Change of farmland landscape pattern in urbanization process based on RS and GIS technologies

Baiyun region,a district of Guangzhou was taken as a case study area.Based on the interpretation of Landsat-TM data(with three digital images taken in 1988, 1997 and 2000,respectively) and GIS technologies,dynamic changes of farmland landscape types were attained and some landscape pattern indices were computed and analyzed.The results showed that farmland landscape area shrank rapidly,and mainly converted into water,town and other development lands from 1988 to 2002.The number of patches,fragmentation degree,dispersion degree and shape index were increasing,but the mean area and mean perimeter of patches were decreasing.The factors that influenced changes of farmland landscape were also analyzed by using step regression method,the results indicated that there was a correlation between changes of farmland landscape types,elevation and slope,the minimum distances from farmland to the cores of town,to urban area and traffic lines,and to forests.