Combined Effects Of Urbanization Research Articles

Mottled ducks, feral mallards, and their hybrids in Florida

AbstractThe nonmigratory and endemic Florida mottled duck (Anas fulvigula fulvigula) is facing conservation threats from the combined effects of urbanization and introgressive hybridization with feral mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and mallard x mottled duck hybrids. In the past, the status of the Florida mottled duck population was assessed during annual aerial surveys and most brown ducks (mottled ducks, mallards, and hybrids of them) detected during the survey would have been mottled ducks. But the release of domesticated mallards for aesthetic purposes has led to increases in the prevalence of mallards‐hybrids (mallards or mallard x mottled duck hybrids) throughout peninsular Florida, USA, and because it is impossible to differentiate among mottled ducks, female mallards, and hybrids during aerial surveys, helicopter surveys were halted in 2009 until state researchers could conduct a range‐wide study to determine what proportion of brown ducks are mottled ducks versus mallards‐hybrids. We used plumage keys and high‐resolution photography to categorize brown ducks from 557 wetland grid points as either mottled ducks or mallards‐hybrids. Of the 5,179 brown ducks categorized, 40.1% were mottled ducks and 59.9% were mallards‐hybrids. We used logistic regression analysis to model the interactive effect of a site's latitude and level of urbanization (urban gradient value within a 2‐km buffer) to generate a predictive raster surface (1‐km resolution) of the study area with values corresponding to the probability that a brown duck observed within a cell is a pure mottled duck. Predicted values will be used as correction factors when estimating final mottled duck population abundance from brown‐duck survey data. Additionally, the predictive raster surface will be used to identify wetlands where mottled ducks remain predominant so that these sites can be targeted for preservation. Overall, mallards‐hybrids outnumbered mottled ducks throughout most of peninsular Florida, especially in more urbanized regions, and their current prevalence rate presents a serious conservation threat, via hybridization, to extant mottled duck populations.

The coupling relationship and driving mechanism between urbanization and ecosystem services in the Yellow River Basin from a multi-spatial scale perspective

Rapid urbanization has led to ecological destruction and associated issues. Macro policies wield substantial influence over urbanization and its relationship with the environment. Without considering the differences in scale, macro policies may be ineffective at addressing urbanization’s adverse impacts on the environment, and even worsen this relationship. We used data on 622 counties, 76 prefectures, and 7 urban agglomerations in the Yellow River Basin to examine the development level, coupling coordination degree, and spatial patterns of urbanization and ecosystem services at three scales during 2000–2020. Further, we explored the driving mechanisms in the relationship between urbanization and ecosystem services. We found that: First, the coupling coordination was relatively low but showed an upward trend. A sizeable spatiotemporal difference existed, with higher (lower) coordination in the east (west). Second, the coupling coordination of each scale exhibited significant spatial positive correlations. The low-value heterogeneous region was embedded around the agglomeration region, and polarization was significant. The larger the scale, the stronger the agglomeration effect. Further, the coupling coordination spatial agglomeration effect of each scale gradually weakened over time. Third, the spatial and temporal distributions of coupling coordination and its agglomeration characteristics at different scales differed. The urban agglomeration scale showed significant overall coordination or agglomeration characteristics, and prefecture and county regions showed local and unique characteristics within urban agglomerations. Fourth, the dominant factors influencing the spatial patterns of the coupling coordination at the county, prefecture, and urban agglomeration scales differed. The interaction and factor detection showed linear and double-factor enhancements. We find that economic development, government policies, environmental protection, and natural factors are the combined effects of urbanization and ecosystem services. Our research method can provide a reference for other river basins, and the results can help governments in formulating policies for sustainable development at different spatial scales.

