Abstract
Urban sprawl is the most prominent characteristic of urbanization, and increasingly affects local and regional sustainable development. The observation and analysis of urban sprawl dynamics and their relationship with urbanization quality are essential for framing integrative urban planning. In this study, the urban areas of the West Taiwan Strait Urban Agglomeration (WTSUA) were extracted using nighttime light imagery from 1992 to 2013. The spatio-temporal characteristics and pattern of urban sprawl were quantitatively analyzed by combining an urban expansion rate index and a standard deviation ellipse model. The urbanization quality was assessed using an entropy weight model, and its relationship with urban sprawl was calculated by a coupling coordination degree model. The results showed that the urban area in the WTSUA experienced a significant increase, i.e., 18,806.73 km2, during the period 1992–2013. The central cities grew by 11.08% and noncentral cities by 27.43%, with a general uneven city rank-size distribution. The urban sprawl showed a circular expansion pattern, accompanied by a gradual centroid migration of urban areas from the southeast coast to the central-western regions. The coupling coordination level between urban expansion and urbanization quality increased from serious incoordination in 1992 to basic coordination in 2013. Dual driving forces involving state-led policies and market-oriented land reform had a positive influence on the harmonious development of urban sprawl and urbanization quality of the WTSUA. This research offers an effective approach to monitor changes in urban sprawl and explore the coupling coordination relationship between urban sprawl and urbanization quality. The study provides important scientific references for the formulation of future policies and planning for sustainable development in urban agglomerations.
Highlights
Urban sprawl is a prevalent phenomenon worldwide because of accelerating population growth and global urbanization [1,2,3]
Analyses and assessments of urban sprawl and urbanization quality for urban agglomerations are essential for defining the urban sprawl dynamics, understanding the reciprocal relationship between urban sprawl and urbanization quality, and underpinning knowledge-based urban development planning
Our results showed that the urban areas experienced a significant increase in a cycloid expansion pattern, and that their rank-size distribution was uneven and changed as a result of the implementation of different policies
Summary
Urban sprawl is a prevalent phenomenon worldwide because of accelerating population growth and global urbanization [1,2,3]. Its manifestation through the evolution of regional urban systems has far-reaching impacts on urban economic, social, and eco-environmental development. The harmonization of urban sprawl with eco-environment and socio-economic interests is crucial to the sustainable development of urban systems [4]. When urban centers expand and become clustered around large cities [6], urban agglomerations form and dominate regional urban economic and social development [7,8]. The relationship between urban sprawl and urbanization quality becomes more complicated [9] Under such circumstances, studies on the coordination relationship between urban sprawl and urbanization quality are a top priority because they help to develop knowledge-based urban planning strategies and actualize effective urban sprawl paths, which are vital for social stability, economic prosperity, and ecological safety [10,11]
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