Modeling scenic quality of wetland landscape resources in South Dongting Lake, China

摘要

This study introduces a method to quantify the scenic value of wetland landscapes and provides the guidance on the allocation of efforts for the purpose of preserving the most important environments. Dongting Lake, a traditional tourist location, is one of the five largest freshwater lakes in China and a Grade 5A National Scenic Region. This study objectively analyzes the scenic resources of South Dongting Lake, and presents a model based on Quantification Theory I to assess wetland scenic landscapes. Employing a multilinear regression relationship between landscape factors and their associated scenic value, we built up the Wetland Landscape Quantification Model (WLQM), which was used to classify 221 landscapes into five grades. Finally, some suggestions are proposed regarding quantitative assessment and its use for the sustainable development of wetland environments.