Landscape evolution characteristics of middle reaches of the Yangtze River based on coordinated analysis of pattern dynamics and spatial morphology

<bold>Objective</bold> The Middle Yangtze River region is characterized by a dense network of water bodies and a wide distribution of forests，farmlands，lakes，and grasslands.For a long time，it has also been a densely distributed area of population，towns and rural settlements.In recent years，rapid urban construction expansion has been accompanied by an increasing emphasis on the protection and restoration of ecological land，leading to significant and complex changes in the landscape pattern.Therefore，analyzing the landscape evolution processes and mechanisms during this period of rapid change from a regional perspective will provide valuable guidance for optimizing regional ecosystems and promoting the coordinated development of the ecological economy. <bold>Method</bold> This study developed a new analytical framework that integrates pattern dynamics and spatial morphology，incorporating the Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis （MSPA） method in addition to landscape dynamic models and landscape indices.This approach comprehensively reveals the spatiotemporal characteristics and trends of landscape pattern evolution in the Middle Yangtze River region from 2000 to 2020，in terms of both pattern changes and landscape morphology. <bold>Result</bold> The findings indicate that from 2000 to 2020，there was a significant reduction in cropland，forest，grassland and water，and an increase in construction land.Moreover，the dynamic transformation speed among cropland，forest，and grassland also sharply increased.Urban expansion in the Middle Yangtze River region shifted from an edge-expansion pattern to an outlying pattern.The fragmentation level of cropland and grassland in the Middle Yangtze River region continued to rise，with a decrease in average patch size，while the fragmentation level of forest，water，and construction land decreased significantly.The impact of planned urban-rural development and ecological projects on the landscape pattern has become increasingly notable.The size of ecological core patches in the region exhibited a downward trend，with increasing fragmentation of native ecological patches and a significant increase in various small-scale ecological patches，while maintaining good landscape connectivity between patches. <bold>Conclusion</bold> Overall，the study reveals a consistent evolution trend of landscape patterns across the Middle Yangtze River region，with decreasing differences in landscape type proportions，increasing landscape fragmentation，and a significant enhancement of the networked characteristics of the ecological landscape pattern.However，the stability of corridors in the cross-provincial transitional zones was found to be relatively poor. Integrated land-use coordination，protection，and monitoring mechanisms should be strengthened across provincial boundaries to facilitate the sustainable and harmonious development of the Middle Yangtze River urban cluster in terms of ecology and economy.