The Impact of Urbanization on the Supply–Demand Relationship of Ecosystem Services in the Yangtze River Middle Reaches Urban Agglomeration

The urbanization process can alter the structure of urban land use and result in variations in urban ecosystem services (ESs). Researching the driving mechanism of multi-level indicators of urbanization on the supply and demand of ESs can enhance our understanding of the ecological and environmental impacts of urbanization. This study investigates the driving mechanisms underlying the relationship between urbanization and the supply–demand dynamics of ecosystem services (ESs) in the Yangtze River Middle Reaches Urban Agglomeration (YRMRUA). First, we assessed the variation in the key ESs (food production, carbon storage, and culture service) from 2000 to 2019 at both city and provincial levels. Second, ES demand and the supply–demand index (SDI) were calculated utilizing socioeconomic indicators. The Geographical Detector model was applied to analyze the individual and combined effects of urbanization on the supply and SDI of ESs. The results showed that an increase in areas of supply and demand was unbalanced in the YRMRUA from 2000 to 2019, with a predominant concentration observed in the provincial capital cities. Scale urbanization exhibits the most substantial influence on the SDI, with a q-value of 0.6, while land urbanization exerts the most pronounced effect on ES supply, with a q-value of 0.7. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the combined effect of urbanization on ESs surpasses the individual effect, with q-values exceeding 0.5. The interaction between scale urbanization and other indicators has the greatest impact on the SDI of carbon storage. Population and economic urbanization exhibit a more substantial impact on food production and cultural service compared to other primary indicators. Simultaneously, the joint effects of secondary indicators between per capita living area and per capita road area have a greater impact on ES supply than other secondary indicators. These findings illustrate that urbanization indicators are not independent of each other, but have a combined effect. Furthermore, the urbanization process in the YRMRUA has exhibited a gradual deceleration, leading to a diminishing influence on ESs. This study can contribute to the comprehension of urbanization and ESs when dealing with the conflict between urban development and ecological sustainability.

Calibration-free approach to reactive real-time control of stormwater storages

Stormwater systems will likely require major upgrades due to increases in peak flows caused by the combined effects of urbanization, densification (urban infill) and climate change. Recently, the real-time control (RTC) of storages has been considered as a means to reduce peak flows and potentially avoid major infrastructure upgrades. This paper introduces a RTC approach, the Target Flow Control (TFC) approach, which is able to maintain system outflows at or below specified target flows (e.g., existing system capacity). The key features of the approach are that it does not require calibration to catchment specific data, as is the case for existing approaches and is only based on storage level information measured in real-time during rainfall events. This makes the approach generally applicable to different catchments and able to respond to future changes in rainfall due to land use and/or climate change. The TFC approach is tested on a simple two-storage system for 750 design rainfall events from a range of climates, event durations, rainfall intensities and temporal patterns using a practically achievable control time step of 30 s. Results show that the TFC approach can achieve the desired target flows effectively, with 95% of the experiments having less than 10% errors in target flows. This is an exciting achievement, given the TFC approach does not require calibration and only requires measurable storage level information. The outcomes highlight the potential of the TFC approach as a practical RTC approach that can maximize the effectiveness of existing stormwater conveyance systems by maintaining stormwater system outflows at desired target flows, thereby potentially avoiding stormwater infrastructure upgrades due to land use and climate change.

Interplay Between Urbanization and Irrigation on Summer Climate in the Huang‐Huai‐Hai Plain, China

AbstractThis study investigates how the individual and combined effects of urbanization and irrigation affect summer climate using convection‐permitting regional climate model simulations with/without urbanization or irrigation over the Huang‐Huai‐Hai plain (3HP). We found that (a) In dramatic urban expansion areas, T2max, T2avg, and T2min increased by 0.53, 0.43, and 0.40°C, respectively. Urbanization influenced the net radiation (RN), sensible heat flux (H), latent heat flux (LE), and ground flux (GF) by 1.08, 9.58, −10.69, and 0.59 W/m2 (b) Over the irrigated area, T2max, T2avg, and T2min significantly decreased by −1.50, −1.30, and −1.16°C. The RN, LE significantly increased by 10.06 W/m2, 28.40 W/m2, while H and GF decreased by 19.44 and 1.19 W/m2. (c) The combined effect of urbanization and irrigation decreased T2max, T2avg, and T2min by −0.84, −0.77, and −0.71°C. The RN, LE significantly changed by 4.93 and 27.84 W/m2, while H and GF declined by 18.65 and 1.28 W/m2. (d) Urbanization significantly decreased the total precipitation by 0.04 mm/day, while irrigation and the combined effect increased the total precipitation by 0.12 and 0.16 mm/day. Urbanization and irrigation have more influence on the extreme precipitation than on the summer mean precipitation. (e) Specific humidity (Q) changes at high altitude (>2 km) are mainly controlled by thermodynamic changes, while at a low level, Q changes depended on the evapotranspiration, sea‐land breeze, and surface roughness.

