Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover Changes, and Their Ecological Implications in Wuhan, China

Abstract

This study investigated land use changes, and their ecological effects in Wuhan (1987-2005). Remote Sensing techniques extracted land use data, whilst the spatial analyst software, Fragstats quantified ecological metrics at both landscape and class levels. The results showed increased urban and agricultural land uses (1987-2005); with urban land increasing more than 250 percent. This was largely attributed to: i) state favors accorded to it as the economic, industrial, scientific and cultural hub of central China; and ii) socioeconomic reforms. This is also shown by the positive correlation between urban growth and socioeconomic variables in the order GDP > per capita GDP > per capita annual net urban income. Ecological metrics at landscape level (example, number of patches, Shannon and Simpson’s diversity Indices) showed that fragmentation strengthened (1987-1994), but weakened (1994-2005). Socioeconomic factors and ecological metrics indeed explained land use changes and their effects in Wuhan.