Search Results (158)

Drought impacts agricultural production and regional sustainable development. Accordingly, timely and accurate drought monitoring is essential for ensuring food security in rain-fed agricultural regions. Alternating drought and flood events frequently occur in the Heilongjiang River Basin, the largest grain-producing area in Far East Asia. However, spatiotemporal variability in drought is not well understood, in part owing to the limitations of the traditional Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI). In this study, an Improved Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (ITVDI) was developed by incorporating Digital Elevation Model data to correct land surface temperatures and introducing a constraint line method to replace the traditional linear regression for fitting dry–wet boundaries. Based on MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) normalized vegetation index and land surface temperature products, the Heilongjiang River Basin, a cross-border basin between China, Mongolia, and Russia, exhibited pronounced spatiotemporal variability in drought conditions of the growing season from 2001 to 2023. Drought severity demonstrated clear geographical zonation, with a higher intensity in the western region and lower intensity in the eastern region. The Mongolian Plateau and grasslands were identified as drought hotspots. The Far East Asia forest belt was relatively humid, with an overall lower drought risk. The central region exhibited variation in drought characteristics. From the perspective of cross-national differences, the drought severity distribution in Northeast China and Inner Mongolia exhibits marked spatial heterogeneity. In Mongolia, regional drought levels exhibited a notable trend toward homogenization, with a higher proportion of extreme drought than in other areas. The overall drought risk in the Russian part of the basin was relatively low. A trend analysis indicated a general pattern of drought alleviation in western regions and intensification in eastern areas. Most regions showed relatively stable patterns, with few areas exhibiting significant changes, mainly surrounding cities such as Qiqihar, Daqing, Harbin, Changchun, and Amur Oblast. Regions with aggravation accounted for 52.29% of the total study area, while regions showing slight alleviation account for 35.58%. This study provides a scientific basis and data infrastructure for drought monitoring in transboundary watersheds and for ensuring agricultural production security. Full article

As the global population continues to rise, the impact of urbanization on land utilization and ecosystems are growing more pronounced, particularly within the expanding area of Asia. The land use/land change (LULC) brought by urban expansion directly impacts plant growth and ecological productivity, altering the carbon cycle and climate regulation functions of the region. This research focuses on Harbin City as a case study, employing an enhanced version of the Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach (CASA) model to analyze the spatial–temporal variations in vegetation Net Primary Productivity (NPP) across the area from 2000 to 2020. The findings indicate that Net Primary Productivity (NPP) in Harbin exhibited notable interannual variability and spatial heterogeneity. From 2000 to 2005, a decline in NPP was observed across 60.75% of the area. This reduction was predominantly concentrated in the central and eastern areas of the city, where forested landscapes are the dominant feature. In contrast, from 2010 to 2015, 92.12% of the region saw an increase in NPP, closely related to the overall improvement in NPP across all land-use types. Land-use change significantly influenced NPP dynamics. Between 2000 and 2005, 54.26% of NPP increases stemmed from the transition of farmland into forest, highlighting the effectiveness of the “conversion of farmland back to forests” policy. From 2005 to 2010, 98.6% of the area experienced NPP decline, mainly due to forest and cropland degradation, especially the unstable carbon sink function of forest ecosystems. Between 2010 and 2015, NPP improved across 96.86% of the area, driven by forest productivity recovery and better agricultural management. These results demonstrate the profound and lasting impact of land-use transitions on the spatiotemporal dynamics of NPP. Full article

Innovation has become a pivotal factor in driving economic growth for cities and regions. Urban innovation spaces are urban spaces where innovative economic and industrial activities, such as research, teaching, and high-tech manufacturing, are clustered. They have become hot research topics in recent years. Evaluating the performance of urban innovation spaces to promote rational resource allocation and enhance land development potential has become a critical task in urban planning. However, existing studies suffer from insufficient depth of research scales and a lack of quantitative indicators and data analysis. In response to the above gaps, this study constructed a framework for evaluating the performance of urban innovation spaces from 25 indicators of five major types, including core elements of innovation, entrepreneurship support institutions, service facilities, external environments, and diversities, aiming to quantify the performance heterogeneity of innovation spaces at the micro scale. This study took Harbin as an example and employed the entropy, kernel density estimation, and entropy-weighted TOPSIS methods, identifying four high-scoring areas of innovation spaces—the Science and Technology Innovation City area, the High-tech Industrial Development area, the core area of the old city, and the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute area—which were divided into three types: the Entrepreneurial leading area, Environmental Support area, and Balanced Development area. Finally, this study analyzed the interaction between each indicator. It was found that the correlation between the core elements of innovation and the indicators of entrepreneurship support institutions was strong and had a high degree of importance. The correlation of different types of service facility indicators is quite different, and the external environment indicators and diversity indicators are mainly affected by other indicators, especially the core elements of innovation and entrepreneurship support institutions. This paper provides a valuable tool for the performance evaluation of urban innovation spaces for researchers and urban planning decision makers. Full article

