Analyzing landscape change through landscape structure indices: Case of the city of Aydin, Turkey

This study analysis the spatial pattern change with regards to landscape connectivity in Aydin by using landscape structure indices and GIS technology. Rectified black and white aerial protographs from 1977 and pan sharpened Ikonos images from 2002 are used in the analysis. A set of class level landscape structure indices are employed: percentage of landscape; patch number; mean patch size; area weighted mean patch size; mean shape index and connectance index. The findings indicate a decrease in the proportion, patch number, mean patch size and connectance of the crop fields, fruit groves and natural areas and an increase of these attributes for open spaces, vacant lots and urban built up areas. The recommendations to improve the spatial structure in relation to landscape connectivity include: increasing the amount of natural patches by restoring the natural attributes of the open space patches; mitigating the conversion of open spaces to urban built up areas by allocating suitable areas as parks and open space corridors for a city wide ecological network; making agricultural patches as main components of the local and regional ecological networks; encouraging ecologically sound agricultural practices for an effective network structure; preserving riparian corridors and improving structure by applying ecologically sound design principles and encouraging finger-like development pattern to implement green wedges penetrating into the urban core areas.