Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 April 2024 | Viewed by 14162

Special Issue Editors

Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Interests: GNSS/GPS meteorological and sustainability applications; urban heat island; ubiquitous positioning; sensor integration
Faculty of Engineering & Technology, The Arctic University of Norway, UiT, Narvik Campus, 8515 Narvik, Norway
Interests: energy and building; heat transfer; materials; CFD
Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, China
Interests: CFD; sustainable design; renewable energy; green building; natural ventilation; indoor human thermal comfort

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Humans had use more of the Earth's land surface in order to accommodate the increase in the population and human activities. Urbanisation causes issues and problems to the ecosystem, the natural environment and humans, such as air and water pollution, high energy consumption, mental and physical health problems, etc. Studies on urban form and urban heat island (UHI) are crucial to analyse and reduce the adverse processes and consequences of urbanisation, and help with efficient and effective town planning.

Our aim is to publish high-quality papers on urban form options and their performance in relation to various current and future challenges, advanced observations and observational methods/technologies for UHI determination and monitoring, and the impact of building designs, land use and town planning on the UHI effect.

We will publish reviews, regular research papers, perspective and discussion papers, short communications and research notes, and there is no restriction on the length of the papers. The themes are (but are not limited to):

  • Urban form options;
  • Impact of urban form on ecosystem and/or environments;
  • Observation, effect and analysis of UHI;
  • Satellite-/UAV-based urban form and UHI observation;
  • UHI modelling;
  • Interaction between urban form and UHI;
  • Urban form- and UHI-related policymaking;
  • Strategies on urban form and infrastructure;
  • Energy flow in urban ecosystems;
  • Smart city design and analysis in relation to urban form and UHI.

Dr. Lawrence Lau
Prof. Dr. Rajnish Kaur Calay
Dr. Isaac Yu Fat Lun
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • urban form
  • urban heat island (UHI)
  • earth observation
  • remote sensing
  • smart city
  • spatial analysis

