Effects of road network on vegetation pattern in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, Southwest China

The paper presents the results of a case study carried out in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China, to examine the relationship between vegetation dynamics and road network extension. We find that lower level roads had more effects on vegetation patches. Minor roads, including Class IV and Class V roads, contributed most to regional landscape fragmentation while high level roads had larger effect on vegetation dynamics in road effect zone. Further, road classes have close relationships with village distribution, topography fluctuation and landscape fragmentation. Topography, however had no direct relationship with vegetation pattern.

► Road levels and road network formation affect vegetation pattern and dynamics in the long run.
► Higher level roads mainly affect the vegetation dynamics by changing patch shape and density.
► Lower level roads which form network affect regional fragmentation greatly.
► Different road classes exhibit a close relationship with village distribution, topography fluctuation.