›› 2013, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (2): 211-218.

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Dynamic Change of Wetland Landscapes in the Ertix River Basin, Xinjiang during the Period of 1990-2010

YANG Han 1,2,CHEN Xue-gang1 , WANG Ya-qi 1   

  1. 1. College of Geography and Tourism Science, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang,China; 2. College of Resources and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang,China
  • Received:2012-04-18 Revised:2012-10-31 Online:2013-03-15 Published:2013-03-29

Abstract: In this paper, the changes of landscape patterns at both landscape scale and patch scale in the Ertix River Basin, Xinjiang, China were studied based on the satellite images in 1990, 2000 and 2010. The landscape analysis was accomplished using GIS and FRAGSTATS software, and the analyzed items included the various landscape indices relating to the temporal and spatial change of wetland landscape patterns during the period from 1990 to 2010. The results showed that the number of wetland patches was increased, shape of the wetland patches became more irregular, and the wetland landscapes were more fragmental. The total area of wetland patches was enlarged because of the increase of precipitation in the basin since the 1980s, and the increase of landscape fragmentation was mainly caused by the increase of human activities. To sum up, the serious fragmentation of wetland landscapes in the basin was affected by both natural and human factors, and the human adverse impact on the wetland landscapes became more and more serious.

Key words: wetlands, landscape pattern, spatial heterogeneity, driving factor, Ertix River Basin, Xinjiang