Abstract:

A thermal effect of landscape patterns from 50 villages within a 220 km² plain region in northern Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province was studied based on Quickbird and ETM images data. A total 45 landscape pattern indices (LPI) from 5 land-use types of patches were calculated, and the quantity relationship among LPI and between LPI and environment brightness temperature (EBT) were analyzed. The result showed that in the core area (built-up area) of villages, there was a close linear relationship between LPI and BET; and the correlation was evidently affected by the patch area. the 45 LPI could be classified into 6 groups, i.e. fragmentation indices, coverage indices, shape indices, core area size, indices of 100 m wide buffer ring around core area and others, of which the index type of fragmentation, coverage of dominant patches and whole landscape had more significant correlations with BET. Contribution of landscape patterns indices to environment temperature, up to around 25% of total, was not able to be ignored in village built-up area with complex landscape structure. Two empirical models were established (R²>0.9) referring to 2 groups of LPI for predicting and adjusting the EBT being selected out too. Analysis result with the models and indices showed that the villages with high density in patch edges, large amount, small size and even disperse of patches, narrow shape in core area and buildings but rounded shape in green-water tent to reduce environment temperature. In the areas composed of core area respectively plus 100 m, 200 m and 300 m buffer ring(+100 m, +200 m, +300 m buffer), the leading EBT index turned into green-water coverage. The +100 m buffer was the best scale for studies on thermal effect of landscape patterns.

Key words: rural landscape patterns, landscape patterns index, thermal effect, village greening