Analysis of spatial-temporal evolution of landscape patterns in ancient large city-sites based on multi-temporal Landsat imagery: a case study of the Zhouyuan site region in China

This study takes the Zhouyuan site region, which is the most representative Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-771BC) large city-site in China, as an example. Based on the interpretation results of satellite remote sensing images from 1973 to 2021, the paper systematically analyzed the evolution of landscape patterns in the Zhouyuan site region spanning for about 50 years using 4 methods, including land use classification, land use transfer matrix, landscape pattern distribution gravity center model and landscape pattern index. Additionally, the results show that nowadays Zhouyuan site is still in a period of accelerated invasion and destruction by natural and human factors, which indicates that the protection of the Zhouyuan site has been inadequate or even unsuccessful for a long time. For the purpose of making more accurate and better protection of the Zhouyuan site, four challenges and six protection recommendations have been put forward. Based on remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS), this paper contributed a method combining 4 models to analyze the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics of landscape pattern of ancient large city-sites, in order to provide more basis for the formulation of cultural relic protection strategies.