Dynamics of Eco-Environments, Spatial Patterns, and Landscape in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas

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: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 12356

Special Issue Editors

COMPAS, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK
Interests: urban transformation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
1. Urban Science and Policy, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai 200122, China
2. University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK
Interests: urban computation and analytics; low-carbon city; spatial computation and urban growth modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
1. Shanghai Academy of Landscape Architecture Science and Planning, Shanghai 200232, China
2. Harvard China Project, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Interests: urban ecology; ecosystem carbon exchanges
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The main objective of this Special Issue is to provide a scientific forum for advancing the successful implementation of novel technologies and methods (e.g., remote-sensing, big data, modeling, etc.) in landscape ecology analysis of urban areas and the peri-urban eco-environment (e.g., water quality, urban planning, landscape patterns, etc.); in addition, this issue hopes to foster informed debates among scientists and stakeholders on prevalent eco-environmental issues relating these to city growth dynamics. With unprecedented, and in many cases unregulated, growth occurring in urban and peri-urban areas across the world, the nature of land use within and around such places is extremely dynamic, with fast-changing ecological characteristics and functions. Many novel approaches have been developed with this in mind and are considered as ideal tools to analyze such urban and peri-urban eco-environments, their dynamicity, and the altered nature of the neighborhoods in such areas, relating these aspects to arising issues concerning urban development and environmental change monitoring and modeling. Besides the abovementioned topics, prospective contributions to this Special Issue may also examine the influence of changing demographics, socio-cultural attributes, and climate change aspects on urban and peri-urban ecology.

This Special Issue may encompass (without being limited to) the following themes:

  • Rural-urban linkages;
  • Landscape ecological analysis;
  • Urban growth and fringe development;
  • Urban and peri-urban risks under climate change;
  • Relations between urban growth and climate change;
  • Urban and peri-urban land use and land cover dynamics;
  • Urban and peri-urban carbon peaking and carbon neutrality;
  • Monitoring, mapping, and assessing the urban spatial patterns and land use changes;
  • Dynamics of urban rivers and their eco-environmental functions for urban/peri-urbans;
  • Remote sensing and GIS analysis informing/supporting urban and peri-urban governance and planning;
  • Application of remote sensing and GIS for urban environmental change, sustainability, and livability (climate, biodiversity, green space, etc.).

Prof. Dr. Michael Keith
Dr. ChengHe Guan
Dr. Jialin Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • land use dynamics
  • rural-urban gradients
  • urban green-blue linkages
  • landscape ecology analysis
  • urban sprawl and development
  • urban risks under climate change
  • carbon peaking and carbon neutrality
  • metropolitan spatial structure and landscape patterns

