The spatio-temporal evolution of land cover and landscape patterns in Hunan Province, China from 1990 to 2021

Land use and cover change (LUCC) in topographically complex subtropical regions remains poorly understood. This study analyzed spatiotemporal evolution and landscape patterns in Hunan Province (1990–2021) using GEE and Landsat imagery. Results show cultivated land decreased (1990–1996), then increased (1996–2021), while forest land followed an opposite trend. Significant transitions occurred: 31,748.83 km2 of cultivated land converted to forest, and 32,307.35 km2 of forest reverted to cultivation. Impervious surfaces exhibited the highest dynamic degree (5.59), reflecting rapid expansion driven primarily by GDP. Landscape metrics revealed high fragmentation in grasslands, while forest land maintained lower fragmentation but higher fractal dimension. Correlation analysis indicates socioeconomic factors, especially GDP and population density, surpassed climatic variables in impact intensity. Cultivated land area correlated positively with population and temperature but negatively with rainfall and GDP. These findings provide a scientific basis for refined natural resource management and cultivated land protection in subtropical hilly regions.