RS-GIS Based Fuzzy Evaluation of Landscape Visual Sensitivity of Three Gorges of Yangtze River

Abstract:

Based on Landsat ETM and SPOT image taken in 2002,other chart or text information and field investigation,spatial attribute database for landscape evaluation indices in the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River(Chongqing Areas) of China is established with geographical information system(GIS) technique.The evaluation model of the landscape visual sensitivity of the valley is defined on the basis of fuzzy mathematics theory,the degrees of membership of each single index are obtained using map algebra of GIS,and fuzzy relationship matrix is set up for each grid as well.The weight value distribution set of evaluation indices is established by means of Delphi investigation procedure.In order to get a combined index representing the degree of membership of the various factors for each grid,weight-operation is conducted on each index of the specific sensitive level with GIS grid calculator,and then the landscape visual sensitivity is determined for each grid following the maximum principle.The results show that landscape visual sensitivity can be classified into four levels in Three Gorges of the Yangtze River(Chongqing Areas),of which the first-sensitivity-level(the highest sensitive) area accounts for 2.38% in the region;the landscape visual sensitivity is strongly related to the horizontal distance form a viewer;and generally,the well-known landscapes have higher landscape visual sensitivity.Finally,this paper presents some strategies and measures for landscape protection,conservation management,and planning and design.