Çakır, GünayÜn, C.Başkent, Emin ZekiKöse, SelahattinSivrikaya, FatihKeleş, Sedat2020-05-012020-05-0120081085-32781099-145Xhttps://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.859https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12684/6291Sivrikaya, Fatih/0000-0003-0860-6747; Cakir, Gunay/0000-0003-4951-4283; Keles, Sedat/0000-0002-2724-983XWOS: 000261929000006Spatiotemporal analysis of landscape dynamics is crucial in formulating an appropriate set of actions in landscape management. This paper presents a large scale analysis of the spatiotemporal structure of Istanbul, a highly urbanized city in Turkey, from 1971 to 2002 using forest cover type maps analysed with geographical information systems (GIS) and a spatial statistics programme. The quantitative evidence indicated that increasing population and expanding urbanization caused drastic changes to the temporal and spatial dynamics of land use/land cover pattern in Istanbul. There was a net increase of 5387.3ha in total forested areas (1.0 per cent) due to mainly reforestation activities even though the population increased three times over a 31-year period. Increase in number of patches and decrease in mean patch size together demonstrated that the landscape developed into a more fragmented structure that would negatively affect biodiversity and the resilience of the ecosystems. In conclusion, plain increase in forest areas may not always be a favourable situation. The quality, composition and the configuration of forest landscape should also be analysed to present the dynamics of ecosystem in terms of ecological and economical sustainability over a longer time and larger area. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.en10.1002/ldr.859info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessIstanbulTurkeylandscape dynamicsland use/land coverfragmentationurbanizationArticle196663675WOS:000261929000006Q1Q3