Restoration as social-ecological transformation: Emergence in the Pike River Watershed

The combined effects of urbanization and climate change require resource managers to navigate interacting social and ecological dimensions of environment in the stewardship of ecosystem goods and services. The challenge of integrating multiple management paradigms into the planning process for sustainable restoration is complex, yet when handled successfully, can result in the emergence of ecosystem goods and services. The present study uses the restoration of the North Branch of the Pike River in Southeastern Wisconsin, USA as a case study to understand the contributions of situational context and actor agency in the integration of management paradigms, and transformation of a highly degraded stream ecosystem into a vibrant community asset. Drawing from the social-ecological systems and dynamic systems change literatures, the management and transition framework was used to analyze the 20-year restoration process from problem definition and planning through implementation. Review of planning documents, meeting notes, and interviews with key individuals identified the factors necessary to understand how a social-ecological system navigated through conflict, negotiation of an integrated management paradigm, implementation, and adaptive learning. As convening contexts changed, different actors assumed convening, bridging, sense making, and leveraging roles as legitimacy and trust in the process was built over time. Integration of paradigms was identified as a learning opportunity, as the incorporation of diverse ways of knowing resulted in the emergence of novel ecosystem goods and services. The performance of the novel integrated management paradigm since completion is discussed, including takeaways managers should keep in mind when applying the approach elsewhere.

Combined effects of urbanization and longitudinal disruptions in riparian and in-stream habitat on water quality of a prairie stream

Local habitat and riparian modifications imposed by surrounding land use drastically impact the water quality of streams. However, whether these effects could still be discernible when the watercourse also receives urbanization effluents has not been fully explored. We evaluated the water quality of a Neotropical prairie stream exposed to urbanization and explored the role of downstream patches of different surrounding land uses (cropland and livestock) in further regulating water quality. Forty-two variables of water quality, habitat structure and riparian condition were measured at four reaches of the Langueyú stream. Significant differences in water quality were observed. Water conductivity, dissolved oxygen, salinity, dissolved solids, chloride, inorganic nitrogen and bacteriological loads displayed a continuum of recovery from the urban reach. Indeed, almost 24 percent of the total variation in water quality was explained by the longitudinal arrangement of sites. Alternatively, pH, phosphorous, suspended solids and chemical oxygen demand showed a disruption in this continuum of recovery and were highly related with local aspects of habitat structure and riparian conditions imposed by cropland and livestock. Key aspects of effluent treatment, riparian integrity and in-stream habitat must be addressed within a comprehensive social context in order to design sustainable management of fluvial urbanised ecosystems.

A validity of environmental Kuznets curve under the role of urbanization, financial development index and foreign direct investment in Pakistan

PurposeThis research aims to inspect the existence of the “environmental Kuznets curve” (EKC) in the presence of foreign direct investment (FDI), financial development (FD) and urbanization throughout 1972–2018 for Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachFor time series analysis, Phillips and Perron (PP) and Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) unit root tests are used to confirm the level of integration. For robustness, Kim and Perron (2009)’s structural break unit root test is employed, which identifies the order of integration in the presence of structural break years. Further, combined cointegration analysis is performed to confirm the existence of a long-run association between underlying variables. Furthermore, autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) analysis is employed for the robustness of the cointegration approach.FindingsThe cointegration analysis confirms the existence of a long-run association among variables. The authors find a positive and significant impact of urbanization, FD and foreign development on environmental degradation in the long run. Similarly, only FDI increases environmental degradation in the short run. In addition, the authors find an inverted U-shape relationship between economic growth and environmental quality which, further, confirms the presence of EKC in Pakistan.Originality/valueThis research contributes to applied economics in many ways: the combined effect of urbanization, FD, FDI and economic growth on carbon dioxide (CO2) emission is checked simultaneously. To avoid ambiguity, this study constructs the FD index through the principal component analysis (PCA). Moreover, the role of structural breaks has been considered through the analysis. Novel Bayer-Hanck combined cointegration analysis is employed to detect the existence of long-run relationships among underlying variables.