Published Papers (10 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

25 pages, 7375 KiB  
Article
Urbanization Effect on Changes in Extreme Climate Events in Urumqi, China, from 1976 to 2018
by Aerzuna Abulimiti, Yongqiang Liu, Lianmei Yang, Abuduwaili Abulikemu, Yusuyunjiang Mamitimin, Shuai Yuan, Reifat Enwer, Zhiyi Li, Abidan Abuduaini and Zulipina Kadier
Land 2024, 13(3), 285; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030285 - 25 Feb 2024
Viewed by 532
Abstract
This study investigates, for the first time, the urbanization effect (UE) on local extreme climate events in Urumqi, China, based on 22 indices of climate extremes, which are calculated with daily observation data from 1976 to 2018. These analyses reveal a pronounced nocturnal [...] Read more.
This study investigates, for the first time, the urbanization effect (UE) on local extreme climate events in Urumqi, China, based on 22 indices of climate extremes, which are calculated with daily observation data from 1976 to 2018. These analyses reveal a pronounced nocturnal urban heat island (UHI) effect and a daytime urban cold island (UCI) effect. Due to Urumqi’s arid climate background, the UCI effect is considered a unique feature of the UE, which significantly differs from those in eastern and northern China. The UE on the TR20 index (number of days with minimum daily temperature exceeding 20 °C) reached 5.22 d/10a, indicating that urbanization has led to a fast increase in the number of hot nights in Urumqi. The absolute averaged UE on the indices measuring the frequency of warm events is about twice as large as that on the indices measuring the frequency of cold events, while that on the indices measuring the intensity of warm events is about one third of that on the indices measuring the intensity of cold events. The highest averaged urbanization contributions (UCs) to the extreme warm and cold events are represented by the frequency indices and the intensity indices, respectively, while those contributing to the extreme precipitation events are represented by the duration indices. Moreover, urbanization probably exacerbates the degree of wetting in the overall “warming and wetting” climate trend of the region. These findings can be seen as new evidence to provide scientific basis for further investigation of the UE on climate changes in arid regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect)
Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3786 KiB  
Article
Comparing the Effects of Green and Blue Bodies and Urban Morphology on Land Surface Temperatures Close to Rivers and Large Lakes
by Vlad’ka Kirschner, David Moravec, Karel Macků, Giorgi Kozhoridze and Jan Komárek
Land 2024, 13(2), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020162 - 30 Jan 2024
Viewed by 498
Abstract
Understanding the complex contributions of several factors to an urban heat island is crucial for assessing the impacts of planning on the thermal conditions within cities. It is relatively well-known how the different factors work separately, but how they work together, especially near [...] Read more.
Understanding the complex contributions of several factors to an urban heat island is crucial for assessing the impacts of planning on the thermal conditions within cities. It is relatively well-known how the different factors work separately, but how they work together, especially near water bodies, is still unclear. This paper investigates the effects of blue bodies (rivers or large lakes), the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), building coverage (BC), and building height (BH) on the land surface temperature (LST), comparing the situation around lakes and a river. Their inter-relationships are explored in a square grid of 30 × 30 m using Landsat-8 data on LST measurements in Prague, Czech Republic, in summer 2022. Multiple regression models are used for the analysis. The results imply that the NDVI significantly reduces LSTs, followed rivers if within 200 m of one, while the effect of lakes is negligible. The effect of BH is low. BC is a predominant factor in the city, generating a warming effect, which increases with the city’s compactness. The main planning implications are to base urban heat island mitigation strategies on compensating for building coverage with live and dense green bodies, promoting vertical development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect)
Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 18399 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Impact of Urban Built Environment on Land Surface Temperature Considering Spatio-Temporal Heterogeneity: A Perspective of Local Climate Zone
by Kaixu Zhao, Mingyue Qi, Xi Yan, Linyu Li and Xiaojun Huang
Land 2023, 12(12), 2148; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12122148 - 10 Dec 2023
Viewed by 936
Abstract
Thermal environment deterioration has seriously threatened urban habitat quality and urban sustainable development. The evolution of the urban built environment (UBE) is an important cause for urban thermal environment variation. However, the dynamic effect of the UBE on the land surface temperature (LST) [...] Read more.
