Analyzing spatial restructuring of land use patterns in a fast growing region using remote sensing and GIS

This study analyzes urban expansion and spatial restructuring of land use patterns in the Pearl River Delta of south China by using remote sensing and GIS. The region has pioneered the nation in economic development and urbanization process. Tremendous land use changes have been witnessed since the economic reform in 1978. Land use changes over two time periods, 1988–1993 and 1993–1997, are analyzed to demonstrate how enforcing land use policies can influence the direction and magnitude of landscape change. The adoption of a market economy has resulted in the internal restructuring of agricultural land use from traditional paddy production to more diversified agricultural activities, such as growing cash crops, fruits and aquaculture. Spatial dependency of land use changes and variations of land development can be identified between the eastern development corridor and the western development corridor. The measurement of spatial patterns is accomplished by using the indicators of compactness index and entropy. This study provides new evidence with spatial details about the uneven land development in the Pearl River Delta.