Spatial-temporal change and driving factors of urbanization in Xi'an city,Northwest China

To better understand landscape change processes,we documented land use and land cover changes resulting from urbanization in Xi'an city,Northwest China,identified the socioeconomic factors influencing lanscape changes,and determined how the conversion of land affected the city's land management.To accomplish these objectives Geographic Information Systems(GIS) data and remote sensing information were used.Analyses indicate land use and land cover changes between 1988 and 2006 involed major transitions of land from agriculture to urban classes.Additional analyses of socioeconomic data suggest relationships between the amounts of land coverted to urban use and a number of socioeconomic factors.This study of spatial pattern and driving factors of urbanizaion in Xi'an city emphasizes the importance of understanding how Xi'an is changing,the driving factors changes,and the consequences of landscape changes so that proper management strategies can be developed to urban develoment and agricutural land protection.