A RESEARCH ON PATTERN CHARACTERISTICS AND TYPE CLASSIFICATION OF RURAL SETTLEMENT IN NORTHERN JIANGSU PROVINCE
ZHU Bin1, MA Xiao-dong2
1. College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Xuzhou Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China;
2. Institute of Huaihai Development, Xuzhou Normal University, Xuzhou 221009, China
Abstract The regional differentiation and pattern evolution of rural settlement location, size, distribution, structure, form and function can often reveal man-land interative footprint in different stages and different areas. This paper aims to analyze the pattern characteristic of rural settlement in northern Jiangsu province by applying RS, GIS and landscape analysis method. Using rural settlement in northern Jiangsu province as study unit, the research selects the spatial metrics to analyse pattern characteristics of typical samples and chooses NP, LPI, AREA_MN, PD, ENN_MN, FRAC_MN and SHAPE_MN to measure every county unit. One typical sample (W~E) traverses the central region of northern Jiangsu area, the other sample (NW~SE) traverses coastland of northern Jiangsu area. Every sample is composed of 20km*20km quadrat. Changes in landscape level metrics along the transects reflects that the density of rural settlements in Yancheng and Huaian is higher than that in Xuzhou and Suqian; the shape of rural settlements in Yancheng is flat, however, rural settlements in Xuzhou and Suqian show cluster distribution. Making county as the study unit, the paper analyses pattern characteristics of rural settlement from three aspects which are scale, distribution and shape. The results show that the spatial distribution of rural settlement in northern Jiangsu area presents obvious regional variations. The scale of Xuhuai plain rural settlement is large but sparse. Settlements show regiment distribution and obvious seperation. Huaiyin plain is located in north to south transition zone. The scale of rural settlement is relatively large and separation is relatively obvious. Rural settlements in Yangcheng area are dense and show ribbon distribution along the river. Moreover, the rural settlements in northern Jiangsu area are divided into four types mainly by k-means cluster with the variable of spatial metrics indices. Four typical areas are respectively Yangsu high density distribution region, Xulianhuai medium density distribution region, Huaiyin plain uniform distribution region and Xuhuai plain sparse distribution region.
2011, Vol. 26 