In recent years, the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters have underscored the urgent need for resilient urban development. In cold-region cities, low temperatures pose a distinct and underexplored threat, with serious implications for human well-being, infrastructure performance, and ecological stability. Despite growing attention to climate resilience, existing urban risk assessments have largely focused on heatwaves and flooding, leaving a notable gap in research on cold-weather vulnerability. To address this gap, this study develops a fine-scale cold-climate vulnerability assessment framework grounded in the widely recognized “Exposure–Sensitivity–Adaptive Capacity” (ESA) model. Using subdistricts as the basic units of analysis, we integrate multi-source spatial data—including demographics, built environment, services, and ecological indicators—to construct a comprehensive evaluation system tailored to low-temperature conditions. The model is applied to the central urban area of Harbin, China, a representative cold-region city. The results reveal distinct spatial disparities in vulnerability: older urban districts exhibit higher vulnerability due to high population density and inadequate public services, while newly developed areas show relatively greater adaptive capacity. Further analysis identifies key drivers of vulnerability in different zones. Based on these insights, the study proposes differentiated, subdistrict-level planning strategies aimed at reducing exposure, mitigating sensitivity, and enhancing adaptive capacity. By extending the ESA model to cold-climate scenarios and operationalizing it at the subdistrict scale, this research contributes both methodologically and practically to the field of urban climate resilience. The findings offer actionable strategies for policymakers and provide a replicable framework applicable to other cold-region cities facing similar challenges. Full article

As the leading grain-producing region in China, Heilongjiang Province is crucial to the country’s food security. Thus, determining Heilongjiang’s agricultural carbon emissions status and trend projections provides a baseline for supporting low-carbon emission reduction in this sector. This study analyzes carbon emissions from crop farming and farmland soil in Heilongjiang from 2003 to 2022, focusing on two carbon sources: agricultural land use and soil. BP neural network model, emission factor coefficient approach, Tapio decoupling framework, and LMDI model are used. These findings show that Heilongjiang’s planting industry carbon emissions initially increased and then decreased, with chemical fertilizers and rice being the main sources. Harbin, Qiqihar, Jiamusi, and Suihua contribute significantly to soil carbon emissions from farming. In “weak decoupling-expanding negative decoupling-strong decoupling,” economic levels drive carbon emissions, while production efficiency is the key countermeasure. Qiqihar will not peak between 2023 and 2030, while the other 12 Heilongjiang cities will. Therefore, these emission-reduction proposals are presented: Restructuring (increasing drought-resistant and cold-climate low-carbon crops), optimizing fertilization (soil testing and organic fertilizers), and improving resource utilization can help Heilongjiang Province achieve “food security, ecological preservation, and low-carbon development” in its agricultural practices. Full article

Single-use plastics (SUPs) are deeply embedded in everyday consumption in rapidly developing Asian cities, yet their widespread use contributes to marine debris, microplastic pollution, and health risks. This study aimed to inform evidence-based policymaking to mitigate marine plastic pollution in the ASEAN+3 region. Stratified random sampling surveys (n = 1492) were conducted both face to face and online across five representative cities between September 2022 and February 2023. We quantified and compared the consumption and disposal patterns across nine SUP categories, assessed demographic influences, evaluated the impact of COVID-19, and derived insights for targeted policy interventions. Non-parametric tests were used to evaluate the differences. The results reveal significant inter-city variation: Shanghai and Harbin reported high overall SUP use despite a lower consumption of plastic shopping bags; Hanoi and Depok showed lower overall use but distinct preferences for plastic shopping bags and party cups; and Phnom Penh had the highest consumption of plastic shopping bags, bottles, and straws. Plastic shopping bags were the most used item in all cities (18–34 bags per week), with no significant differences between urban and rural areas, ages, or genders. In contrast, urban residents reported a higher use of plastic takeout containers, cutlery, coffee cups, and party cups. The COVID-19 pandemic notably reshaped SUP consumption patterns. Additionally, over half of SUPs were disposed of without proper separation. These findings underscore the need for flexible, phased, and context-specific interventions to support a resilient circular economy. Full article

