Change of habitat fragmentation and quality in the balikesir plain and its surroundings with landscape pattern metrics (1975-2000)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify the change of landuse/landcover (LULC) landscape patterns, qualify habitat fragmentation, degredation and habitat quality in the Balikesir plain and its surroundings in the NW part of Anatolia. The study area has different habitats in terms of vegetation cover and biomass productivity. However, the human-induced effects have caused the ecosystem and/or habitat to change. Analysis shows that this change occurred from the bush community to the meadow and bare lands. Main conclusions of the study are that human-induced habitat loss and fragmentation of dominant habitats were increased, especially quality of brush and shrub rangeland and that herbaceous rangeland habitats decreased and deteriorated, and during the study period, the biomass productivity has decreased from bush productivity to the low productivity habitat characterized by meadow and bare land.