Characterizing wetland change at landscape scale in Jiangsu Province, China

摘要: Human activities produced great impacts on wetlands worldwide. Taking Jiangsu Province, China, as a representative wetland region subject to extensive human activities, the aim of this study is understand conversion trajectory and spatial differentiation in change from multi-scale perspective. Based multi-temporal Landsat images, it was found that natural decreased by 11.2% 1990 2006 Province. Transition matrices showed human-made (mostly aquaculture ponds) major form reduction, accounting for over 60% reduction. Percentage reduction area reduc tion were respectively quantified within different cover zones using moving window analysis. Average percentage decreasing tendency with increasing cover. The high-cover mid-cover zone presented largest at scales 1–2 km 4–8 km, respectively. Local hotspots mapped equal-interval quantile classification schemes. mostly concentrated Lixiahe marshes coastal areas. For hotspots, larger more patches than classification; while an opposite result shown hotspots. With respect discontinuous distribution wetlands, could be appropriate represent area. These findings have useful implications conservation.