Impact of LUCC on landscape pattern in the Yangtze River Basin during 2001–2019

Evaluating the influences of LUCC (Land Use/Land Cover Change) on landscape pattern is significant for understanding and improving ecological environment system management. This study used landscape pattern as an important indicator to estimate the impacts of the LUCC in the Yangtze River Basin from 2001 to 2019. Based on the remote sensing images of LULC (Land Use/Land Cover) in the Yangtze River Basin in 2001–2019, the dynamic attitude and transfer matrix of LULC, and landscape pattern indices were employed to analyze the LUCC and the impact of LULC on the landscape pattern of the Yangtze River Basin. The results of LUCC show that the main LUCC in the Yangtze River Basin during 2001–2019 is mainly manifested by the increase of water body, forest, wetland, crop/natural vegetation mosaic (NVM) and urban, among which the forest increased the most by 62,635 km2. The areas of grassland and cropland are decreasing, with the grassland decreasing the most. Forest, crop/NVM and cropland are transformed into grassland, which complements the lack of grassland to some extent. LUCC in the Yangtze River Basin is most intense between grassland and forest. Landscape pattern shows: Grassland occupies an important advantage in the whole landscape structure. Forest, grassland and urban landscapes are seriously fragmented, and their LSI (Landscape Shape Index) is more complex than others. The connectivity between various landscape types is weakened, and the degree of landscape fragmentation is increased, but the LULC structure is becoming more and more abundant. The areas with high landscape fragmentation value have richer landscape diversity and diverse LULC types. There is a strong correlation between grassland and the four landscape pattern indices. The change of landscape pattern in the Yangtze River Basin is influenced by natural factors and LUCC in the Yangtze River Basin, and the change caused by human activities is the main driving factor of LUCC. •We evaluated the LUCC and the impact of LULC on the landscape pattern of the Yangtze River Basin.•We revealed that how human society affected LULC and landscape pattern changed from the perspective of human activities.•The change of landscape pattern is influenced by natural factors and LUCC in the Yangtze River Basin.•The change caused by human activities is the main driving factor of LUCC.