|
|
|
| Application of 3S technologies in Qinghai-Tibetan highway environmental impact assessment |
|
|
|
|
Abstract A new approach of environmental impact assessment using RS and GIS was presented by the case study of Qinghai-Tibet highway. Satellite images with different resolutions from Landsat7 ETM+, Landsat5 TM, and Geoeye-1 were used as data sources. Techniques such as data fusion for multi-sources remotely sensed imagery, spatial analysis and overlay analysis of GIS, and visual interpretation were used to detect land use/ land cover change along Qinghai-Tibetan highway after the construction. Characteristics of the environmental impacts were identified with index including number, intensity and range of changed patches. Results showed that most of the land use/land cover type in study areas changed from grass to construction land or bare land. An increase of grass patches caused by vegetation restoration measures was also detected. Detected patches were mainly located between 10~50m from the highway, which showed that the construction caused only a minor disturbance distance. The accuracy of change detection was verified highly by field investigation and construction log, which indicated that this method could effectively and accurately detect land use and land cover changes and help to assess the environmental impact of the highway construction.
|
|
Received: 23 February 2012
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
