Characterizing and comparing urban expansion process in central and southern China: intensity and impacts on eco-environment

Abstract

This paper used multi-periods of Landsat image data to detect the urban area change of eleven cities located in different administrator-tiers of Central and Southern China for the past three decades. Urban expanding intensity and impacts on eco-environment were quantitatively measured by Annual Urban Growth Rate (AGR) and reduction of ecosystem service value. Comparison was applied among different regions and administrator-tiers. The results showed that all cities experienced two expanding peaks in early 1990s and early 21st century. Cities in central China had a higher peak in early 21st century while the higher peak occurred in early 1990s for cities in southern China. National economic development strategy was the main cause leading to these differences. For impacts on eco-environment, urban expanding caused a significant reduction on ecosystem service value, and the mean value was region dependent, while changing tendency was administratortier dependent. A decreasing trend of reduction on ecosystem service value was observed in most provincial capital cities, while an increasing trend showed in those prefecture-level cities. The research is instructional and meaningful for city development and urban planning in central and southern China.