Search Results (124)

Zoning policies play a critical role in shaping the geography of urban and suburban development in the United States. Using data from the National Zoning and Land-Use Database and tract-level census data from 42 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, we classify metros into four zoning regime types based on the relative restrictiveness of urban and suburban land-use policies and compare trends in population growth and neighborhood change across these regimes. Our findings show that suburban areas have outpaced urban cores in population growth across all zoning configurations, with the most pronounced growth occurring in metros where restrictive urban zoning coexists with permissive suburban regulation. This growth is disproportionately concentrated in affluent suburban neighborhoods, suggesting a spatial sorting of access to resources and amenities. We also find that urban–suburban gentrification gaps are the smallest in these asymmetrical zoning regimes, suggesting that permissive suburban land use may facilitate spillover effects from constrained cores. These findings suggest that zoning asymmetries shape not only the geography of growth but also the spatial dynamics of gentrification. We argue for a metropolitan perspective on land-use governance to better understand the interconnected nature of suburbanization and the spatial expansion of gentrification. Full article

Heatwaves intensified by climate change increasingly threaten urban populations, especially the elderly. However, most existing studies have concentrated on short-term or single-scale analyses, lacking a comprehensive understanding of how land cover changes and urbanization affect the vulnerability of the elderly to extreme heat. This study aims to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of heat-related health risks among the elderly in Nanchang City and to identify their key driving factors within the context of rapid urbanization. This study employs Crichton’s risk triangle framework to the heat-related health risks for the elderly in Nanchang, China, from 2002 to 2020 by integrating meteorological records, land surface temperature, land cover data, and socioeconomic indicators. The model captures the spatiotemporal dynamics of heat hazards, exposure, and vulnerability and identifies the key drivers shaping these patterns. The results show that the heat health risk index has increased significantly over time, with notably higher levels in the urban core compared to those in suburban areas. A 1% rise in impervious surface area corresponds to a 0.31–1.19 increase in the risk index, while a 1% increase in green space leads to a 0.21–1.39 reduction. Vulnerability is particularly high in economically disadvantaged, medically under-served peripheral zones. These findings highlight the need to optimize the spatial distribution of urban green space and control the expansion of impervious surfaces to mitigate urban heat risks. In high-vulnerability areas, improving infrastructure, expanding medical resources, and establishing targeted heat health monitoring and early warning systems are essential to protecting elderly populations. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive framework for assessing urban heat health risks and offers actionable insights into enhancing climate resilience and health risk management in rapidly urbanizing regions. Full article

This study, taking Anhui Province as a case study, systematically evaluated the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of six ecosystem services (biodiversity maintenance, water yield, carbon fixation, vegetation net primary productivity (NPP), soil retention, and crop production) from 2000 to 2020 through the integration of multi-stakeholder decision-making preferences and the Marxan model. Four conservation scenarios (ecological security priority, social benefit orientation, minimum cost constraint, and balance synergy) were established to explore the spatial optimization pathways of ecological protection zones under differentiated policy objectives. The findings indicated that: (1) The ecosystem services in Anhui Province exhibited a “low north and high south” spatial gradient, with significant synergies observed in natural ecosystem services in the southern Anhui mountainous areas, while the northern Anhui agricultural areas were subjected to significant trade-offs due to intensive development. (2) High service provision in the southern Anhui mountainous areas was maintained by topographic barriers and forest protection policies (significant NPP improvement zones accounted for 50.125%), whereas soil–water services degradation in the northern Anhui plains was caused by agricultural intensification and groundwater overexploitation (slight soil retention degradation covered 24.505%, and water yield degradation areas reached 29.766%). Urbanization demonstrated a double-edged sword effect—the expansion of the Hefei metropolitan area triggered suburban biodiversity degradation (significant degradation patches occupied 0.0758%), while ecological restoration projects promoted mountain NPP growth, highlighting the necessity of synergizing natural recovery and artificial interventions. (3) Multi-scenario planning revealed that the spatial congruence between the ecological security priority scenario and traditional ecological protection redlines reached 46.57%, whereas the social benefit scenario achieved only 12.13%, exposing the inadequate responsiveness of the current conservation framework to service demands in densely populated areas. This research validated the technical superiority of multi-objective systematic planning in reconciling ecological protection and development conflicts, providing scientific support for optimizing ecological security patterns in the Yangtze River Delta region. Full article

