Differences in urbanization process of catchment in Dongjiang watershed and their effects on landscape pattern.

Based on 1991, 1998, and 2006 TM images, the areas of different land use types and the landscape indices of three catchments (catchment a, b, and c, which represented upper, middle, and lower reaches, respectively) in Dongjiang watershed were analyzed, aimed to study the differences in urbanization process along Dongjiang River, and their effects on landscape pattern. The results showed that the degree and speed of urbanization increased from the upper to the lower reach of Dongjiang River. Urbanization had significantly effects on water and vegetation. Urban land area was positively correlated with water body area, and negatively correlated with forest land area. However, to some extent, urbanization stepped into a relatively high degree might benefit forest recovery. The landscape pattern of catchments a and b kept complicating from 1991 to 2006, while that of catchment c was getting complex from 1991 to 1998 and then becoming simple from 1998 to 2006, indicating that with the development of urbanization, landscape pattern presented a "simple-complex-simple" tendency. Understanding the change patterns of the landscape pattern along Dongjiang River would benefit the management and sustainable development of the watershed as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]