Distribution of Landscape Elements Along Environmental Gradients in Over-Cut Forests

Abstract

The method of trend surface analysis was used to analyze the distribution of landscape elements along environmental gradients in Jingouling forest farm, northeast China s Jilin Province. Results showed that topographic characteristics and disturbance pattern have much more impacts on the distribution of landscape elements than do horizontal geographical position in the study area. The elevation, slope aspect, and slope degree were found to be dominant features controlling landscape pattern. At different altitudinal ranges, the effects of slope aspect and slope degree on the distribution of landscape elements vary markedly in orientation and intensity. These differences were analyzed and discussed, and some basic rules of spatial distribution of landscape elements were proposed.