Cropland abandonment (CA) has become a significant threat to agricultural sustainability, particularly in metropolitan suburbs where urban expansion and cropland preservation often conflict. This study examines the Chengdu Directly Administered Zone of the Tianfu New Area in Sichuan Province, China, as a case study, utilizing high-precision vector data from China’s 2019–2023 National Land Survey to identify abandoned croplands through land use change trajectory analysis. By integrating kernel density estimation, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and geographically weighted regression modeling, we quantitatively analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of CA and the spatial heterogeneity of driving factors in the study area. The results demonstrate an average annual abandonment rate of approximately 8%, exhibiting minor fluctuations but significant spatial clustering characteristics, with abandonment hotspots concentrated in peri-urban areas that gradually expanded toward urban cores over time, while exurban regions showed lower abandonment rates. Cropland quality and the aggregation index were identified as key restraining factors, whereas increasing slope and land development intensity were found to elevate abandonment risks. Notably, distance to roads displayed a negative effect, contrary to conventional understanding, revealing that policy feedback mechanisms induced by anticipated land expropriation along transportation corridors serve as important drivers of suburban abandonment. This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing resilient urban–rural land allocation, curbing speculative abandonment, and exploring integrated “agriculture + ecology + cultural tourism” utilization models for abandoned lands. The findings offer valuable insights for balancing food security and sustainable development in rapidly urbanizing regions worldwide, particularly providing empirical references for developing countries addressing the dilemma between urban expansion and cropland preservation. Full article

Spatially uneven urbanization shapes various urban-lake spatial patterns; however, the effect of pattern evolution on lake breeze front (LBF) penetration via thermal and aerodynamic mechanisms in inland multi-lake megacities remains unclear. Therefore, sensitivity experiments were conducted to examine LBF changes over the past 40 years in Wuhan, China—where lakes are located on the periphery of built-up areas or integrated with urban fabrics—using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model under high-temperature and weak-wind conditions. Moreover, we quantified the contributions of thermal (lake-land surface temperature differences (LSTD), urban heat island intensity (UHII)), and aerodynamic factors (lake-land surface roughness differences (LSRD)) to LBF penetration. The results showed that for lakes entirely within urban fabrics, the thermal and roughness characteristics at lake-land interfaces dominated LBF penetration. Specifically, urban expansion towards lakeshores without connections promoted LBF penetration due to the stronger positive benefits of the LSTD. However, urban expansion bordering lakeshores inhibited LBF penetration, as the inhibitory effects of LSRD outweighed those of LSTD. When lakes remained on the periphery of built-up areas, higher UHII and the UHII-weighted center moving towards suburban lakes accelerated the LBF movement into built-up areas. Based on these findings, we propose adaptive strategies for urban growth boundaries to facilitate the natural infiltration of LBFs into urban environments. Full article

The urban heat island (UHI) effect significantly impacts urban environments and quality of life, yet research comparing coastal and inland cities is relatively lacking. This study, using the MYD11A2 dataset, analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution of land surface temperature (LST) and the surface urban heat island intensity index (SUHIII) in Beijing (inland) and Dalian (coastal) from 2003 to 2023, exploring the driving factors from 2003 to 2018 and proposing mitigation strategies for similar cities. Key findings: (1) Beijing’s SUHIII is 0.45 °C higher than Dalian’s during summer days, while Dalian’s SUHIII is 0.24 °C stronger than Beijing’s during winter nights, likely due to Dalian’s maritime climate, which raises nighttime LSTs and intensifies the winter SUHIII. (2) Both cities show similar trends in LST and SUHIII, with fluctuations until 2010, an increase after 2011, and a peak in 2023, with the expansion of heat island areas occurring mainly in suburban regions. (3) From 2003 to 2018, TEMP is the primary factor promoting SUHIII, followed by ET and POP, with EVI as the main mitigating factor. Beijing’s PREP weakens SUHI, while Dalian’s PREP promotes it. Coastal cities should focus on water bodies and wetland planning to mitigate heat islands, especially in areas like Dalian which are affected by PREP. Full article