Thermal environment deterioration has seriously threatened urban habitat quality and urban sustainable development. The evolution of the urban built environment (UBE) is an important cause for urban thermal environment variation. However, the dynamic effect of the UBE on the land surface temperature (LST) is rarely studied by combining the local climate zone (LCZ) theory and spatio-temporal heterogeneity. Based on a case study of Beilin District in Xi’an, China, this paper identified LCZ types of Beilin District in 2010, 2015, and 2020 using the GIS method. It also analyzed the spatial–temporal characteristics of the LST in summer based on the remote sensing retrieval method and explored the effects of the built environment on the LST by Geodetector and geographically weighted regression (GWR). The results showed the following: (1) The area share of dense building zones in Beilin District was greater than that of open building zones and natural surface zones, while the share of mid- and high-rise dense building zones continued to increase and the share of low-rise dense building zones continued to decrease during the study period. (2) The LST of different LCZ types in Beilin District was obviously different, and the LST of dense building zones was generally higher than that of open building zones and natural surface zones. Meanwhile, the LST of mid- and low-rise dense building zones increased gradually, and the LST of high-rise open building zones decreased gradually, but the overall warming area was obviously more than the cooling area. (3) The effects of the UBE factors on the LST varied greatly, with their interaction having an enhancement effect. The direct and interactive influence of the two-dimensional (2D) UBE indicators on the LST were greater than those of the three-dimensional (3D) indicators, but there was a gradual decrease in the force of the 2D indicators and a simultaneous diminution, enhancement, and invariance of the force of the 3D indicators. (4) Vegetation cover (VC) and floor area ratio (FAR) acted negatively, and the building height (BH) was changing from a positive to a negative role, with the average action intensity of VC changing from −0.27 to −0.15, FAR from −0.20 to −0.16, and BH from 0.05 to −0.04. The impervious surface area (ISA), building area (BA), and space congestion (SC) acted positively, with the average action intensity of the ISA changing from 0.12 to 0.20, BA from 0.12 to 0.19, and SC was stable at 0.04. The framework enables a deeper portrayal of LST changes in different LCZs, reflecting the direct and interactive effects of different UBE indicators on LST, as well as local variations in the impact effects and provides a basis for urban managers or planners to improve urban heat resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect)
Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 14093 KiB  
Article
The Regulating Effect of Urban Large Planar Water Bodies on Residential Heat Islands: A Case Study of Meijiang Lake in Tianjin
by Liuying Wang, Gaoyuan Wang, Tian Chen and Junnan Liu
Land 2023, 12(12), 2126; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12122126 - 01 Dec 2023
Viewed by 803
Abstract
Efficiently harnessing the urban cool island effect associated with large urban aquatic bodies holds significant importance in mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect and enhancing the quality of residential living. This study focuses on Tianjin’s Meijiang Lake and its surrounding 47 residential [...] Read more.
Efficiently harnessing the urban cool island effect associated with large urban aquatic bodies holds significant importance in mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect and enhancing the quality of residential living. This study focuses on Tianjin’s Meijiang Lake and its surrounding 47 residential areas, combining Landsat 8 remote sensing satellite data with geographic information system (GIS) buffer analyses and multiple linear regression analyses to reveal the summer thermal characteristics of residential waterfront areas with diverse spatial layouts. The results indicate that: (1) Meijiang Lake’s effective cooling radius extends up to 130 m from the water’s edge, achieving a maximum temperature reduction of 14.44%. Beyond 810 m, the cooling effect diminishes significantly. (2) Waterfront distance (WD), building density (BD), building width (L) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) emerge as the primary factors influencing changes in average land surface temperature (ΔLST) in residential areas. The degrees of influence are ordered as follows: BD > WD > NDVI > L. “Dispersed” pattern residential areas exhibit the most favorable thermal environments, which are primarily influenced by WD, while “parallel” pattern residential areas demonstrate the least favorable conditions, primarily due to WD and NDVI. (3) The direct adjacency of residential areas to large-scale aquatic bodies proves to be the most effective approach for temperature reduction, resulting in a 5.03% lower average temperature compared to non-adjacent areas. Consequently, this study derives strategies for improving the thermal environment via the regulation of spatial planning elements in residential areas, including waterfront patterns, vegetation coverage, WD, and BD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect)
Show Figures

