[Forest distribution pattern and land use strategy along urban-rural gradient]

Area of Science:

• Urban ecology
• Remote sensing
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Background:

• Urban expansion significantly impacts land cover and forest distribution.
• Understanding land use patterns is crucial for sustainable urban planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze forest distribution and land use strategies along urban-rural gradients in Nanjing.
• To investigate the relationship between topography, urbanization, and forest coverage.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Landsat TM images and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data.
• Defined eight urban-rural gradient zones (I-VIII) based on buffers and urban fringes.
• Correlated forest coverage with mountainous area coverage across zones.

Main Results:

• A positive correlation exists between mountainous area coverage and forest coverage.
• Forest coverage is higher in mountainous areas than in flat areas.
• Forest coverage distribution followed a pattern: I > II, II < III, III ≈ IV, IV > V > VI > VII > VIII.
• Inner city areas showed low forest cover due to high exploitation value.
• Outskirts within 10 km of the urban fringe exhibited outstanding ecological value and increased forest cover.
• Forest coverage declined with increasing distance from the urban center, driven by production value.

Conclusions:

• Land use type selection is primarily determined by the potential economic value of each type.
• Urban development and agricultural production dominate land use, often at the expense of ecological regulation.
• Conservation efforts should focus on areas with high ecological value, particularly within the urban fringe.