Landscape Analysis about the Land Use Change in Beijing, China

Transcription

1 1 Landscape Analysis about the Land Use Change in Beijing, China Gui-Min ZHANG*, Toshio KIKUCHI** and Peng-Fei WANG** * Department of Tourism, Sapporo International University, 4-1 Kiyota, Kiyota-ku, Sapporo Hokkaido , Japan ** Graduate School of Science, Department of Geography, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Ohsawa, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo , Japan Abstract: This paper explains spatial change of the land use in Beijing by landscape analysis. The spatial change of land use in Beijing is strongly influenced in spatial change of natural conditions. And moreover, in the plain area, spatial change of land use is presenting a concentric circle -structure in connection with change of the distance from the city center. Keywords: land use, landscape, Beijing, China 1. Introduction Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China, and it is the center of Chinese politics, economy and culture. Beijing is located in the northwestern part of the Huabei plain. The northwestern part is Taihang Mountains and Yanshan mountains pulse, and the southeast part is a plain which declines to the Bohai Sea. The geographical features of Beijing can be divided roughly into mountain areas and plain areas. The total land area of Beijing is 16,808 square kilometers. Beijing has 13 wards and five counties. These are Dongcheng Ward, Xicheng Ward, Chongwen Ward, Xuanwu Ward, Chaoyang Ward, Fengtai Ward, Shijingshan Ward, Haidian Ward, Tongzhou Ward, Changping Ward, Mentougou Ward, Fangshan Ward, Shunyi Ward, and Daxing County, Pinggu County, Miyun County, Huairu County and Yanqing County. The number of population in 2000 was 13,819,000 persons. The number of population increased by 3 million persons from 1990 to Among those, 70.4% was what is depended on the increase in visitor population. The population density of Beijing is persons / square kilometer. Moreover, 96% of the total population of Beijing is the Han ethnic group. In addition, 4% of the total population is ethnic minorities, such as the Hui ethnic group, Man ethnic group, the Mongolia ethnic group, the Korean ethnic group and Zhuang ethnic group. Many research results about the land use in Beijing have been accumulated. For example, there are WU 1) WU 2) WU and GUO 3) CHEN 4) GU 5) ZHOU and MENG 6) KIKUCHI etc. 7). Authors clarify spatial change of land use in Beijing by landscape analysis in this paper. First, we analyze geographical features, climate and regional water resources where these are clearly related to changes in land use. Furthermore, we clarify spatial change of land use in Beijing through analysis of photographs. 2. The Natural Landscape of Beijing 2.1 The geomorphic environment The geographical feature of Beijing is divided roughly into mountain area and plain area. The western part and the northern part are Taihang Mountains and the Yanshan mountains respectively. The southeast part is a plain, which inclines a little toward Bohai Sea (Figure 1). The area of a plain part is 6,390.3 square kilometers, and is about 38.0% of the Beijing total area. The altitude of the plain part is meters. On the other hand, the hill and mountain area are 10,417.5 square kilometers, and are 62.0% of the Beijing total area. Moreover, mountains exceeding 800m is distributed over the northern part and western part in Beijing. The highest peak of Beijing is Dahaitou Mountain (2,334m). Yanqing Basin is a basin located in the Beijing northwest part, and is surrounded around in the mountains.

2 2 Figure 1 Geographical feature and river in Beijing (after WU 1) ) Figure 2 Distribution of year normal temperature in Beijing Figure 3 Distribution of annual precipitation in Beijing 2.2 Climate Beijing has a semi -humid monsoon climate. Yearly average temperature distribution becomes low from the southeast part to the northwestern part (Figure 2). The average temperature in January is -3.7, and the average temperature in July is The sum of the days with temperatures over 10 degrees is 3,800-4,000 degrees. The non-frost term for one year is 189 days. Water conditions and heat conditions are excellent in the plain, and two harvests per year are possible in it. On the other hand, in the mountainous area, since altitude is high, temperature is relatively low and the non-frost term is short. Therefore, one harvest of per year is possible. Since the northern part and the western part are mountainous areas, there is more annual precipitation than areas

