The effects of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity in Zhuhai city, China
Urban forests can provide the necessary ecosystem services for their residents and play an important part in improving the urban environment. Forest landscape connectivity is a vital indicator reflecting the quality of the ecological environment and ecological functions. Detecting changes in landsca...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI
2018
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55260/ |
| _version_ | 1848799137680588800 |
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| author | Cui, Nan Feng, Chen-Chieh Wang, Dan Li, Jianfei Guo, Luo |
| author_facet | Cui, Nan Feng, Chen-Chieh Wang, Dan Li, Jianfei Guo, Luo |
| author_sort | Cui, Nan |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Urban forests can provide the necessary ecosystem services for their residents and play an important part in improving the urban environment. Forest landscape connectivity is a vital indicator reflecting the quality of the ecological environment and ecological functions. Detecting changes in landscape connectivity is, therefore, an important step for providing sound scientific evidence for the better urban planning. Using remote sensing images of a study area in Zhuhai City in 1999, 2005, 2009 and 2013, the dynamic forest landscape connectivity of Zhuhai city can be evaluated based on a graph-theoretic approach. The aims of our study were to discover and interpret the effect of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity. The construction of ecological corridors helps us specifically compare the landscape connectivity of three parts of urban forests. On the basis of functional landscape metrics, the correlation of these metrics and patch area was discussed in order to comprehensively identify the key patches. The analysis showed that the total areas of forestlands reduced from 1999 to 2009 and then increased from 2009 to 2013, and the same trend was found in overall forest landscape connectivity. To improve the overall landscape connectivity, construct urban ecological network and appropriately protect biodiversity in the future, the existing important patches with large areas or key positions should be well protected. This study revealed that urbanization reduced the area of key patches and consequently reduced the forest landscape connectivity, which increased while the patch areas increased due to the environmental protection policy. Functional connectivity indicators could provide more comprehensive information in the development of environmental protection strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:30:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-55260 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:30:53Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | MDPI |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-552602018-10-05T08:03:49Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55260/ The effects of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity in Zhuhai city, China Cui, Nan Feng, Chen-Chieh Wang, Dan Li, Jianfei Guo, Luo Urban forests can provide the necessary ecosystem services for their residents and play an important part in improving the urban environment. Forest landscape connectivity is a vital indicator reflecting the quality of the ecological environment and ecological functions. Detecting changes in landscape connectivity is, therefore, an important step for providing sound scientific evidence for the better urban planning. Using remote sensing images of a study area in Zhuhai City in 1999, 2005, 2009 and 2013, the dynamic forest landscape connectivity of Zhuhai city can be evaluated based on a graph-theoretic approach. The aims of our study were to discover and interpret the effect of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity. The construction of ecological corridors helps us specifically compare the landscape connectivity of three parts of urban forests. On the basis of functional landscape metrics, the correlation of these metrics and patch area was discussed in order to comprehensively identify the key patches. The analysis showed that the total areas of forestlands reduced from 1999 to 2009 and then increased from 2009 to 2013, and the same trend was found in overall forest landscape connectivity. To improve the overall landscape connectivity, construct urban ecological network and appropriately protect biodiversity in the future, the existing important patches with large areas or key positions should be well protected. This study revealed that urbanization reduced the area of key patches and consequently reduced the forest landscape connectivity, which increased while the patch areas increased due to the environmental protection policy. Functional connectivity indicators could provide more comprehensive information in the development of environmental protection strategies. MDPI 2018-09-21 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en cc_by https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55260/1/sustainability-10-03381.pdf Cui, Nan, Feng, Chen-Chieh, Wang, Dan, Li, Jianfei and Guo, Luo (2018) The effects of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity in Zhuhai city, China. Sustainability, 10 (10). 3381/1-3381/17. ISSN 2071-1050 landscape connectivity; urban forests; urbanization; graph theory; Zhuhai https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/10/3381 doi:10.3390/su10103381 doi:10.3390/su10103381 |
| spellingShingle | landscape connectivity; urban forests; urbanization; graph theory; Zhuhai Cui, Nan Feng, Chen-Chieh Wang, Dan Li, Jianfei Guo, Luo The effects of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity in Zhuhai city, China |
| title | The effects of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity in Zhuhai city, China |
| title_full | The effects of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity in Zhuhai city, China |
| title_fullStr | The effects of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity in Zhuhai city, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effects of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity in Zhuhai city, China |
| title_short | The effects of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity in Zhuhai city, China |
| title_sort | effects of rapid urbanization on forest landscape connectivity in zhuhai city, china |
| topic | landscape connectivity; urban forests; urbanization; graph theory; Zhuhai |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55260/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55260/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/55260/ |