TRAJECTORY ANALYSIS OF FOREST CHANGES IN NORTHERN AREA OF CHANGBAI MOUNTAINS, CHINA FROM LANDSAT TM IMAGE

Abstract. Based on the information from integrated Landsat TM/ETM images and geographic information systems (GIS), using dynamic model, landscape indices and temporal trajectory analysis, spatio-temporal changes in forest in the northern area of Changbai Mountains were investigated in the past 20 years. The results showed that the forests decreased by 141461 ha at the annual decrease rate of 0.19% from 1986 to 2006. The numbers of forest patch increased, while the patch size of forest land declined. Forestland experienced the process of substantial fragmentation. Close forest showed a net reduction of 13.3×10⁴ha. The typical trajectories of forest changes included forestland-forestland-cropland, forestland-cropland-cropland, forestland-forestland-grassland and forestland-cropland-built-up land. The total area of human-induced change is 1.7 times than that of natural change in the study area. Population, cropland area and gross domestic product increased significantly as forests decreased.