Homogenization and locality of landscape characteristics in the waterfront space based on geotagged photographs

The urban landscape reveals the relationship between the natural evolution process and artificial intervention force in the watershed system and also represents the most direct reflection of man-land relationships in watersheds. However, the homogeneity of modern urban functions affects the expression of cultural atmospheres. As a result, quantitative and qualitative analyses of the landscape homogenization level are of great significance for considering local culture in landscape planning according to locality conditions. In this study, open geotagged photographs were assessed to determine the landscape changes and differences in the Yangtze River Basin and the spatial characteristics of locality elements in order to identify the relationship between landscape locality and urbanization. The results indicate that the landscape element level changes gradually downstream of the Yangtze River and with increasing distance from the river bank. The closer the city to the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the less dominant the main landscape element of the city. Several landscape elements were significantly agglomerated in space, and this agglomeration distribution was attributed to the degree of urbanization.

Automated summary

The urban landscape reflects the relationship between artificial intervention and natural evolution in the watershed system and is a direct expression of human-environment relationships in watersheds. Analyzing the level of landscape homogenization quantitatively and qualitatively is important for considering local culture in landscape planning. This study assessed geotagged photographs to identify landscape changes and differences in the Yangtze River Basin, and found a relationship between landscape locality and urbanization.