Analyzing structural and functional changes of traditional landscapes—two examples from Southern France

摘要: Traditional landscapes are changing with increasing speed and an important cultural heritage is becoming lost. New replace the traditional ones gradually or sometimes abruptly. This article analyzes characteristics mechanisms of landscape changes at a settlement level, by using case studies in countryside southern France where transition between new residential urbanization land abandonment. Structural use, building field patterns two time periods studied aerial photographs covering period from 1960 to 1999. The were scanned allow on screen digitalization interpretation selected features details, which consecutively mapped analyzed GIS. Changes observed compared population statistic accessibility place. All cases show very different unique trajectories change complex interactions driving forces. Agricultural intensification abandonment act simultaneously forms countryside. Although easily recognizable photographs, quantitative assessment structural components remains difficult results can hardly be related accessibility. Consequently, morphological lead other interpretations underlying functional processes than statistical data do.