3 3 of the same latitude (Figure 3). The year with much annual precipitation is 1,406 mm, and a few years are 242mm. Annual precipitation has a remarkable difference by the year. The yearly average precipitation of Beijing is 609 mm. The 70.0% of annual precipitation is concentrated in the summer. The rainy-season and high temperature time overlap, which is advantageous to growth of crops. 2.3 Water resource s Beijing mainly has Yongding River, Chaobai River and Wunyu River to name a few (refer to Figure 1). Due to geographical features, rivers flow from the northwest to southeast. Beijing has Miyun dam, Guanting dam and Huairou dam. These headwaters offer water for industrial use and the city water and agricultural water for irrigation. In addition, there is groundwater in the plains. However, in connection with the increase in city water and water for agricultural use, too much groundwater has been taken and there has been much sinking. Figure 4 Geographical feature sectional view of Beijing ( - show the position of Photo.-1 to Photo.-15) 3. The Land Use Scene of Beijing 3.1 Outline of spatial change of land use in Beijing Figure 4 is a sectional view of the geographical features of Beijing. The spatial change of land use in Beijing is fundamentally restrained by the geographical feature factor and the climate factor (WU 2) WU and GUO 3) ). Yanqing Basin is located between the Haituo Mountains and Jundu Mountains. The land used for intensive vegetable cultivation and food production in the center region of the basin is remarkable. Cereals, such as corn, are grown on the loose slope of the circumference of the basin. Furthermore, outside of the basin adjacent to hills or low mountains, there is almost no agricultural land use other than for fruit trees. Moreover, since altitude is higher than Beijing, Yanqing Basin is growing as a summer resort. The cottages are built in the zone foot of the mountains in the northern part of Yanqing Basin. On the other hand, altitude will become lower and lower southeast from the Jundu Mountains. Geographical features are changing from the low mountains to the plains. And in connection with change of geographical features, the type of land use shows regional differences. Land use is changing from brush to forest, fruit growing, food crop cultivation, and vegetable cultivation. Moreover, in the plains part, the land use as a concentric circle of urban land use, intensive vegetable cultivation, and food crop cultivation outside from the central part.

4 4 Photo.-1 The Landscape of low mountain Photo.-2 The Landscape of the inclination ground Photo.-3 The Landscape of Yanqing Basin Photo.-4 Tourist resort (Badaling) Photo.-5 Farmland protection zone in Changping County Photo.-6 Vegetable cultivation facility in the suburbs Photo.-7 New city area (Yayun Village)

5 5 Photo.-8 The scene of old city area (Siheyuan and Hutong ) Photo.-9 The scene of the business district (Xidan) Photo.-10 The Forbidden City Photo.-11 Government office quarter (Chang an Street) Photo.-12 The scene of a residential section Photo.-13 A village on the edge of the Beijing suburb Photo.-14 Semi permanent vegetable cultivation institution Photo.-15 Agricultural land use

6 6 3.2 Analysis of land use scenes The writers analyze the typical land use scene of Beijing with the photographs. In Figure 4 are 15 photographs. Photo.-1 shows land use in the low mountain of the Beijing northwest part. This photograph is taken at the northern part of Yanqing Basin. In the steep slope at the foot of the low mountain, the soil layer is thin and gravelly. It is suitable for cultivation of apricots (for seeds) that have high resistance to dryness. Moreover, since altitude is high, this area is 2 lower than Beijing in summer. Many planned cottage construction sites were seen in the zone foot of the mountains in the northern part of Yanqing Basin. Photo.-2 shows the land use scene in the sloped ground of the northern part of Yanqing Basin. With the inclination background of the basin circumference, food crops are grown where there is abundance to water. Corn is grown especially widely. Woods serve as protection for corn against the wind. Moreover, orchards (for example, apples, peaches) are also distributed over the area. Photo.-3 shows the land use in the central part of Yanqing Basin. This was taken in Yanqing County Xiaofengying Village. The central part of the basin has flat geographical features, and an abundance of groundwater. Therefore, vegetables are grown in large scale. 41 kinds of vegetables are grown and 14 of kinds are exported. Several million-kg of vegetables are exported to Southeast Asia every year. Fruit and corn are also grown. Photo.-4 shows land use in the Jundu Mountains. The altitude of this area is 600m to 1000m. There are many places where rock has been exposed and the soil layer is thin. Annual precipitation is about 600 mm. Therefore, this area is suitable as a forest. Brush and low trees are widely distributed. Orchards are distributed over places with good water conditions in lower altitude. In order to protect vegetation, pasturage and felling has been forbidden for about ten years. The Great Wall passes along this area and the scenery makes the land useful as a tourist resort. Photo.-5 is a scene of the Farmland protection zone (Jiben nongtian baohu qu) photographed in Changping County. It is the area located in an alluvial plain in the northern part of Huabei Plain. Altitude is 40m to 50m, and annual precipitation is 500mm. There are wood and irrigation systems that protect against wind. This area is also a traditional food production district. In connection with urbanization, a lot of good farmland is diverted to urban land use in the suburbs. Protection of farmland has become an important subject and much farmland is specified as the Farmland protection zone (ZHANG and KIKUCHI) 8). The popularity of vegetable cultivation becomes obvious as the Beijing city area is approached. Photo.-6 is the scene of a vegetable cultivation facility in the suburbs. This area that was a food production district is a new vegetable production district that has developed in connection with a decline in vegetable producing districts around the city. Although there is also bare ground cultivation of vegetables, there is intense institutionalized vegetable cultivation. Moreover, the expansion of a farm village colonies and the increase of industrial lots has become remarkable. 20 years ago, the scene of the outside of the annular No. 4 line was that of typical non-paddy fields. On the north of the annular No. 4 line, the Olympic games center, commercial institutions, etc. were successively built in preparation for the Beijing All-Asia Olympics. Housing developments and commercial development have continued after the Beijing All-Asia Olympics and the Yayun Village became a modern town as a newly emerging city center in Beijing. Photo.-7 shows the scene Yayun Village. When one goes into a Beijing old city area, peculiar dwellings called Siheyuan are on the both sides of alleys called Hutongs. Photo.-8 shows the situation of Hutongs and is a scene of Beijing s old city area. On the other hand, in the old city area, Siheyuan traditional private houses have been pulled down by redevelopment, and construction of condominiums are advanced. Many large-sized commercial institutions are situated in the Beijing city area. Photo.-9 shows the situation of Xidan, which is the business district of the city central part. The Xidan Street is located in line with Wangfujing Street, the business district of the maximum scale of Beijing. Xidan Street adjoins West-Chang an Street, this street has a subway station, and is crowded with shoppers all day long. It is also a popular tourist

