An Infrastructure Fragmentation Index for Assessing Landscape Fragmentation Due to Transportation Infrastructure

Based on TM remote sensing image and topographic map, the spatial information of landscape pattern was extracted in Hulunbeier steppe in 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010. With the principles and methods of landscape ecology, landscape fragmentation index, division index, dominance index and fragility index were selected to construct the ecological safety index which was used to quantitatively analyze the dynamic changes of landscape pattern and elucidated ecological safety status in study area. Result showed that the overall landscape tended to become fragmentized and complicated with the total number of patches increasing in the study area from 1995 to 2010. The ecological safety index of landscape types can be classified into four grades, grassland > unused land, wood land > water body, crop land > construction land. Overall, the regional ecological safety status got worse with the ecological safety index of natural landscapes decreasing and the ecological safety index of artificial landscapes increasing. In particular, the area of construction land had a continuous increase with a higher growth rate (7.41% per year during 2005~2010), which will be unfavorable to regional ecological safety as the biggest potential risk.

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The Effect of Rural Buildings on Landscape Fragmentation in Natura 2000 Sites: A Case Study in Sardinia

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11174695 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (17) ◽

pp. 4695

Author(s):

Ledda ◽

Serra ◽

De Montis

Keyword(s):

Natura 2000 ◽

Landscape Fragmentation ◽

Protection Measures ◽

Fragmentation Index ◽

Species Survival ◽

Rural Buildings ◽

Mesh Density ◽

Landscape Units ◽

Special Protection Areas ◽

Rural Sprawl

Landscape fragmentation (LF) is the process where habitat patches tend to become smaller and more isolated over time. It is mainly due to human activities and affects habitats, biodiversity, ecosystem balance, and ecological networks. Transport and mobility infrastructures and urbanized areas—also in the form of suburban and rural sprawl—contribute to LF and can be localized close to (or included in) Natura 2000 sites (N2000 sites). N2000 sites are set according to the Habitats and Birds Directives and consist of special protection areas, sites of community importance, and special areas of conservation, where LF may threaten habitat quality and species survival and dispersal. Then, new rules and planning approaches are called for defining effective protection measures. The knowledge of the context appears to be a priority to achieve such aims. Therefore, this study focuses on LF in N2000 sites. We apply the rural buildings fragmentation index (RBFI) and the effective mesh density (Seff) in six landscape units in Sardinia (Italy). Then, we report on the least and the most fragmented N2000 sites and assess if there is correlation between RBFI and Seff. In this study, RBFI and Seff provide not trivial outcomes, as they are weakly and positively correlated.

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Comparing the Landscape Fragmentation and Accessibility of Green Spaces in Territories-in-Between across Europe

Urban Planning ◽

10.17645/up.v2i4.1122 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 161-180

Author(s):

Alexander Wandl

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Western Europe ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Well Being ◽

Landscape Fragmentation ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Fragmentation Index ◽

Environmental Agencies

To improve the positive effects provided by green spaces on human well-being in dispersed urban areas is a key challenge for sustainable spatial development in Europe. This article presents a methodology that allows for the comparison of the potential of green spaces in Territories-in-Between across Europe, in a way that crosses the fields of urban ecology and urbanism. The article adds to the existing knowledge and understanding of the relation between the spatial organisation of systems of green spaces and their accessibility to biodiversity and human well-being. Firstly, it adapts the fragmentation index in a way that it can be applied to the specific spatial characteristics of Territories-in-Between. Secondly, it combines the fragmentation index with an indicator for accessibility of green spaces, in order to integrate aspects of ecology, human well-being and the spatial heterogeneity of the relation between them. The methodology is applied to ten areas across western Europe in order to inform decision and policy makers including urban planners, designers and environmental agencies to be able to assess the potential of system of green spaces for biological diversity and human well-being in an integrated manner.

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The Dynamic Evaluation of Ecosystem Services Value (ESV) Based on the Analysis of the Landscape Pattern: A Case of Changshou District in Three Gorges Area

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.518-523.125 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 518-523 ◽

pp. 125-131

Author(s):

Wu Ying Yi ◽

Wei Ci Su

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Landscape Pattern ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Landscape Fragmentation ◽

Gis Technology ◽

Dry Land ◽

Wiener Diversity Index ◽

Fragmentation Index ◽

Unused Land ◽

Landscape Dynamic

Land use is the result of the interaction between the Nature and the Man; the change of land use not only affects landscape pattern changes, but also affects ESV. The paper is based on RS and GIS technology, taking Changshou district of Chongqing as an example. We select and calculate the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (SHDI), landscape fragmentation index (LTFI) and landscape dynamic index (K), to analyze the landscape pattern changes, and the theories of ESV is used in this paper. The results indicate: In 2002 and 2009, the total of patches increases. The area and the patches of forest land, brush, town and construction increase, while the area and the patches of the paddy, dry land, and the unused land reduce. SHDI and LTFI increase slightly. ESV ascends from 191million yuan to 197million yuan from 2002 to 2009, the net ascending value is 61million. The results show the ecological environment has improved a little in Changshou.

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