Urbanization represents a particular environmental gradient that produces deep modifications on the structures and functions of ecological systems. The uncontrolled urban sprawl and the transformations of traditional land uses have strong negative impacts on all the natural, economic and social components. As a consequence there exists a clear need to develop specific and comparable indicators addressed to quantify the urbanization gradient and study its relationships with the composition and configuration of other landscape components. This study, integrating urban gradient modelling and landscape pattern analysis, aims at the investigation of spatiotemporal changes induced by urbanization and by other anthropogenic factors. Differently than previous studies based on the transect approach, landscape metrics are calculated diachronically within five contiguous zones defined along the urban to rural gradient and characterized by decreasing intervals of settlement density. The results show that, within the study area, urban sprawl and agricultural lands simplification remain the dominant forces responsible of the landscape modifications occurred in the period under investigation.
Spatio-temporal Analysis Using Urban-Rural Gradient Modelling and Landscape Metrics
VIZZARI, Marco
2011
Abstract
Urbanization represents a particular environmental gradient that produces deep modifications on the structures and functions of ecological systems. The uncontrolled urban sprawl and the transformations of traditional land uses have strong negative impacts on all the natural, economic and social components. As a consequence there exists a clear need to develop specific and comparable indicators addressed to quantify the urbanization gradient and study its relationships with the composition and configuration of other landscape components. This study, integrating urban gradient modelling and landscape pattern analysis, aims at the investigation of spatiotemporal changes induced by urbanization and by other anthropogenic factors. Differently than previous studies based on the transect approach, landscape metrics are calculated diachronically within five contiguous zones defined along the urban to rural gradient and characterized by decreasing intervals of settlement density. The results show that, within the study area, urban sprawl and agricultural lands simplification remain the dominant forces responsible of the landscape modifications occurred in the period under investigation.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