Figure 1

34 pages, 904 KiB  
Article
Urbanization Heat Flux Modeling Confirms It Is a Likely Cause of Significant Global Warming: Urbanization Mitigation Requirements
by Alec Feinberg
Land 2023, 12(6), 1222; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12061222 - 12 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1151
Abstract
Recent ground-based measurements find the magnitude of the urbanization effect on the global average annual mean surface air temperature corresponds to an urbanization contribution of 12.7%. It is important to provide modeling to help understand these results as there are conflicting concerns. This [...] Read more.
Recent ground-based measurements find the magnitude of the urbanization effect on the global average annual mean surface air temperature corresponds to an urbanization contribution of 12.7%. It is important to provide modeling to help understand these results as there are conflicting concerns. This study models the global warming contribution that urbanization heat fluxes (UHF) can make due to anthropogenic heat release (AHR), and solar heating of impermeable surface areas (ISAs), with additional secondary effects. Results help explain and support ground-based observations. Climate models typically omit anthropogenic heat release (AHR) as warming estimates are below 1%. In agreement, the baseline assessment in this paper has similar findings. However, in this study, the methods of climate amplification estimates (MCAE) with data-aided physics-based amplification models are used. When the MCAE are applied at the global and microclimate levels that consider greenhouse gases (GHGs), feedback, and other secondary effects; the results show that AHR fluxes can amplify, increasing to have an estimated global warming (GW) influence of 6.5% from 1950 to 2022 yielding a 0.9% decade−1 increase. This increasing rate due to energy consumption is found as anticipated to be reasonably correlated to the increasing population growth rate over this time. Furthermore, using the MCAEs, this paper studies heat fluxes assessment due to solar heating of unshaded impermeable surfaces including likely secondary amplification effects. Impermeable surface areas (ISAs) such as asphalt roads, roofs, and building sides have been reported with high land surface contact temperatures (LSCTs) relative to non-ISAs and significantly found to contribute to urbanization warming. Results indicate that high-temperature unshaded impermeable surfaces (including building sides) are estimated to average around 10–11 °C above the earth’s ambient temperature of 14.5 °C (showing albedo ISA estimates between 0.133 and 0.115 respectively); the ISA heat fluxes with secondary effects are estimated to have about a GW influence of 6.5%. This is broken down with average contributions of 4.0% from urban ISAs and 2.5% from rural ISA heat fluxes. Asphalt road ISA heat fluxes are estimated to have about a 1.1% global warming influence. Then the total UHF effect from ISAs and AHR with secondary effects is assessed in modeling to yield a combined average GW influence of 13% helping to confirm ground-based measurement results. Several key adjustment values were used for shading, cloud coverage, and rural-to-urban ISA ratios. Microclimate GHGs and related water vapor feedback (WVF) were assessed to increase urban warming by about 50%. As well an assessment of water vapor and radiation increases from UHF is provided. This study also shows the need to incorporate urbanization heat fluxes with secondary effects into climate models and indicates the necessity for Paris Agreement urban heat flux mitigation goals. Results also found that given average climate conditions, it is possible to mitigate much of the UHI effect with an albedo increase of 0.1 that is anticipated to lower the average impermeable surface temperatures by about 9 °C. Studies show this can be accomplished with cost-effective cool roads and roofs. Although roads are only estimated to occupy 14% of ISAs, changing roads from asphalt to concrete-type surfaces would improve reflectivity by about a factor of 5 and is estimated to mitigate about 5.5% of global warming. Unfortunately, the current overuse of black asphalt on pavements and roofs is highly dangerous to our environment causing UHI increases in heatwaves, excessive temperatures, and global warming issues and should be banned. Asphalt usage also reduces opportunities for solar geoengineering of urbanization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect)
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 3680 KiB  
Article
Machine Learning Techniques to Map the Impact of Urban Heat Island: Investigating the City of Jeddah
by Abdullah Addas
Land 2023, 12(6), 1159; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12061159 - 31 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2073
Abstract
Over the last decades, most agricultural land has been converted into residential colonies to accommodate the rapid population expansion. Population growth and urbanization result in negative consequences on the environment. Such land has experienced various environmental issues due to rapid urbanization and population [...] Read more.