Rural homestays have emerged as pivotal drivers of rural socioeconomic revitalization, particularly in metropolitan peripheries characterized by intensified urban–rural dynamics. However, their spatiotemporal distribution patterns and underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. This study employs Geodetector and related analytical methods to examine rural homestays in Beijing, aiming to decipher spatial heterogeneity and driving factors. The results reveal a distinct “large-scale dispersion with small-scale clustering” pattern marked by pronounced agglomeration in northern mountainous areas and sparse distributions in southern suburban regions. Temporally, the sector currently exhibits a notable expansion–contraction phase influenced by external factors, alongside spatial centroid migration toward resource-rich zones. Geodetector quantification identifies the proximity to transportation nodes and vegetation coverage as primary spatial determinants, while socioeconomic factors demonstrate comparatively limited influence—contrasting sharply with urban contexts. Rural homestay concentration zones are classified into high-, medium-, and low-intensity categories based on the homestay density, with high-intensity zones leveraging apex advantages of scenic resources, cultural heritage, and infrastructure. These findings underscore the interplay of natural environmental factors, tourism resources, transportation accessibility, and socioeconomic conditions in shaping agglomeration dynamics, providing actionable insights for optimizing spatial planning and promoting sustainable development in rural regions adjacent to megacities. Full article

Urban sprawl, characterized by continuous or discontinuous spatial patterns of artificial surface expansion, has been a common trend in most cities, even in those with longstanding compact features, such as cities in the northern Mediterranean region. This paper assesses the land take patterns in the peri-urban area of a typical compact city that experienced significant sprawl trends after the mid-1990s, which are closely linked to the specificities of planning regulations regarding the development in peri-urban settlements as well as outside planned areas. Using the rapidly suburbanized southern peri-urban area of Thessaloniki, Greece, as a case study, the paper analyzes the factors influencing the land cover change in the middle-class-led peri-urbanization during the period 2000–2018 and provides an estimate of the SDG indicator 11.3.1 “ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate”, a suitable indicator for monitoring spatial changes. The main conclusions of the study indicate that, during the period examined, the peri-urban zone investigated in the case study exhibited a higher rate of population growth compared to that of artificial surfaces, with the latter showing a higher change during 2006–2012. However, the spatial pattern of urban expansion displays a fragmented yet linear form, creating fragmented enclaves of agricultural land. Full article

Conducting research on the evaluation of rural resilience and risk governance strategies in the middle reaches of the Heihe River can provide a scientific basis for the sustainable development of rural areas in the inland river basins of arid regions. Affected by water resource constraints, the expansion of artificial oases, and excessive exploitation of groundwater, the rural areas in the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin, the second largest inland river in the arid region of northwest China, are confronted with prominent contradictions in the human-land relationship and urgently need to enhance their ability to cope with risks. Based on the remote sensing data of land use and major socio-economic data, this study draws on the theory of landscape ecology to construct a disturbance-resistance-adaptability evaluation system. Taking Ganzhou District, a typical irrigated agricultural area, as a case study, the study uses the entropy weight method, resilience change rate, and obstacle degree model to analyze the rural resilience level and its changing characteristics from 1990 to 2020, identifies the key obstacle factors affecting the development of rural resilience, and proposes risk governance strategies accordingly. Main conclusions: (1) The overall rural resilience index is relatively low, showing significant spatial disparities. Towns with well-developed multifunctional agriculture, nature reserves, and ecological-cultural control lines have higher resilience indices. (2) The change rate of the rural resilience index demonstrates phase heterogeneity, generally undergoing a “relative stability-increase-decrease” process, and forming a differentiation pattern of “decrease in the north and increase in the south”. (3) Internal risks to rural resilience development in the Ganzhou District mainly stem from low economic efficiency, fragile ecological environment, and unstable landscape patterns, among which efficiency-dominant and landscape-stability obstacle factors have a broader impact scope, while habitat resistance-type obstacle factors are mainly concentrated in the western part and suburban areas. Enhancing the benefits of water and soil resource utilization, strengthening habitat resistance, and stabilizing landscape patterns are key strategies for current-stage rural resilience governance in the middle reaches of the Heihe River. This study aims to optimize the human-land relationship in the rural areas of the middle reaches of the Heihe River. Full article

As a zone lying adjacent to urban areas, construction land development in suburbs includes urban expansion caused by urbanization and rural construction land increments caused by rural development. Given the necessity of satisfying urban and rural development demands while protecting the ecological environment, goals of land use efficiency, socio-economic coordination, and ecological benefit need to be ensured simultaneously, which indicates that the coordinative development of suburban construction land is of great significance, thereby raising the need for a reasonable evaluation for the coordinative level from multiple dimensions. However, the evaluation of suburban construction land coordination considering spatial, socio-economic, and ecological factors is insufficiently studied. To fill the research gap, this study comprehensively evaluates the coordination of suburban construction land at the town level. Specifically, four indicators from spatial, socio-economic, and ecological dimensions, including landscape pattern, accessibility, socio-economic symbiosis, and ecological functional suitability, are selected. By utilizing coupling coordination degree estimation, the coordination among the four selected indicators is evaluated. By adopting a case study of suburban Wuhan, different coordinative levels regarding suburban construction land development are identified and respondent suggestions to promote the coordination of suburban construction land under current China’s land use policies are provided. This study contributes to understanding the coordinative development of suburban construction land and proposing a method to estimate the coordination. Full article

