Dynamics in Land Cover and Landscape Patterns of Myanmar: A Three-Decade Perspective (1990–2020)

Ruonan Li, Cansong Li (), Dongyang Hou, Huaqiao Xing and A-Xing Zhu
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Ruonan Li: The Faculty of Geography, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, China
Cansong Li: The Faculty of Geography, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, China
Dongyang Hou: The School of Geosciences and Info Physics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Huaqiao Xing: The School of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
A-Xing Zhu: Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-24

Abstract: A comprehensive scientific assessment of the dynamic changes in land cover and landscape patterns in Myanmar, considering both human activities and natural factors such as climate change, is essential for a thorough understanding of the transformations in the country’s ecological environment. This assessment also provides data-driven insights into the complex interactions between humans, climate, and the environment. This study aims to examine the dynamic changes in land cover in Myanmar over a thirty-year period from a comprehensive perspective. This paper, based on the MLC30 land cover dataset for Myanmar from 1990 to 2020, employs land use dynamic degree and land use transition matrix to analyze the extent and process of land cover changes in Myanmar. Furthermore, using landscape pattern indicators, the paper explores the changes in the spatial structural characteristics of land cover in Myanmar at both the patch scale and the landscape scale. The results indicate the following: (a) Areas with significant land cover changes are primarily located in the eastern, southeastern, and southwestern regions bordering China, Laos, and Thailand, as well as the coastal areas, with the change intensity from 2000 to 2020 being notably higher than before 2000. (b) Myanmar’s cultivated land, artificial surfaces, and water bodies show an expanding trend, with cultivated land expansion mainly at the expense of forests, while the increase in artificial surfaces and water bodies is through the conversion of the existing cultivated land. (c) Myanmar’s landscape patterns remained stable from 1990 to 2000. However, after 2000, the land cover has shown a clear trend towards fragmentation and spatial distribution dispersion, especially for the dominant forest and cultivated land types. Despite Myanmar’s rapid economic development, the trend toward the fragmentation and irregularization of cultivated land patches indicates a lack of attention to cultivated land use and planning. The reduction and fragmentation of forest areas have led to a decline in ecological connectivity, posing risks of ecological environment deterioration. Consequently, Myanmar must prioritize scientific land use planning and the rational allocation of land resources to foster the sustainable development of agriculture and the protection of natural ecosystems.

Keywords: Myanmar; land use and land cover change; landscape pattern; spatiotemporal changes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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