Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
LAND USE POLICY, cilt.122, sa.11, ss.1-15, 2022 (SSCI)
This study aims to demonstrate the relationships between residential development and the spatio-temporal dynamics of land use patterns in the case of the southern coast of Turkey (Mersin). This coast has witnessed extensive tourism development that destroyed fertile agricultural lands and natural vegetation since the early 1980 s. We analyzed the impacts of this development using several class-level pattern metrics. These include the percentage of landscape (PL), largest patch index (LPI), edge density (ED), patch density (PD), fractal dimension (FRAC) and shape (SHAPE). The eastern part of the study area consists of an alluvial plain, while the western part has undulated terrain with dense vegetation and limestone outcrops. The region has urban character on the coast with many multistory apartment blocks used for residential purposes. However, inland has a rural character with agricultural areas and interspersed single-family units. The results showed that the numbers and density of built-up patches on the alluvial plain tend to decrease as the patches aggregate and thus appear in simpler forms (i.e., closer to simple Euclidean forms). The small and interspersed patches are characteristic of rugged terrain with limestone outcrops, where topography and the spatial distribution of protected areas prevent the formation of large, aggregated patches. We discussed the drivers of the observed changes and provided recommendations for analyzing trends in similar coastal landscapes. We also highlighted the importance of spatio-temporal information due to its potential to increase the efficacy of decision-making processes for development planning.