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 3004 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Evolution, Spatial Agglomeration and Convergence of Environmental Governance in China—A Comparative Analysis Based on a Basin Perspective
by Mengzhi Xu, Shixin Luan, Xuan Gao and Huachun Wang
Land 2024, 13(2), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020231 - 12 Feb 2024
Viewed by 568
Abstract
Scientifically measuring the level of environmental governance (EGL) and understanding its spatial convergence has important reference value for ecological governance. In this paper, the global entropy method is applied to measure the EGL of 284 prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2019, [...] Read more.
Scientifically measuring the level of environmental governance (EGL) and understanding its spatial convergence has important reference value for ecological governance. In this paper, the global entropy method is applied to measure the EGL of 284 prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2019, which are divided into three major river basins, including the Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Pearl River, to observe the spatial–temporal evolutionary characterization through a standard deviation ellipse model. The coefficient of variation and the spatial econometric model are the tools used to conduct the spatial convergence test. The results are as follows: (1) China’s EGL is low overall, though it is fluctuating upward at low magnitude, and the three major river basins follow the ranking: The Pearl River Basin > The Yangtze River Basin > The Yellow River Basin. (2) Spatially, the distribution pattern of China’s EGL changes from “scattered and sporadic” to “multipolar core”. (3) The center of China’s environmental governance was concentrated in the east from 2007 to 2019, and the EGL in the midstream and downstream regions of the three major river basins increased rapidly. (4) Environmental governance in China has significant absolute and conditional β-convergence characteristics, as do the three major basins, while the ranking of convergence speed remains “Yangtze River Basin > Yellow River Basin > Pearl River Basin”. Of these, economic development accelerated the convergence rate of environmental governance in China and its three major river basins; financial pressure significantly inhibited the convergence of the EGL of the Yellow River Basin. The improvement of the EGL in the Pearl River Basin was also negatively influenced by the industrial structure. Full article
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16 pages, 8291 KiB  
Article
Identification and Analysis of Potential Open-Sharing Subjects of Unit-Affiliated Green Spaces in Shanghai Based on POI Data
by Bo Liu, Sijun Zheng, Lang Zhang, Jialin Liu, Tingting Fu, Ruijun Hao and Ming Yin
Land 2023, 12(12), 2162; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12122162 - 13 Dec 2023
Viewed by 737
Abstract
In the post-pandemic era, the need for accessible urban green open spaces has increased. There is an urgent need to accurately identify large-scale unit-affiliated green spaces and focus on the potential for open sharing. Therefore, using POI data from the Gaode map of [...] Read more.
In the post-pandemic era, the need for accessible urban green open spaces has increased. There is an urgent need to accurately identify large-scale unit-affiliated green spaces and focus on the potential for open sharing. Therefore, using POI data from the Gaode map of Shanghai obtained via web crawler, combined with remote sensing image data and the current green space data, the subjects of unit-affiliated green spaces in the main urban area and five new towns of Shanghai were identified in 2021. On this basis, in-depth explorations were carried out in terms of the type and number of subjects, the overall layout, and the grading of potential open sharing. A new application path for identifying subjects of unit-affiliated green spaces based on the POI data was established. The analysis of the potential openness of the subjects strongly supports the open sharing of unit-affiliated green spaces; the open sharing of unit-affiliated green spaces can compensate for the deficiencies in the fairness and efficiency of urban green spaces. Full article
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18 pages, 4051 KiB  
Article
Correlation between Spatial-Temporal Changes in Landscape Patterns and Habitat Quality in the Yongding River Floodplain, China
by Junyi Su, Renfei Zhang, Minghao Wu, Ruiying Yang, Zhicheng Liu and Xiaoming Xu
Land 2023, 12(4), 807; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040807 - 02 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1831
Abstract
The watershed habitat, especially floodplains, is often impacted by the interaction between the natural environment and human activities, and the fragile ecological balance is easily disturbed. Therefore, the study of the changes in habitat quality in floodplains is significant for the reconstruction of [...] Read more.
The watershed habitat, especially floodplains, is often impacted by the interaction between the natural environment and human activities, and the fragile ecological balance is easily disturbed. Therefore, the study of the changes in habitat quality in floodplains is significant for the reconstruction of damaged habitats. In this study, the landscape patterns and habitat quality in the Yongding River floodplain from 1967 to 2018 were evaluated. We employed spatial analysis to explore the characteristics and correlation of its spatio-temporal pattern change. Our results show that, first, the overall landscape pattern of the Yongding River floodplain was dominated by arable land and forestland while the construction land expanded. Second, the landscape pattern tended toward fragmentation, and the degree of landscape complexity increased. Third, the habitat quality was generally above the medium level. However, the low-quality area continued to increase. Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between habitat quality and the Aggregation Index, Diversity Index, and the area of water and forestland. In this context, the protection of the integrity and diversity of the landscape, reducing or even prohibiting the loss of water and forestland habitats, and restoring the ecological river, should be strengthened. The contribution of this paper provides a scientific reference to the comprehensive management and ecological restoration of river ecosystems. Full article
