Spatial patterns of landscape change in the Three Rivers Headwaters Region of China, 1987-2015

The Three Rivers Headwaters Region is one of the most import ecological protection regions and Tibetan inhabited regions in China. Located in the Qinghai province of China, the Region is the source of the Yangtze, the Yellow and the Lantsang-Mekong Rivers. This study region was based on remote sensing imagery. An ecological landscape classification of the area is presented, as well as a suite of landscape indices for landscape pattern changes from 1987 to 2015. The influence of human activities on the landscape change of study area is discussed. The results showed landscape structure complexity, fragmentation gradually increased, while the indices of contagion and evenness were decreased. Structure characteristic of landscape change in this region are more obvious, especially, the difference in space distributions of part and the whole. There were trend of uniform distribution of different types and diversity gradually increased in the source of Yangtze River. And an opposite tendency is showing in the Yellow River and Lantsang-Mekong River. Physical-geographical conditions, climate change and government policy at study period were the main reasons of significant landscape pattern change. This study proposes management measures for sustainable development in the Three Rivers Headwaters Region.