Impact of farmland consolidation on farmland landscape: a case study in Tongxiang county

Based on the technology of GIS and RS, with the help of software: ArcGIS 8.3 and REDAS 8.6, the basic theory and method for landscape ecology were applied to analysis of the dynamic changes in landscape pattern in Tongxiang county. The results showed that farmland landscape was influenced significantly by farmland consolidation. After consolidation, the landscape fragment index and density increased evidently, but patch average area declined concurrently; Of four towns, the landscape isolation index tended to decrease except Congfu town; The shape index and average fractal dimension declined obviously which indicated that consolidation made the farmland shape more simple and regular. All of these negative effects will result in instability of field ecological system. So, in the practice of farmland consolidation, the principle of sustainable development must be kept in mind and more attention should be paid to protection of landscape ecological environment.