Land availability vs conversion by use type: A new approach for land take monitoring

The present study compares the percent composition of land take in eight (non-urban) classes of use in Rome (Italy) with the percent composition of the original landscape over three distinct urbanization phases (1949–1974, 1974–1999, 1999–2008), The observed class ratio of the percent composition of land take during each period to the percent composition of landscape observed at the beginning of each period has been proposed as an indicator of land consumption. The proportion of land consumed for pastures, mixed cropland, urban parks, arable land and vineyards was found to be higher than their percent composition in the original landscape. The reverse pattern was observed for woodland, olive groves and wetlands. Results suggest that significant changes in land consumption patterns occurred in Rome over the last sixty years possibly due to the different urbanization patterns (from compact to dispersed) and the increased effectiveness of land protection measures due to the development of the protected green belt surrounding the city.