China’s rapidly aging population has intensified demand for long-term services and supports (LTSSs), yet geographic disparities in accessibility persist despite policy reforms like long-term care insurance (LTCI). This study evaluates spatial inequities in Chengdu, a megacity piloting LTCI, using an enhanced two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method with demand intensity coefficients and a spatial mismatch index (SMI). Results reveal critically low average accessibility: 0.126 LTSS beds and 0.019 formal caregivers per thousand recipients within a 60 min travel threshold. Accessibility declines sharply along urbanization gradients, with urban cores (“first loop”) exceeding suburban “second” and “third loop” by ratios of 1.5–2.1 and 2.0–8.0, respectively. Strong correlations with impervious surface ratios (R² = 0.513–0.643) highlight systemic urban bias in resource allocation. The SMI analysis uncovers divergent spatial mismatches: home care accessibility predominates in western suburbs due to decentralized small-scale providers, while institutional care clusters in eastern suburbs, reflecting government prioritization of facility-based services. Despite LTCI’s broad coverage (67% of Chengdu’s population), rural and peri-urban older adults face compounded barriers, including sparse LTSS facilities, inadequate transportation infrastructure, and reimbursement policies favoring urban institutional care. To address these inequities, this study proposes a multi-stakeholder framework: (1) strategic expansion of LTSS facilities in underserved suburban zones, prioritizing institutional care in the “third loop”; (2) road network optimization to reduce travel barriers in mountainous regions; (3) financial incentives (e.g., subsidies, tax breaks) to attract formal caregivers to suburban areas; (4) cross-regional LTCI coverage to enable access to adjacent district facilities; and (5) integration of informal caregivers into reimbursement systems through training and telehealth support. These interventions aim to reconcile spatial mismatches, align resource distribution with Chengdu’s urban–rural integration goals, and provide scalable insights for aging megacities in developing contexts. By bridging geospatial analytics with policy design, this study underscores the imperative of data-driven governance to ensure equitable aging-in-place for vulnerable populations. Full article

Bus networks are a crucial support for urban commuting. By studying the evolutionary characteristics of bus networks, we can uncover their development patterns, coverage efficiency, and changes in regional balance, providing a scientific basis for sustainable urban development and the optimization of transportation resources. This study systematically analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of the bus network in Beijing from 2006 to 2024 using specific spatial analysis tools to analyze spatiotemporal evolution characteristics. By analyzing spatial coverage rates of transit stations using road network and administrative division data, the study reveals the convenience of bus networks in different regions. By combining the research methodology of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) report, a 500-m service radius for bus stops was assessed. A complex network model was used to extract the nodes and edges of the bus network, and the betweenness centrality (BC) characteristics were analyzed. The findings indicate that Beijing’s bus network has gradually expanded from the central urban areas to peripheral regions, with notable expansion in Tongzhou and Yanqing, resulting in an improved balance in the distribution of stations and routes and the emergence of Tongzhou as a new bus hub. The diffusion characteristics of the bus network are significantly influenced by administrative boundaries and the layout of the ring roads. Bus routes and stops are highly concentrated in the central urban areas and within the Second Ring Road, while as the number of ring roads increases, various network indices gradually decrease. The distribution of bus stops shows notable clustering and an uneven directional development. Beijing’s bus stop distribution exhibits significant clustering characteristics, and the areas with a high Population Conveniently Served by Buses (PCSB) are predominantly concentrated in the central urban areas, with a large gap compared to the outer suburban districts. These conclusions expand on the exploration of isolated and static characteristics of the bus network structure, revealing the dynamic mechanisms and evolution patterns of Beijing’s bus network. They provide guidance and recommendations for improving the bus network and offer more comprehensive support for urban planning and resource allocation. Full article