Orientation is a key indicator affecting the street thermal environment, especially by modifying the radiation temperature. Comprehending the temporal variation in the thermal environment helps in adapting to heat exposure on streets with different orientations. Existing studies have revealed the impacts of street orientations on static thermal environments, namely, the thermal environment at a location at a certain time. However, the thermal environment is dynamically changing, yet the impact of the street orientation on this dynamic change has not yet been revealed, which is an important reference for citizens to choose appropriate streets and exposure times. This study takes the typical cities in China as examples. By simulation, the thermal data of each hour within the street were collected. Then, the thermal distribution map was initiated to display the temporal variation in the thermal environment in various oriented streets. Finally, for each oriented street, the regulatory capabilities, as well as the impacts on “hot” perception, were analyzed. Specifically, the maximum regulatory capabilities of the street orientation on PETs were about 3 °C (Harbin), 5 °C (Xi’an), 11 °C (Changsha), 10 °C (Guangzhou), 4 °C (Kunming), 4 °C (Xining), and 6 °C (Urumqi). Furthermore, taking 39 °C as the marker of “hot” PET perception, the regulatory capabilities of the street orientation on the period of “hot” perception were approximately 1 h (Harbin), 2.5 h (Xi’an), 2.5 h (Changsha), 1.5 h (Guangzhou), 5 h (Kunming), 1 h (Xining), and 5 h (Urumqi). Full article

An evaluation of regional landscape ecological risk (LER) in Harbin, a key center city in Northeast China, is crucial for the long-term sustainability of its ecological and economic development. This study aims to (1) assess the spatiotemporal patterns of LER in Harbin from 2000 to 2020, (2) identify the key natural and human driving factors influencing LER, and (3) project future landscape ecological risk trends under multiple land use scenarios. To achieve these objectives, land use data from 2000, 2010, and 2020 were analyzed using landscape pattern indices to characterize ecological risk patterns. GeoDetector was applied to quantify the spatial differentiation and factor contributions to LER. Furthermore, the PLUS model was employed to simulate land use change and assess future LER patterns under three scenario settings. Moran’s I was used to evaluate spatial autocorrelation. The results indicate the following: (1) Between 2000 and 2020, cultivated land and woodland were the two most prevalent land types in Harbin, with the majority of land use shifts occurring between these two groupings. The main changes to the landscape were a continuous increase in development land and a steady decrease in unused area. (2) The overall LER in Harbin has been trending downward over the last 20 years, primarily falling within the medium-risk range. Marked spatial heterogeneity in LER was observed, displaying a distribution pattern of “high in the west and north, low in the east and south”. The majority of the riskiest regions were concentrated around bodies of water. (3) The Moran’s I indices for LER in Harbin were 0.798, 0.828, and 0.852, respectively, indicating significant spatial autocorrelation. The local clustering patterns were mainly defined by “High–High” and “Low–Low” agglomeration patterns. (4) Among natural factors, DEM exhibited the greatest explanatory strength for LER in Harbin, and the interaction between DEM and annual precipitation was recognized as the dominant force driving spatial disparities in LER. (5) Among the three projected scenarios for 2030, the ecological priority scenario showed a slower rate of decrease in ecological land, suggesting that this scenario is an effective approach for improving landscape ecological conditions. The findings offer a theoretical foundation and scientific guidance for LER management in Harbin and similar regions. Full article

