Abstract: In this paper, we investigated dynamics of forest landscape along the main roads in Xishuangbanna from 1976 to 1988, and from 1988 to 2003, using FRAGSTATS software and the GIS technology, based on the results interpreted from the Landsat MSS TM ETM imageries in 1976, 1988, 2003. Some representative quantitative indices of landscape diversity, including mean patch area, percent of landscape , perimeter-area fractal dimension , aggregation , Shannon′s diversity index , and Shannon′s equality index were used to describe the changes in the spatial pattern of landscape elements. Comparing with whole region of Xishuangbanna during last 27 years , the results showed that the man-made landscape (rubber plantation) and non-forested landscape along the main road expanded faster and their percentage were greater, whereas the natural landscape ( primitive forest patches) reduced faster and its percentage was smaller . There were obvious
effects of road on landscape which the forest coverage was decreased , and rubber plantation landscape was increased with the distance from the road . The natural forest landscape had been fragmented. Especially, the tropical seasonal rain forest was affected severely, while the area and contagion of rubber plantation and shrub increased. The whole landscape pattern along the main road tended to be diversiform, equal and fragmented. The landscape was still dominated by natural landscapes but this dominance was weakening . A case study about the displacement of landscape patch centroids showed that the spatial centroids of many types of landscape, including rubber plantation, tropical seasonal rain forest, mountain rain forest, shrub and non-forested land had moved away from the road. All of these changes in landscape pattern would lead the deterioration of these region environments.

Key words: Road effect