It is well established that China’s rapid urban expansion has led to a substantial loss of cropland. However, few studies have examined how different urban expansion patterns contribute to cropland consumption, which has hindered the formulation of sustainable urban development and cropland protection policies. To fill this gap, we analyzed the occupation of cropland under three urban expansion patterns (leap-frogging, edge-spreading, and interior filling) in China from 1990 to 2020, using long-term land use data. The dominant driving forces of cropland loss were then explored using the XGBoost model and SHAP values. Our findings indicate that urban expansion in China from 1990 to 2020 resulted in a 6.3% reduction in cropland, with edge-spreading (4.0%) contributing the most, followed by leap-frogging (2.1%) and interior filling (0.2%). Change in urban intensity (CUI) proved to be the most critical driver of cropland loss, with SHAP values of 0.38, 0.28, and 0.37 for edge-spreading, leap-frogging, and interior filling, respectively. Over time, the driving forces evolved from a single demographic-economic dominance to a more diversified and integrated set of drivers. Based on these findings, we propose tailored planning and policies for different urban expansion patterns; for regions dominated by edge-spreading, stricter controls on urban boundaries and stronger land use planning constraints are required. For regions with prominent interior filling expansion, efforts should be made to improve internal land use efficiency while preserving existing cropland spaces. In regions characterized by leap-frogging expansion, further optimization of construction land allocation is needed to reduce the occupation of productive suburban cropland. These findings not only offer new empirical evidence for understanding the interplay between urban expansion and cropland conservation but also provide transferable insights that can inform sustainable land-use planning and cropland protection strategies in other rapidly urbanizing regions facing similar challenges. Full article

Sustainable urban growth is an important issue in urbanization. Existing studies mainly focus on urban growth from the two-dimensional morphology perspective due to limited data. Therefore, this study aimed to construct a framework for estimating long-term time series of building volume by integrating nighttime light data, land use data, and existing building volume data. Indicators of urban horizontal expansion (UHE), urban vertical expansion (UVE), and comprehensive development intensity (CDI) were constructed to describe the spatiotemporal characteristics of the horizontal growth, vertical growth, and comprehensive intensity of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration from 2013 to 2023. The UHE and UVE increased from 0.44 and 0.30 to 0.50 and 0.53, respectively, indicating that BTH has simultaneously experienced horizontal growth and vertical growth and the rate of vertical growth was more significant. The UVE in urban areas and suburbs was higher and continuously increasing; in particular, the UVE in the suburbs changed from 0.35 to 0.60, showing the highest rate of increase. The most significant UHE growth was mainly concentrated in rural areas. The spatial pattern of the CDI was stable, showing a declining trend along the urban–suburb–rural gradient, and CDI growth from 2013 to 2023 was mainly concentrated in urban and surrounding areas. In terms of temporal variation, the CDI growth during 2013–2018 was significant, while it slowed after 2018 because economic development had leveled off. Economic scale, UHE, and UVE were the main positive factors. Due to the slowdown of CDI growth and population growth, economic activity intensity, population density, and improvement in the living environment showed a negative impact on CDI change. The results confirm the validity of estimating the multi-dimensional growth of regions using remote sensing data and provide a basis for differentiated spatial growth planning in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Full article

Rural landscapes are experiencing ecosystem degradation due to urbanization and rapid suburban expansion. Ecosystem services derived from natural resources and essential public services facilitated by social capital collectively address the growingly diverse social and ecological requirements of rural residents. Even so, ecosystem services and public services are often trade-offs, highlighting the necessity to enhance their coordinated development. However, it remains unclear how to use the identified thresholds to delineate functional zones. This will scientifically guide sound and efficient spatial planning and ecological management. This study takes the suburban countryside of Jiangning in Nanjing as the study area. It explores the inclusion of the threshold value of rural public services and ecosystem services in the strategic design of sustainable suburban development in China. First, we quantify and map six types of ecosystem services (ESs) and 13 types of rural public services (RPSs). Secondly, we use the piecewise linear regression method to identify the response and threshold of 13 types of RPSs to six kinds of ESs. Finally, the combination and classification of threshold values are used to divide functional areas, and space-specific management and planning suggestions are put forward. The results are as follows (1) With the increase in RPSs, all ESs respond with a downward trend. (2) In addition to the negative linear relationship between education and social welfare services and ESs, the response thresholds of other RPSs and ESs were identified. (3) According to multiple density threshold analysis of each RPS’s response to ESs, four functional areas were obtained. We emphasize the priority of spatial planning and management, that is, the priority management of “ESs enhancement area and RPSs optimization area”. (4) The threshold values of ESs and RPSs can be used as tools to delineate functional zones and guide the spatial planning and management of rural functional areas. In general, our research helps ensure the maximization of rural ecological benefits while also meeting the growing diversity of needs of rural residents and enabling efficient, phased, gradient, and precise spatial management of suburban rural ecosystems and public services to promote the sustainable development of suburban rural areas and realize rural revitalization. Full article