Many papers address the issue of large cities and their functions on the international stage, including the command and control function, world city function, and global city function. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on cities and their full impact on the international scene as well as the significance of the command and control (C&C) function of cities, global cities, and world cities. Therefore, this paper provides an initial attempt at a comprehensive analysis of this subject matter. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the relationship between the command and control function, global city function, and world city function. Ossan’s triangle is used to show the share of the command and control function, the world city function, and the global city function in the given cities. This method has not previously been used in the analysis of city functions. Four city types are identified in this study on the basis of the share of each function within the overall significance of each studied city. Research has shown that the most important cities in the world do not belong to any of these four categories, which suggests that no single function is dominant and that there does not exist a strong diversity of functions in any given major city. The predominance of one function or a balance between all three functions is not always associated with the largest and most important cities operating within the global economy. This is more likely to be the case for cities without well-developed command and control functions, world city functions, and global city functions. Examples of such cities include Harbin and Abu Dhabi. Full article

The cultural and creative industries have garnered widespread attention as an important vehicle for promoting the transformation and upgrading of urban industrial structures. In this investigation, we take Harbin—a city in China with a strong industrial legacy—as a case study. Through kernel density analysis and the DBSCAN clustering algorithm, we identify and analyze the spatial distribution and spatiotemporal evolution patterns of 157 clusters of cultural and creative industries in Harbin. We construct a Geographic Weighted Regression (GWR) model using 20 indicators from three categories (i.e., social, cultural, and economic) to analyze the factors impacting the agglomeration of cultural and creative industries in Harbin. Our findings reveal that the cultural and creative industries exhibit an agglomeration pattern. A large-scale agglomeration area for large enterprises has formed in the city center, while scattered, small-scale agglomeration zones for emerging small enterprises have formed in newly developed areas on the urban periphery. The GWR analysis indicates that economic factors have the most significant impact on the agglomeration of cultural and creative industries; however, night-time economic facilities show a negative correlation. Among social factors, the convenience of public transportation and new energy transportation infrastructure have a significant impact on industrial agglomeration. Regarding cultural factors, cultural and sports facilities have the greatest influence, while public information kiosks and public arts education facilities exhibit spatial variability. These findings provide a scientific basis for policy formulation and contribute to promoting the healthy development of cultural and creative industries. Full article

Improving solar availability in urban blocks is vital to promoting energy conservation and emissions reduction. However, there are very few studies on the impact of block morphology on solar energy availability in high-density cities based on the particularities of climate and solar energy resources in severe cold regions at higher latitudes. This study took 434 block models generated through seven orientation conditions of 62 residential blocks in Harbin, China, as its research object. Through numerical simulations and statistical analysis, it revealed the quantitative relationship between block morphology and the availability of active photovoltaic and solar thermal collector technologies and passive thermal heating technologies. The results show that active solar technology has the highest availability in multi-story enclosed residential blocks, and passive thermal heating has the highest availability in the multi-high-level mixed-row type. The south façade of the building has the greatest active and passive solar availability. The overall active solar availability of the residential block is significantly negatively correlated with the mean building height, floor area ratio, and volume area ratio; it is significantly positively correlated with site coverage and the standard deviation of the building height. Controlling the block’s orientation between 15° south by west and 15° south by east can increase the active solar availability of the façade. This study provides a reference and evaluation basis for the sustainable planning and design of high-density cities in severely cold regions. Full article

Amid global challenges like COVID-19 and trade wars, resilient logistics networks are crucial. The China Railway Express (CRE) offers a sustainable alternative to sea and air transport, supporting China’s national logistics strategy and strengthening links between China and Europe. This study applies a three-stage Social Network Analysis (SNA) to CRE using a “point–line–network” approach. It evaluates city logistics with the entropy weight method, modifies the gravity model to assess intercity logistical gravity, and constructs a weighted network to analyze centrality evolution through SNA. The results show that cities such as Zhengzhou, Wuhan, and Chongqing have emerged as central logistics hubs, benefiting from strategic investments in infrastructure and multimodal systems. However, regional disparities persist, with cities like Harbin, Lanzhou, and Urumqi facing challenges in integration due to infrastructure deficits and geographic constraints. Furthermore, inefficiencies in border logistics, inconsistent customs procedures, and limited multimodal integration hinder the CRE’s potential. Addressing these challenges through infrastructure investment, unified customs standards, multimodal hub development, and advanced technologies like IoT and blockchain is crucial for enhancing connectivity and competitiveness. The findings offer actionable recommendations for policymakers, logistics firms, and researchers, contributing to the sustainable optimization of the CRE within global supply chains. Full article

