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analysis, we can make predictions about the future situation. Even if not today,
possible impacts of the city’s future growth trend on the landscape have
aroused curiosity.
Although the forest class (31000) is the class having the highest coverage
area (CA), the number of patches (NP) has not been very high; the weighted
mean distance between patches (ENN_AM) has also been quite low (36.52 m),
while the largest patch index (LPI) value shows that the patches belonging to
forest areas are the ones with an integrated and centralized structure which
were developed. The fact that the aggregation index (AI) is high also supports
this finding. This situation is also pleasing in terms of habitat quality. Because,
forests establish a spatial superiority while the patches forming the class
reflect the structure that will form a whole in terms of spatial arrangement.
Landscape shape index (LSI) reflects that the patches belonging to forests
have deviated from the geometric form quite a lot, and this shows that the
patches in the forest class have an indented edge structure. Therefore, it can
be said that the forests in the research area are suitable for species that prefer
both edge habitats and central (core) areas. This structure is also important in
terms of biological diversity.
The arable areas (21000), having the second highest coverage area, exhibit
a more fragmented structure with a higher output of NP and a lower output of
LPI. However, the fact that the ENN_AM value is quite low (49.98 m) and the
AI is above 90% shows that the patches belonging to the class are close to
each other. A high LSI value indicates that the edge structure of the patches
belonging to this class deviates from Euclidean geometry and tends to a more
amorphous structure. The agricultural lands having straight edges but with
a high landscape shape index is associated with the neighboring relations
established by agricultural lands with other classes. It is observed that the
collective patches formed by integration of the lands in vicinity are rather
neighbors with forests. In this case, the boundaries of the collective patches
formed by the integration of each agricultural land parcel become important
and are included in the account rather than the borders of each agricultural
parcel. This finding shows the importance of the quality of forest edges,
especially those adjacent to agricultural land, in terms of both increasing the
biodiversity and improving the habitat quality. These areas, which feature as
the transitional habitats, should be addressed carefully. In addition, since the
road networks that establish neighbors with agricultural areas also exhibit
a linear character, it is of great importance to diversify roadside habitats in
order to break the monotony to be created by this geometric structure on the
quality of the habitat. Qualified plant fences to be set between fields (berried
shrubs, etc.) is another important structure that can also support this situation
and should be encouraged.

236 Journal of Environment, Urbanization and Climate