Evaluation of the land-use suitability of Jinan City based on GIS and landscape metrics

Rapid urbanization processes have been primarily attributed to tremendous changes in the exploitation manner and intensity of urban land use. The limited and nonrenewable characteristics of urban land resources prompted to develop and utilize urban land use rationally, which would push the sustainable development of urban land use. The evaluation of urban land use suitability contributed to identify suitable sites and better develop as well as make full use of urban land resources, consequently, which drived the urban land use structure to achieve the optimal allocation. In this paper, taking Jinan City as an example, which introduced Analytical hierarchical analysis (AHP) and moving windows in combination with conversion matrices based on SPOT and ALOS high resolution remote sensing data, supported by ArcGIS integrated with Fragstats software platform. The research method embedded landscape metrics into AHP as assessment factors. Additionally, the weights of all evaluation factors were determined by Analytical hierarchical analysis. Ultimately, single factor assessment on all urban land use types was carried out, which made up of suitability layers to weighted overlay using GIS technology. At the same time, the paper made suitability evaluation and rating for urban land use status quo and analyzed the variable changes in urban land use suitability between different years combined with natural constrains and economic regulation elements, during the years from 1996 to 2009 in Jinan City. The results will be valuable to urban and regional planners to evaluate the existing urban policies and consequently develop appropriate responses or strategies for the urban sustainable development, and at the same time provide significant reference opinions about thoughtful arrangement of urban land sources.