Spatial Dynamics of Land Use Change and Ecological Resilience: A CORINE-Based Planning Framework for Erzurum, Türkiye
Abstract
Urbanisation in cold-climate cities produces distinct spatial and ecological challenges shaped by climatic severity and topographic constraints. This study investigates long-term land use change and ecological resilience in Erzurum, Türkiye, focusing on the central districts of Yakutiye, Palandöken and Aziziye between 1990 and 2018. Multi-temporal CORINE Land Cover datasets were analysed within a GIS framework to identify land use transitions and green infrastructure fragmentation. Results indicate substantial expansion of built-up areas, primarily along transport corridors, accompanied by contraction of agricultural and grassland systems. This transformation reduced landscape permeability and weakened ecological continuity, signalling a decline in urban resilience capacity. By operationalising resilience through measurable land use indicators, the study proposes a transferable mid-scale analytical framework for cold-climate planning contexts. The findings support evidence-based integration of green infrastructure and nature-based approaches into strategic spatial planning.
Keywords
CORINE land cover, resilient city, land use change, Erzurum, spatial planning
Project Number
FDK-2021-9915
Ethical Statement
The article complies with national and international research and publication ethics. Ethics committee approval was not required for this study.
Thanks
This article is derived from the doctoral dissertation entitled “Evaluation of the City of Erzurum with a Participatory Approach in terms of Resilient Urbanism Concept,” completed in 2023 at Atatürk University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Landscape Architecture (Erzurum, Türkiye).
This research was funded and supported by the Atatürk University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (Project No. FDK-2021-9915). Within the scope of this project, the land cover maps presented were prepared by the authors using CORINE Land Cover data obtained from the European Environment Agency.
References
- Açar, M. & Karahan, F. (2023). Green architecture in urban planning during the COVID-19 epidemic. PLANARCH – Design and Planning Research, 7(1), 87–95. DOI: 10.5152/Planarch.2023.22007
- Afrin, S., Chowdhury, F. J. & Rahman, M. M. (2021). COVID-19 pandemic: Rethinking strategies for resilient urban design, perceptions, and planning. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 3, 668263. DOI: 10.3389/frsc.2021.668263.
- Ahern, J. (2011). From fail-safe to safe-to-fail: Sustainability and resilience in the new urban world. Landscape and Urban Planning, 100(4), 341–343. DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2010.11.009.
- Altınok, G. K. (2022). Kentsel büyüme dinamiklerinin iklim değişikliği etkileri çerçevesinde yeniden irdelenmesi. Çevre, Şehir ve İklim Dergisi, 1(1), 174–198.
- Antrop, M. (2000). Background concepts for integrated landscape analysis. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 77(1–2), 17–28. DOI: 10.1016/S0167-8809(99)00089-4.
- Antrop, M. (2004). Landscape change and the urbanization process in Europe. Landscape and Urban Planning, 67(1–4), 9–26. DOI: 10.1016/S0169-2046(03)00022-1.
- Antrop, M. (2005). Why landscapes of the past are important for the future. Landscape and Urban Planning, 70(1–2), 21–34. DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2003.10.002.
- Barrows, H. H. (1923). Geography as human ecology. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 13(1), 1–14. DOI: 10.1080/00045602309356882.
- Chen, M., Ye, C., Lu, D., Sui, Y. & Guo, S. (2019). Cognition and construction of the theoretical connotations of new urbanization with Chinese characteristics. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 29(10), 1681–1698. DOI: 10.1007/s11442-019-1685-5.
- Coaffee, J. & Lee, P. (2017). Urban resilience. Bloomsbury Publishing.