Spatiotemporal differences in pond evolution under different regional development patterns: A remote sensing-based perspective

Observations of pond evolution are not currently integrated with regional development patterns, thereby limiting effective agricultural design and water management. This study divided Jiangsu Province into four sub-regions based on patterns in economic development, urbanization, and industrial structure: Southern Jiangsu, Central Jiangsu, Northern Jiangsu, and Coastal Jiangsu. A comparison of pond evolution among four-regions through landscape characteristics and spatial heterogeneity analysis revealed the spatial and temporal dynamics of ponds and the driving mechanisms. The results show that: (1) Ponds in Jiangsu Province generally showed a continuous increase in area. The proportion of total area occupied by ponds continued to increase from 3.02% in 1990 to 5.56% in 2020, expanding by an area of ∼2721.81 km2 (2) There were similarities in the evolution of ponds under different development patterns. Ponds across all sub-regions showed continuous expansion, large-scale development, and boundary simplification, which could be attributed to developmental and environmental demands in combination with a series of macroscopic policies. (3) Pond evolution under different development patterns also showed some differences, mainly in four pond characteristics, namely distribution, area, landscape, and conversion. This study revealed the evolution of ponds under different human activities and development patterns, and provided valuable references for rational regional planning.