Abstract

Elucidation of urban land use dynamics with the quantification and pattern analysis of spatial metrics is gaining significant importance in recent times. Rapid unplanned urbanisation has telling impacts on natural resources, local ecology and infrastructure. Analysingspatio-temporal characteristics of urban landscapes through remote sensing data and landscape metrics will help in evolving appropriate strategies for integrated regional planning and sustainable management of natural resources. Temporal remote sensing data provides an opportunity to identify, quantify spatio-temporal changes. This helps in the implementation of location specific mitigation measures to minimize the impacts. This Communication focuses on spatio temporal patterns of the land use dynamics of Bangalore. Analysis was carried out radially from the city center using temporal remote sensing data acquired through space-borne sensors. Greater Bangalore with 10 kilometer buffer is considered in order to take into account spatial changes in the gradient of peri-urban to urban regions. The region has been divided into eight zones based on directions. Further, these zones are divided into 13 circles each of 2 km radius (Bangalore administrative region: 741 square kilometer being 16 km radius with 10 kilometer buffer), Landscape metrics was computed for each circle in each zone, which helped in understanding spatio-temporal patterns and associated dynamics of the landscape at local levels. PCA and CCA analysis were carried out that helped in prioritising metrics for understanding the interrelationships of spatial patterns while eliminating redundancy of numerous indices in the landscape level analysis. The analysis reveals there has been a growth of 28.47 % in urban area of Bangalore metropolitan region (including 10 kilometer buffer) during 1973 to 2010. Landscape metrics analysis reveals compact growth at the center and sprawl in the peri-urban regions.  

Keywords––Urban, Landscape metrics, Shannon entropy, UII, GRASS.