Utilizing Fractal Dimensions as Indicators to Detect Elements of Visual Attraction: A Case Study of the Greenway along Lake Taihu, China

Author:

Fan Rong1,Yocom Ken P.2ORCID,Guo Yeyuan1

Affiliation:

1. College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Rd., Nanjing 210037, China

2. College of Built Environments, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that the quality of greenway landscape resources enhances the visual appeal of people. While most studies have evaluated visual perception and preference, few have considered the relationship between the distribution of greenways in relation to the proximity of water bodies such as lakes and rivers. Such an investigation requires an in-depth analysis of how to plan and design greenways in order to better enhance people’s willingness to access and utilize them. In this research we propose specific color brightness and contour visual attraction elements to further discuss the quality of greenway landscape resources in the rapidly urbanizing Lake Taihu region of China. Specifically, we utilize a common method in fractal theory analysis called counting box dimension to calculate and analyze the sample images. The method generates data on fractal dimension (FD) values of two elements; the optimal fractal dimension threshold range; the characteristics exhibited by the maximum and minimum fractal dimension values in the greenway landscape; and the relationship between the two visual attraction elements allowing us to derive distribution of the greenway and water bodies. The results reveal that greenway segments with high values of the visual attraction element of color brightness fractal dimension (FD) are significantly closer to the lake than those subject to high values of the visual attraction element. Some segments are even close to the lake surface, which is because the glare from the direct sunlight and the reflection from the lake surface superimposed on each other, so that the greenway near the lake surface is also affected by the brightness and shows the result of high color brightness values. However, the greenway segments with high values of contour element FD are clearly more influenced by plants and other landscape elements. This is due to the rich self-similarity of the plants themselves. Most of the greenway segments dominated by contour elements are distant from the lake surface. Both color brightness and contour elements are important indicators of the quality of the visual resources of the Lake Taihu Greenway landscape. This reveals that the determination of the sub-dimensional values of color brightness (1.7608, 1.9337) and contour (1.7230, 1.9006) visual attraction elements and the optimal threshold range (1.7608, 1.9006) can provide theoretical implications for the landscape planning and design of lake-ring type greenways and practical implications for assessing the quality of visual resources in greenway landscapes.

Funder

Philosophy and Social Science in Jiangsu Province Universities

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Programme for University Students

China Scholarship Council

National Key Research and Development Program of China

National Natural Sciences Foundation of China

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

Nature and Landscape Conservation,Ecology,Global and Planetary Change

Cited by 3 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3