessment of relation of land use characteristics with vector-borne diseases in tropical areas

Land use and land cover changes play an important role in the occurrence of vector-borne diseases. It is highly essential to identify the prominent changes responsible for its occurrence so that suitable measures can be adopted. An attempt was made to identify the prominent land use and land cover changes responsible for the spread of chikungunya, malaria, and dengue fever in the State of Kerala, India, using hierarchical cluster analysis and multiple regression analysis. Large extent of water bodies, low land and agricultural land played a significant role on the incidence of chikungunya and malaria. High population density, built-up area and agricultural area favoured dengue fever. Vector-borne diseases were found to be the lowest in places where there is no low land and with higher forest area. Inappropriate disposal of wastes generated in the built-up area might be the reason for the spread of dengue fever. Freshwater in drains of these areas is polluted and form breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Hence much attention is to be paid to provide appropriate treatment and disposal of wastes generated in the built-up area of the State In an evolving urban policy, priority is to be given to the installation of safe treatment and disposal facility of wastes especially, sewage, sullage, and solid waste. The protection of forest land also plays an important role. Economic policy instruments such as Payment for Environment Services (PES) schemes, may constitute a useful tool to encourage an improved land use management through appropriate price signals, such as, for instance, for the preservation of forested areas especially in proximity of highly populated urban environments.     

Virtual built-up land transfers embodied in China’s interregional trade

China’s vibrant interregional trade has widened the gaps between production and consumption, which transfers the pressure of built-up land resources caused by population expansion and supply/demand imbalances. This study comprehensively analyzes China’s built-up land use issues, considering the complex interregional trading network. Accordingly, the virtual built-up land transfers embodied in China’s interregional trade is illustrated, based on a multi-regional input-output analysis. In China, the national average of virtual built-up land intensity illustrates a downward trend. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the intensive built-up land utilization policies implemented in many parts of the country. Three economic regions of China with the most active trade activities (the Yangtze River Delta, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions, and Guangdong Province) have attracted many virtual land flows to relieve the built-up land resource pressures caused by rapid economic development. These flows have mainly derived from neighboring provinces. Considering the detail virtual built-up land transfer profiles embodied in China’s interregional trade, policymakers must collaborate to formulate differentiated policies and optimize built-up land types that combine industrial structure and trade patterns.     

基于多维城乡差异化人地特征的城区范围识别方法 ——面向中国多样本城市的实践探索

研究目的：基于概念辨析与方法演进分析，从城乡差异化人地特征入手，构建指标量化下的城区范围识别方法并应用于107个样本城市进行准确度校验。研究方法：文献资料法、归纳演绎法、实证分析法。研究结果：（1）城区概念中的实体地域认知日益深化，现有多类指标筛选法、遥感影像识别法、大数据与人工智能识别法三类识别方法且具有差异化应用特征；（2）可从人口、土地、产业、环境4个维度选取差异化特征要素并确定指标条件，构建以实体地域为基础的城区范围识别方法；（3）借助影像数据、矢量数据和统计数据，依次通过初步筛选获得城区初始范围，通过图斑功能、连接度、边界核查等判断获得城区实体地域范围，通过图斑占比、市政公用和公共服务设施等分析获得城区范围；（4）在方法准确度校验中，105个样本城市的城区实体地域范围面积与同年度建成区面积平均偏差为21.2%，趋势线斜率为0.825，判定方法有效。研究结论：本方法可应用于全国各区域城市的城区范围识别，未来可在人口指标增补、统计精度提升等方面进行优化并开展镇区、乡村空间识别的延续性研究。