Over the last decades, most agricultural land has been converted into residential colonies to accommodate the rapid population expansion. Population growth and urbanization result in negative consequences on the environment. Such land has experienced various environmental issues due to rapid urbanization and population increases. Such expansion in urbanization has a big impact on worsening the residences soon and in the long term, as the population is projected to increase more and more. One such issue is the urban heat island (UHI), which is computed based on land surface temperature (LST). The UHI effect has fundamental anthropogenic impacts on local areas, particularly in rapidly growing cities. This is due to the unplanned shifts in land use and land cover (LUALC) at the local level, which results in climate condition variations. Therefore, proper planning based on concrete information is the best policy in the long run to remedy these issues. In this study, we attempt to map out UHI phenomena using machine learning (ML) algorithms, including bagging and random subspace. The proposed research also fulfills the sustainable development goals (SDGs) requirement. We exploit the correlation and regression methods to understand the relationship between biophysical composition and the UHI effect. Our findings indicate that in the megacity of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 2000 to 2021, the urban area enlarged by about 80%, while the UHI increased overall. Impervious surfaces significantly impact the UHI effect, while vegetation and water bodies have negative implications for the UHI effect. More than 80% of the total parts in Jeddah have been classified by extremely high UHI conditions, as determined by the bagging and random subspace models. In particular, the megacity’s south, north, and central-east parts were categorized by very high UHI conditions. This research is not only expected to assist in understanding the spatial patterns of the UHI in Jeddah, but to assist planners and policymakers in spatial planning. It will help to ensure sustainable urban management and improve life quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect)
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 4802 KiB  
Article
Comparing the Trajectory of Urban Impervious Surface in Two Cities: The Case of Accra and Kumasi, Ghana
by Thomas Mumuni Bilintoh, Andrews Korah, Antwi Opuni and Adeline Akansobe
Land 2023, 12(4), 927; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040927 - 21 Apr 2023
Viewed by 970
Abstract
In this study, we present methods to assess newly developed urban impervious surface (UIS) datasets derived from satellite imagery of the cities of Kumasi and Accra, Ghana, at three different time points. Each city has three binary maps from 2000, 2011, and 2021, [...] Read more.
In this study, we present methods to assess newly developed urban impervious surface (UIS) datasets derived from satellite imagery of the cities of Kumasi and Accra, Ghana, at three different time points. Each city has three binary maps from 2000, 2011, and 2021, in which one shows the presence of UIS and zero shows its absence. We employed the binaryTimeSeries method to compare the gross gains and losses in the two cities. In addition, we show how three components of change—quantity, allocation, and alternation—compare across the two sites. The results show that both cities experienced a large proportion of gains during the change in impervious surfaces between 2000 and 2011, and 2011 and 2021, with relatively smaller loss proportions and alternations. Comparatively, the results from the components of change show that change is fastest in Kumasi, which had a larger proportion of quantity gain. Our methods show an acceleration in UIS in the two cities during the temporal extent, and this trend is likely to continue with increasing urban populations. As a result, we recommend that the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, Town and Country Planning and other stakeholders make contingency plans to regulate the unplanned increase in UIS, since other studies have shown their negative effects on people and the environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect)
Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 30865 KiB  
Article
Groundwater Urban Heat Island in Wrocław, Poland
by Magdalena Worsa-Kozak and Adalbert Arsen
Land 2023, 12(3), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12030658 - 11 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1164
Abstract
In the face of climate change and constantly progressing urbanization processes, so-called heat islands are observed with growing frequency. These phenomena are mainly characteristic of large cities, where increased air and land surface temperatures form an atmospheric (AUHI) or surface (SUHI) urban heat [...] Read more.
In the face of climate change and constantly progressing urbanization processes, so-called heat islands are observed with growing frequency. These phenomena are mainly characteristic of large cities, where increased air and land surface temperatures form an atmospheric (AUHI) or surface (SUHI) urban heat island (UHI). Moreover, UHIs have also been recognized in the underground environments of many cities worldwide, including groundwater (GUHI). However, this phenomenon is not yet as thoroughly studied as AUHI and SUHI. To recognize and characterize the thermal conditions beneath the city of Wrocław (SW, Poland), we analyze the groundwater temperature (GWT) of the first aquifer, measured in 64 wells in 2004–2005. The study aimed to identify groundwater urban heat islands (GUHI) in Wrocław. Therefore, we used a novel approach to gather data and analyze them in predefined seasonal periods. Meteorological data and satellite imagery from the same period allowed us to link GWT anomalies to the typical conditions that favor UHI formation. GWT anomaly related to the GUHI was identified in the central, urbanized part of Wrocław. Moreover, we found that the GUHI phenomenon occurs only seasonally during the winter, which is related to the city’s climate zone and anthropogenic heat sources. Comparing our results with previous works from other cities showed untypical behavior of the observed anomalies. In contrast to AUHI and SUHI temperatures, the GWT anomalies detected in Wrocław are characterized by seasonal transitions from a heat island in winter to a cold lake in summer. Such a transitional character of GUHI is described for the first time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