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18 pages, 7010 KiB  
Article
Detecting the Spatial Network Structure of the Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration, China: A Multi-Dimensional Element Flow Perspective
by Bao Meng, Jifei Zhang and Xiaohui Zhang
Land 2023, 12(3), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12030563 - 25 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1379
Abstract
Element flow has gradually become an important method for studying urban spatial structure. This study examined 11 prefectural cities in the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration; constructed a measurement model for information, traffic, migration, and composite networks; and analyzed the spatial structure of the [...] Read more.
Element flow has gradually become an important method for studying urban spatial structure. This study examined 11 prefectural cities in the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration; constructed a measurement model for information, traffic, migration, and composite networks; and analyzed the spatial structure of the urban network of the urban agglomeration through social network analysis and spatial visualization. The spatial structure of the composite flow network had Xi’an as the center and Xianyang, Baoji, Weinan and Tianshui as important nodes; Yuncheng, Linfen and Qingyang were the secondary nodes, radiating to the surrounding three cities. Element flow connection strength was unbalanced, and only three city pairs were in the first level of the composite flow network. Network density was low-middle, and the network connection was weak. Xi’an was the primary central city of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration with the strongest agglomeration and radiation capabilities; it could communicate with other cities without intermediate cities and was a bridge for other cities. Tongchuan, Pingliang, Shangluo, and Qingyang were at the edge of the urban agglomeration and had weak agglomeration, radiation, and intermediary capabilities. The inner cities of cohesive subgroups were closely related with weak connections between subgroups. The single-polarization of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration was serious, and the single-core spatial structure centered on Xi’an had limited impact on the urban agglomeration. Development of small and medium-sized cities should be strengthened in the future. Full article
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20 pages, 12550 KiB  
Article
Spatio-Temporal Analysis of the Effects of Human Activities on Habitat Quality: A Case Study of Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, China
by Shunqian Gao, Liu Yang and Hongzan Jiao
Land 2022, 11(10), 1837; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101837 - 19 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1741
Abstract
In recent years, regional habitat quality (HQ) has significantly degenerated, mainly attributed to human activities. Evaluating the spatio-temporal effects of human activities on HQ is crucial for maintaining regional ecosystem and conservation of landscapes. In this paper, taking Guiyang city as a case [...] Read more.
In recent years, regional habitat quality (HQ) has significantly degenerated, mainly attributed to human activities. Evaluating the spatio-temporal effects of human activities on HQ is crucial for maintaining regional ecosystem and conservation of landscapes. In this paper, taking Guiyang city as a case study, the spatio-temporal patterns of HQ and human footprint (HF) in 2000, 2010 and 2020 were respectively calculated by the HQ model and human footprint index (HFI). Then, the bivariate local Moran’s I was applied to measure the spatial relationship between them. Urban development zoning was conducted on the basis of the spatio-temporal relationship. The results showed that (1) in the past 20 years, HQ in Guiyang city was mainly dominated by relatively high value areas (moderately high and high), accounting for more than 60% of the total area. The proportion of low HQ area increased from 12.5% in 2000 to 18.5% in 2020, indicating that urban development has caused the continuous degradation of HQ. (2) The human activities in Guiyang city undergone apparent changes. The area of low HF decreased from 51.5% in 2000 to 46.7% in 2020, while the area with high-value increased from 2% to 5.8%. (3) There was a significantly negative correlation between HQ and HF in Guiyang city. The increasing correlation coefficient indicated that the impact of human activities on HQ has been strengthening. (4) Based on the spatial zoning scheme, the territorial space of Guiyang city was divided into four types, that is, the core development zone, the moderate development zone, the habitat conservation zone and the prohibited development zone. A series of corresponding strategies were proposed for the characteristics of each zone. Our findings can serve as guidance to urban managers and policy-makers for adopting suitable urban development plans and appropriate management of natural environment. Full article
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15 pages, 6346 KiB  
Article
Appraisal of Building Price in Urban Area Using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) Data in Depok City
by Randhi Atiqi, Muhammad Dimyati, Ahmad Gamal and Rizki Pramayuda
Land 2022, 11(8), 1320; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11081320 - 16 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1510
Abstract
Economic growth and its demographic benefits have enhanced the high rate of urbanization in Indonesia, although property tax revenues are still low compared to G20 countries. This low performance is partly due to the limited capacity of local governments, regarding the determination of [...] Read more.
