Spatiotemporal Dynamic Characteristics of Land Use in the Typical Watershed of Wenchuan Earthquake-Affected Areas—A Case Study in the Longxi River Basin

Major earthquakes cause serious damage to ecosystem structure and function through their huge destructive force subsequent geohazards. Understanding the characteristics of post-earthquake land use change is great interest assess effects ecological restoration in earthquake-affected areas. However, little known about consequences on a small scale due incomplete, non-comprehensive, sparse research data. Here, we used remote-sensing images study Longxi River before after Wenchuan earthquake by calculating dynamics degree, transition matrix, gravity center Basin from 2005 2015. The disaster did not affect main dominance forests. Grassland, second dominant type, was replaced geohazard-induced unutilized earthquake. Compared with pre-earthquake 2005, areas cultivated land, forest, grassland, water area decreased, while those construction increased single dynamic degree spatial show highest intensity other types between 2009. degrees all decreased 2009 Both banks lower reach had high developing comprehensive indexes during period. centers water, changed north south, forest opposite pattern. Our results provide useful information for restoration, security, soil-erosion control