Based on TM image data and other survey materials, this paper analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of land use change in the
Bohai Rim during 1985–2005. The findings of this study are summarized as follows: (1) Land use pattern changed dramatically
during 1985–2005. Industrial and residential land in urban and rural areas increased by 643,946 hm2, of which urban construction land had the largest and fastest increase of 294,953 hm2 at an annual rate of 3.72%. (2) The outward migration of rural population did not prevent the expansion of residential land
in rural areas by 184,869 hm2. This increase reveals that construction of rural residences makes seriously wasteful and inefficient use of land. (3) Arable
land, woodland and grassland decreased at a rate of −0.02%, −0.12% and −1.32% annually, while unused land shrank by 157,444
hm2 at an annual rate of −1.69%. (4) The change of land use types showed marked fluctuations over the two stages (1985–1995 and
1995–2005). In particular, arable land, woodland and unused land experienced an inversed trend of change. (5) There was a
significant interaction between arable land and woodland. Industrial construction land in urban and rural areas showed a net
trend of increase during the earlier period, but only adjustment to its internal structure during the second period. The loss
of arable land to the construction of factories, mines and residences took place mainly in the fringe areas of large and medium-sized
cities, along the routes of major roads, as well as in the economically developed coastal areas in the east. Such changes
are closely related to the spatial differentiation of the level of urbanization and industrialization in the region. 相似文献