Spatiotemporal dynamics of land use and landscape in coastal Zhejiang using multiple methods

The coastal counties of Zhejiang Province, China, are important for economic development, marine economy, and nature conservation. This study aimed to support sustainable land-use policies through the planning and management of 35 counties, using official land-use data from 1990 to 2020. Spatial analysis methods included transition matrix, land-use intensity, landscape-pattern indices, centroid shift, and standard deviation ellipses. Results showed a "north-cropland, south-woodland" structure, together over 75% of the area. Construction land expanded steadily to 20%, mainly from cropland, woodland, and grassland (87% of outflows). Inflows mainly involved construction land, woodland, and cropland (91%). The wetland was dominated by the river channel and mudflat. Mudflat and beach made up 94% of outflows; reservoir and pond, 78% of inflows. Land-use intensity increased overall, with Pinghu highest. Grassland centroid shifted 38.74 km. Ellipses showed directional changes. Land-use diversity and spatial complexity increased, reflecting intensified human influence and offering a basis for sustainable planning and ecological restoration.