Economic growth and its demographic benefits have enhanced the high rate of urbanization in Indonesia, although property tax revenues are still low compared to G20 countries. This low performance is partly due to the limited capacity of local governments, regarding the determination of building values for tax calculations. To improve local government tax performance, LIDAR mapping is capable of being used for quickly estimating the price of a building. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the patterns by which the spatial differences in building price values influence the tax databases and LiDAR mapping results. Based on this mapping process, the present building site size in high-density housing areas was on average 1.66-times larger than those in the Depok City Government tax database. Meanwhile, the sites in medium-density housing and trade/service areas were 1.35- and 1.08-times wider, respectively. Using a LiDAR 3D model, the observed level of construction was much higher in the highly-urbanized area compared to the price in the Depok City Government tax database. This was based on the construction cost of a building per square meter. Regarding these results, the building prices in high- and medium-density areas, as well as the trade/service area, were nine, six, and three-times higher, respectively. Full article
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22 pages, 5210 KiB  
Article
Industrial Carbon Emission Efficiency of Cities in the Pearl River Basin: Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Driving Forces
by Hongtao Jiang, Jian Yin, Yuanhong Qiu, Bin Zhang, Yi Ding and Ruici Xia
Land 2022, 11(8), 1129; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11081129 - 22 Jul 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 1664
Abstract
In the context of green and high-quality development, effectively enhancing industrial carbon emission efficiency is critical for reducing carbon emissions and achieving sustainable economic growth. This study explored this research area using three models: the super-efficient SBM model was used to measure the [...] Read more.
In the context of green and high-quality development, effectively enhancing industrial carbon emission efficiency is critical for reducing carbon emissions and achieving sustainable economic growth. This study explored this research area using three models: the super-efficient SBM model was used to measure the industrial carbon emission efficiency of 48 cities in the Pearl River Basin from 2009 to 2017; the exploratory spatiotemporal data analysis method was used to reveal the spatiotemporal interaction characteristics of industrial carbon emission efficiency; and the geographical detectors and geographically weighted regression model were employed to explore the influencing factors. The results are as follows: (1) The Pearl River Basin’s industrial carbon emission efficiency steadily increased from 2009 to 2017, with an average annual growth rate of 0.18 percent, but the industrial carbon emission efficiency of some sites remains low; (2) The local spatiotemporal pattern of industrial carbon emission efficiency is solitary and spatially dependent; (3) The spatial variation of industrial carbon emission efficiency is influenced by a number of factors, including the industrialization level, openness to the outside world, the science and technology level, energy consumption intensity, and productivity level, with the productivity level, industrialization level, and openness to the outside world being the most important. Among these factors, the productivity level, science and technology level, openness to the outside world, and industrialization level all have a positive correlation with industrial carbon emission efficiency, but energy consumption intensity has a negative correlation. This study provides an integrated framework using exploratory spatiotemporal analysis and geographically weighted regression to examine carbon emission efficiency among cities. It can serve as a technical support for carbon reduction policies in cities within the Pearl River Basin, as well as a reference for industrial carbon emission studies of other regions of the world. Full article
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19 pages, 6714 KiB  
Article
Spatial Distribution of Precise Suitability of Plantation: A Case Study of Main Coniferous Forests in Hubei Province, China
by Yang Yi, Mingchang Shi, Jialin Liu, Chen Zhang, Xiaoding Yi, Sha Li, Chunyang Chen and Liangzhao Lin
Land 2022, 11(5), 690; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11050690 - 05 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1556
Abstract
(1) Background. Conifers are the main plantation species in southern China, including Masson Pine (MP), Chinese fir (CF) and Chinese thuja (CT). Clarifying the suitable site conditions for these conifers is helpful for large-area afforestation, so as to manage forests to provide a [...] Read more.
(1) Background. Conifers are the main plantation species in southern China, including Masson Pine (MP), Chinese fir (CF) and Chinese thuja (CT). Clarifying the suitable site conditions for these conifers is helpful for large-area afforestation, so as to manage forests to provide a higher level of ecosystem services. To achieve the research goals, we take the conifers in Hubei Province of southern China as a case study. (2) Methods. The situations of conifers, as well as environmental conditions of 448 sampling plots, were then investigated. The suitable growth environment of conifers in the studied area was determined by the maximum entropy algorithm, and the suitability spatial distribution of coniferous forests at the provincial level was also analyzed. (3) Results. The effect of the conifers suitability prediction model reached an accurate level, where AUC values of MP, CF and CT training set were 0.828, 0.856 and 0.970, respectively. Among multiple environmental factors, such as geography and climate, altitude is the most important factor affecting conifer growth. The contribution of altitude to the growth suitability of MP, CF and CT was 38.1%, 36.2% and 36.1%, respectively. Suitable areas of MP, CF and CT were 97,400 ha, 74,300 ha and 39,900 ha, accounting for 52.45%, 39.97% and 21.46% of the studied area, respectively. We concluded that the suitable site conditions of conifer plantations were 2800–5600 °C annual accumulated temperature, 40–1680 m a.s.l., and <40° slopes. (4) Conclusions. The study suggests that accurate spatial suitability evaluation should be carried out to provide sufficient support for the large-area afforestation in southern China. However, due to our data and study area limitations, further studies are needed to explore the above findings for a full set of plantation species in an extensive area of southern China. Full article
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