The Study of the Spatiotemporal Evolution of Land Use and Landscape Patterns in Maoming City

Abstract

This study analyzes the changes in land use and the evolution of landscape patterns in Maoming City from 2000 to 2020, revealing the dynamic changes in land use and their ecological effects during urbanization. The results show a significant decrease in cultivated land area, a notable increase in construction land, and a slight decrease in grassland area during this period, indicating that the ecosystem faces certain pressures. The fluctuations in the number of patches (NP) and patch density (PD) reflect a trend of landscape fragmentation in Maoming. The number of patches in cultivated land and woodland has decreased, and the Interspersion and Juxtaposition Index (IJI) and Aggregation Index (AI) indicate that patch distribution tends to be disordered and uneven. At the overall landscape level, diversity has decreased, and the Shannon's Evenness Index (SHEI) has remained relatively stable but is insufficient to offset the negative impacts of reduced diversity. The Landscape Disturbance Index (LDI) shows that landscape interference in Maoming peaked in 2010 and then declined, suggesting that ecological protection and integrated management measures have been effective. The mean disturbance index (MLDI) is higher in the southern Maonan and Dianbai districts, mainly due to higher urbanization, population density, and active economic activities, while the northern Xinyi City, with lower urbanization and fewer human activities, exhibits a lower disturbance index.