Gis-Based Urban Mosaic and its Gradient Analysis: A Case Study from Wuhu City, China

The landscape configuration of Wuhu City was analyzed based on the theory and methodology of landscape ecology and employing the techniques of Remote Sensing (RS), Global Positioning System (GPS), and Geographic Information System (GIS). The study area encompassed the entire downtown region of 70.7 km²; a north-south transect was established along the long axis of the city. The results revealed five major landscape elements: urban (buildings and pavement surfaces), urban forest, other green land, agriculture, and water. The building and pavement surface, which was the matrix, occupied 70.17% of total land area. The objectives of this study were to (1) provide an understanding of the urban landscape at the landscape level, (2) analyze the relationship between human activities and urban landscape pattern,(3) provide some information and recommendations for optimizing urban landscape patterns.