Dams are vital for water resource security and energy supply, yet they present a significant challenge to terrestrial ecosystems. Most existing studies focus on a single region, lacking comprehensive analysis of the impacts of various types of dams on land use and land cover change (LULC) and landscape patterns as well as their gradient effects at a global scale. This study systematically analyzed the impact of global dams on the surrounding environment within 5-km gradient buffer zones, utilizing data from 6763 dams constructed between 1984 and 2018 in the Global Dam Tracker (GDAT) and the GLC_FCS30D global 30 m LULC data (1985–2020), alongside land use dynamics and landscape pattern indices. The results showed that from 1984 to 2018, new dams were primarily built in developing countries in Asia (3277 dams) and Africa (2079 dams) in the last 35 years. The majority of these dams were built for irrigation (32%) and hydroelectric power (20%). The construction of these dams resulted in a 120% increase in impervious surfaces and a 6% deforestation rate within the 5-km buffer zone, and the integrated land use dynamicity in the near-dam zone (0–2 km) was significantly higher than in the far-dam zone. Among them, irrigation dams exhibited the steepest distance decay rates, indicating the strongest impact on the surrounding land-use dynamics. After 1995, there was an increase in landscape fragmentation (patch density (PD)) and Shannon’s diversity index (SHDI) increased, while the aggregation index (AI) and mean patch area (AREA_MN) decreased. Our study provides a reference base for assessing the ecological effects of dams and managing them sustainably around the world.
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