24 pages, 5596 KiB  
Article
Improving the Climate Resilience of Urban Road Networks: A Simulation of Microclimate and Air Quality Interventions in a Typology of Streets in Thessaloniki Historic Centre
by Nikolaos Sylliris, Apostolos Papagiannakis and Aristotelis Vartholomaios
Land 2023, 12(2), 414; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020414 - 04 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3475
Abstract
The improvement of the urban microclimate in the densely-built central areas of Mediterranean cities should be a key objective of integrated urban and transport planning and design in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals on energy, sustainable cities, and climate action. The [...] Read more.
The improvement of the urban microclimate in the densely-built central areas of Mediterranean cities should be a key objective of integrated urban and transport planning and design in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals on energy, sustainable cities, and climate action. The urban climate of cities in warm regions, already burdened by the urban heat island effect, is expected to worsen further due to the global climate crisis. This study investigates the performance of common environmental street design strategies on microclimate, thermal comfort, and air quality under extreme heat conditions in the Mediterranean city of Thessaloniki, Greece. A typology of streets was selected using criteria such as road functional classification and orientation, land uses, building height/street width ratio, the sky view factor, and the continuity/discontinuity of buildings. A conservative scenario (use of cool/photocatalytic and porous materials for sidewalks, lighter pavements, additional tree planting, installations of green roofs) and a radical scenario (pedestrianization and total traffic prohibition) of environmental design interventions were simulated using the ENVI-met 5.1 software. The research findings demonstrated that the car-free interventions combined with the use of environmentally friendly materials in the public realm could significantly reduce the heat island effect and mitigate gaseous pollutants. The perceived air temperature (Physiological Equivalent Temperature—PET index) can decrease by up to 15 °C in well-shaded locations and near building corners, while nitrogen oxides can be reduced by up to 87% when considering a more radical pedestrianization scenario. The standardization of environmental interventions following a typology of urban streets could support planners and decision-makers in detecting the appropriate solutions for improving the urban microclimate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect)
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 5392 KiB  
Article
Spatial Pattern Impact of Impervious Surface Density on Urban Heat Island Effect: A Case Study in Xuzhou, China
by Yu Zhang, Yuchen Wang, Nan Ding and Xiaoyan Yang
Land 2022, 11(12), 2135; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122135 - 26 Nov 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1222
Abstract
Impervious surfaces (IPS) are the major source of urban heat island effect (UHI), and the relationships between IPS and land surface temperature (LST) have been widely studied. However, the spatial impact of landscape patterns of patches with different IPS density (IPSD) on the [...] Read more.
Impervious surfaces (IPS) are the major source of urban heat island effect (UHI), and the relationships between IPS and land surface temperature (LST) have been widely studied. However, the spatial impact of landscape patterns of patches with different IPS density (IPSD) on the thermal environment remains largely unexplored. Based on three Landsat 8 images of the Xuzhou built-up area obtained in May and the corresponding ground observations from 2014 to 2020, the IPSD and LST maps were inversed through a linear spectral mixture analysis and mono-window algorithm, respectively. The landscape patterns of the five IPSD levels were characterized by four landscape-level and five class-level metrics. Finally, the spatial correlation between all landscape metrics and LST were analyzed using bivariate Moran’s I. The results were as follows: (1) The findings revealed that for the landscape-level metrics, LST had significant positive spatial correlations with Shannon’s diversity index (SHDI), Shannon’s evenness index (SHEI), and patch density (PD), while showing a significant negative correlation with contagion index (CONTAG), indicating that increasing the types, even distribution degree, and density of patches, or decreasing the aggregation degree of the five IPSD levels will lead to the enhancement of the thermal environment. (2) Furthermore, the class-level metrics of each IPSD level, percentage of landscape (PLAND), largest patch index (LPI), landscape shape index (LSI), aggregation index (AI), and patch cohesion index (COHESION) showed significant correlations and LST, which signified that the spatial characteristics of patch proportion, predominance degree, shape complexity, aggregation degree, and natural connectivity degree of each IPSD level are important factors affecting UHI. In addition, the spatial correlations between LST and class-level metrics were significantly positive for IPSD levels 4 and 5 with an evidently higher Moran’s I value, indicating that landscape patterns of IPSD levels 4 and 5 were the key factors in UHI enhancement. Furthermore, the impact weights of each class-level metric of IPSD levels 4 and 5 on LST were also analyzed by applying the principal component analysis and the multivariate regression standardization coefficient. These results reveal the importance and impact mechanism of the IPSD spatial patterns on UHI evolution, which may provide a valuable reference for future urban planning and climate management. This study also suggests that regional UHI can be mitigated by reducing the area proportion, natural connectivity, and shape complexity of high-density impervious surfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Form and the Urban Heat Island Effect)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop