Analyzing the land use changes in the Poyang lake region

Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in China. It faces a series of ecological and environmental problems, hence it is important and necessary to study the land use change in the Poyang Lake region. In this study, Landsat images in 1976, 1989, 1999 and 2009 were analysed using methods including quantitative changes of land use and land use degree change in the Poyang Lake region. Land use was classified into seven types: cropland, woodland, grassland, water body, construction land, bottomland and unused land. Cropland, bottomland and water body were decreasing while water body decreased relatively slowly. However, construction land, grassland, woodland and unused land increased to a certain extent. The land use degree was above national average. During the period 1976-1989, 1989-1999 and 19992009, land use was in adjustment stage, development stage and adjustment stage.