Analysis on the Relationship and its Dynamics Between Rural Settlements and Linear Features Using Gis and Rs

The relationship between spatial patterns of rural settlements and environment and its dynamics were analyzed in Daxing District, Beijing in the recent 20 years were analyzed using landsat TM images. Results showed that too much of land in total was used for the rural settlements in the study area with a rapid growth, and it had a great potential for land intensive utilization; the rural settlements were rather small, with weak aggregation and high random expanse in spatial distribution; highways, rivers and channels were important factors that affected the spatial distribution of rural settlements, while railways and expressways exhibited little influence. Accordingly, to guarantee the unified and balanced development of rural and urban construction, planning for villages and towns are required, and considering the convenience of road transportation and water use is an important principle for the selection of central towns and the systematic planning of rural settlements; on the other hand, areas along the highways, rivers and channels become the hotspot of land use change, and it ought to take these areas as the key areas for monitoring rural land use change. ∗ Corresponding author, Email Address: [email protected]