7 7 spot. Car owners have increased in number in recent years, and the shoppers who come to shopping by privately owned car also increase in number. The open spaces in front of stores, which were originally parking lots for bicycles, are crowded with cars. Photo.-10 shows the situation of the Forbidden City which makes up the center of Beijing. It is most influential to the city structure of Beijing. It is a main axis symmetrical to eastern and western of the city, and the road network is in a grid pattern also centering on the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City, specified as a world cultural heritage is crowded with tourists all year round. Photo.-11 shows the scene of the government office quarter located in the Chang an Street. This area is the government office quarter which houses all government offices, such as political, economical, cultural, and diplomatic. Skyscrapers have come to be conspicuous with the redevelopment of recent years. Business districts, such as Wangfujing Street and Xidan Street, are situated nearby, and there are also tourist resorts, such as the Palace Museum and Tian anmen Square. Many people visit for the purpose of both official business and sightseeing. The residential section built at the end of the 1970s is located near the annular No. 3 line. Photo.-12 shows a scene from a residential section. Such residential sections are widely distributed throughout Beijing. Since this area is conveniently located, many residences have been built in the last ten years. The old residence and factory sites are behind the red building, and redevelopment has advanced right up to it. Photo.-13 shows the scene of Liuminying Village located on the edge of the Beijing suburbs. This village became rich through the ecological agriculture and rural industry. On both sides of the paved way, new residences stand tidily in row, and flowers are planted near the entrance of each farmhouse. This is also a result of old village redevelopment. This village is widely known as a model village of ecological agriculture. Intensive vegetable cultivation is also performed in the farm village on the outside edge of the Beijing suburbs. Photo.-14 is a photograph of the semi permanent vegetable cultivation institutions located near the villages. Although the village mainly grew food crops, vegetable cultivation has also increased in recent years. This area has an abundance of farmland and is close to Beijing. It is expected that vegetable cultivation area will continue to increase. Photo.-15 shows a scene of the agricultural land use of outside the suburbs. This area located in an alluvial plain or a low plain, is the traditional grain belt in Beijing. Infrastructures, such as woods which protect farmland and drainage canals are fixed. In order to become rich, this area should introduce cash crops suitable to this area, and should introduce rural industries which can employ the resources of this area efficiently. 4. Conclusion This paper has explained the spatial change of land use in Beijing using the technique of landscape analysis. The spatial change of land use in Beijing is strongly restrained by spatial change of geographical features, climate and water. On the other hand, in the plain area, spatial change of land use is also making concentric circles directly related to the distance from the central part in Beijing. Acknowledgement Writers say gratitude to Professor Lu Qi (the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Geography Science and Resources Research Institute) who cooperated in the fieldwork of this research. References 1) WU, Y.G. ed.(1988): The Beijing Economy Geography. Xinhua Press (Beijing), 297p. 2) WU, C.J. ed.(1985): Land Use in Bejing. The Chinese Academy of Sciences, geography research institute (Beijing), 100p. 3) WU, C.J. and GUO, H.C. ed. (1994): Land Use of China. Science Press (Beijing), 422p.

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