This study introduces an innovative approach based on multi-source data fusion to address the challenges of traffic operation management in cold-climate cities. Taking Harbin City as the research object, GPS trajectory data and checkpoint data were integrated to systematically analyze the seasonal fluctuation patterns and spatial distribution characteristics of traffic operations from the dimensions of time and space. The study shows that low temperatures and snow in winter significantly reduce traffic efficiency, with prominent traffic pressure during morning and evening peak hours. On weekdays, there is a clear “double peak” characteristic, while on non-working days, traffic flow is relatively stable. Moreover, compared to southern cities with a more pronounced “long-tail effect”, the long period of traffic congestion recovery significantly increases the resilience requirements of the traffic system in cold-climate cities. In terms of space, the concentrated commuting demand in the core circle leads to much higher traffic pressure than in the peripheral areas, creating a marked traffic gradient. Frequently congested road sections are mostly concentrated on commuting arteries and functional nodes, while peripheral areas have higher operational efficiency due to a balanced work–residence distribution. The study reveals the spatiotemporal characteristics of traffic operations in cold-climate cities, offering data support for precise management. By verifying the application value of multi-source data fusion under extreme climate conditions, this study provides important references for intelligent transportation management and sustainable development in cold-climate cities. Full article

Landscape visual evaluation is a key method for assessing the value of visual landscape resources. This study aims to enhance the visual environment and sensory quality of urban landscapes by establishing standards for the visual comfort of urban natural landscapes. Using line-of-sight and multi-factor analysis algorithms, the method assesses spatial visibility and visual exposure of building clusters in the core urban areas of Harbin, identifying areas and viewpoints with high visual potential. Focusing on the viewpoints of landmark 3D models and the surrounding landscape’s visual environment, the study uses the city’s sky, greenery, and water features as key visual elements for evaluating the comfort of urban natural landscapes. By integrating GIS data, big data street-view photos, and image semantic recognition, spatial analysis algorithms extract both objective and subjective visual values at observation points, followed by mathematical modeling and quantitative analysis. The study explores the coupling relationship between objective physical visual values and subjective perceived visibility. The results show that 3D visual analysis effectively reveals the relationship between landmark buildings and surrounding landscapes, providing scientific support for urban planning and contributing to the development of a more distinctive and attractive urban space. Full article

The urban–rural fringe, serving as a frontier space and protective barrier for urban–rural factor circulation, is a complex area marked by significant human–land conflicts. Therefore, scientifically identifying and dynamically monitoring the urban–rural fringe is crucial for its integrated development and spatial governance. In this context, this paper constructs an information entropy model using land use data, combined with the central gravitational agglomeration method, to accurately identify the evolution of Harbin’s urban–rural fringe over the past 40 years. The research reveals that Harbin’s urban–rural fringe exhibits a distinct circling pattern, with spatial morphology changes characterized as “low-speed spreading—jumping expansion—internal dissimilarity”, allowing for improved identification of its three types: stable, expanding, and degrading. The study also tracks the scale of the urban–rural fringe in Harbin with three types of stable, expanding, and degrading urban–rural fringe. Drawing on previous research, we visualize the fringe area’s functional spatial positioning, showing its dominant function shifting from a production–ecological composite to a production–life–ecological coordinated function. Concurrently, the study’s findings, alongside Harbin’s socioeconomic development, indicate that the urban–rural fringe’s evolution is driven by economic, policy, and environmental factors. Based on the multi-dimensional research outcomes, we conclude that the evolution of Harbin’s urban–rural fringe can be divided into three stages: a slow gestation period (1980–1990), a rapid development period (1990–2010), and a stable reconstruction phase (2010–2020). In the initial phase, urban and rural development is minimal; during the second phase, the trend of urban expansion is significant, and the urban–rural fringe is rapidly shifted to the city; and in the latter stage, urban and rural elements are stabilized and coordinated, and urban and rural areas are realized to be developed and reconstructed as one. This paper provides a scientific basis for understanding the dynamic evolution of the urban–rural fringe in Harbin City and is an important reference for future territorial spatial planning and development. Full article