Document: WIL-3-18-7

Spatial patterns, rates, and trends of urban land use change.

ACEVEDO, W.* ¹ and L.R.RICHARDS ²

U.S. Geological Survey, Moffett Field, CA, 94035 ¹
Raytheon Systems Company, Moffett Field, CA, 94035 ²

Abstract:
A historical perspective of land use change and an assessment of the spatial patterns, rates, and trends of that change is presented for selected U.S. cities. Research by the U.S. Geological Survey focuses on understanding the dynamics of land use change in urban environments. Regional studies use temporal geographic information systems to examine the land use changes that have affected metropolitan areas over time. The methods used involve land use reconstruction, geographic analysis, land use modeling, and impacts assessment. GIS spatial modeling and data integration techniques were used in mapping agricultural, forest, and urban land for selected time periods. Features are interpreted from diverse data sources including historical maps, satellite images, and aerial photography. Preliminary findings for the Washington D.C. study area indicate that deforestation began around 1650, hitting its peak between 1850 and 1900. During this time agricultural land use accounted for over 80% of the land in the greater Washington area. Land in agriculture has decreased since 1900 and is being replaced by urban and forested land. The large land clearance in the mid- to late 1800's is also reflected in ecosystem indicators showing large changes in salinity, dissolved oxygen, pollen counts, and sedimentation rates. The analysis of land use change in urban environments provides a greater understanding of the rates, patterns, and trends of the urbanization process and its consequences.

Keywords: Urban, Land Use Change, GIS

This abstract is being presented at: 4:10 PM in session:
Symposium # 17: Land Use and Land Cover Change: The Last Century and Prospects for the 21st Century.