Acta Geographica Sinica ›› 2018, Vol. 73 ›› Issue (5): 789-802.doi: 10.11821/dlxb201805001

• Land Use and Ecosystem Services •     Next Articles

Spatio-temporal patterns and characteristics of land-use change in China during 2010-2015

LIU Jiyuan1(),NING Jia1,KUANG Wenhui1(),XU Xinliang1,ZHANG Shuwen2,YAN Changzhen3,LI Rendong4,WU Shixin5,HU Yunfeng1,DU Guoming6,CHI Wenfeng1,PAN Tao5,NING Jing6   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China
    2. Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, CAS, Changchun 130102, China
    3. Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, CAS, Lanzhou 730000, China
    4. Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, CAS, Wuhan 430077, China
    5. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, CAS, Urumqi 830011, China
    6. Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
  • Received:2017-08-19 Online:2018-05-03 Published:2018-05-03
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Program, No.2017YFC0506501;National Key Basic Research Program of China, No.2014CB954302

Abstract:

Land use/cover change is an important theme on the impacts of human activities on the earth systems and global environment change. National land-use changes of China during 2010-2015 were acquired by the digital interpretation method using high-resolution remotely sensed images, i.e. the Landsat8 OLI, and GF-2 remote sensing images. The spatio-temporal characteristics of land-use changes across China during 2010-2015 were revealed by the indexes of dynamic degree model, annual land-use changes ratio, etc. The results indicated that built-up land increased by 24.6×103 km2, while cropland decreased by 4.9×103 km2, and the total area of woodland and grassland decreased by 16.4×103 km2. The spatial pattern of land-use changes in China during 2010-2015 was concordant with that of the period 2000-2010. Specially, new characteristics of land-use changes emerged in different regions of China in 2010-2015. The built-up land in eastern China expanded continually, and the total area of cropland decreased, both at decreasing rates. The rates of built-up land expansion and cropland shrinkage were accelerated in central China. The rates of built-up land expansion and cropland growth increased in western China, while the decreasing rate of woodland and grassland accelerated. In northeastern China, built-up land expansion slowed down continually, and cropland area increased slightly accompanied by the conversions between paddy land and dry land. Besides, woodland and grassland area decreased in northeastern China. The characteristics of land-use changes in eastern China were essentially consistent with the spatial governance and control requirements of the optimal development zones and key development zones according to the Major Function-oriented Zones Planning implemented during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015). It was a serious challenge for the central government of China to effectively protect the reasonable layout of land use types dominated with the key ecological function zones and agricultural production zones in central and western China. Furthermore, the local governments should take effective measures to strengthen the management of territorial development in future.

Key words: land use change, spatio-temporal characteristics, remote sensing, Major Function-oriented Zones, China