Migration, Urbanization, and Adolescent Prostitution in Nigeria

The article begins with a brief discussion of migration and urbanization and its attendant problems in propagating prostitution among adolescent girls in Nigeria. It argues that the combined effects of urbanization, as well as people’s increasing agitation to secure greener pastures in cities, have made a large number of adolescent girls migrate to cities in the hope of meeting some basic needs of life—an adventure that turns out contrary to their expectations and predisposes some of them into the act of prostitution. Due to excruciating poverty within various families and the impacts of this awkward situation on most adolescent girls, delivery of quality social support services and care to the adolescent girls has been undermined over time, and their life chances have been affected, thereby making them most vulnerable to prostitution as a means of livelihood. The article concludes on socioeconomic constraints as the primary factors that push adolescent girls into prostitution in Nigeria, and these same factors are seen to influence their migration from one geographical location to another. The article recommends programs that will reduce the poverty level and unemployment trends among adolescent girls across a wide range of Nigerian societies. Drawing upon lessons learnt from the existing literature, there is an urgent need for collective social action through which more resources must be put in place to ameliorate the conditions of young girls at the interface of migration for greener pastures.

Influences of Culture in the Built Environment; Assessing Living Convenience in Kabul City

During Afghanistan’s rapid urban growth, development diversified from state-run initiatives to ones led by local municipalities or nongovernmental entities such as private enterprises. Owing to these various efforts, cities face environmental challenges, squatter settlements, and unbalanced development. Responding to these interconnected challenges, cities need to increase their resilience to deal with the combined effects of urbanization, changing geopolitical contexts, and culture. In this study, we focused on dimensions of culturally responsive solutions for the built environment in Kabul, Afghanistan. Culture, as a key element in the concept of sustainable development, refers herein to the relationship between Afghan customs and belief systems as it influences and shapes the architecture of the urban environment. Initially, the study provides a conceptual understanding of sustainable urban development and the importance of culture. We have attempted to approach urban segregation in Kabul based on socioeconomic factors and address the essential role of culture in this unique context. Such segregation can be hazardous to both the current and future sustainability of urban development. To conclude, we provide in-depth insights into the contribution of culture and propose culture as a possible dimension of sustainability and an integral part of environmental, economic, and social dimensions of development.

Green roof effects on daytime heat in a prefabricated residential neighbourhood in Berlin, Germany

Berlin currently experiences increasing environmental challenges especially through the combined effect of urbanization and climate change. The intensification of summer temperature extremes has become increasingly evident in recent years, urging the city to promote mitigation and adaptation measures for local heat load reduction. Green roofs have been widely recognized as an effective urban greening strategy to reduce heat stress in cities. This study thus analyses the effect of rooftop greening on outdoor thermal conditions in an inner-city prefabricated residential area in Berlin. The studied neighbourhood is one of the inner-city hot-spot areas of environmental loads, highlighting the need for green solutions. We quantified thermal effects of intensive green roof implementation using the ENVI-met model which, for the first time, has been applied at the city’s official planning scale. The study thereby aims at overcoming the mismatch between research scales and planning scales, facilitating the knowledge transfer between the science community and urban practitioners, particularly in land use planning. Results indicate that on a hot summer day, green roofs can significantly improve daytime thermal comfort at the roof level with an estimated decrease in physiological equivalent temperature (PET) by 9 K. Green roofs can thus provide spaces of qualitatively increased thermal comfort compared to street-level areas. Overall, our results highlight the effectiveness of rooftop greening in terms of heat adaptation at the neighbourhood level. Therefore, this study suggests that these greening systems should be emphasized in future effect-oriented and sustainable urban planning assessments, especially of inner-city prefabricated housing estates.

Using SCS-CN and Earth Observation for the Comparative Assessment of the Hydrological Effect of Gradual and Abrupt Spatiotemporal Land Cover Changes

In this study a comparative assessment of the impacts of urbanization and of forest fires as well as their combined effect on runoff response is investigated using earth observation and the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) direct runoff estimation method in a Mediterranean peri-urban watershed in Attica, Greece. The study area underwent a significant population increase and a rapid increase of urban land uses, especially from the 1980s to the early 2000s. The urbanization process in the studied watershed caused a considerable increase of direct runoff response. A key observation of this study is that the impact of forest fires is much more prominent in rural watersheds than in urbanized watersheds. However, the increments of runoff response are important during the postfire conditions in all cases. Generally, runoff increments due to urbanization seem to be higher than runoff increments due to forest fires affecting the associated hydrological risks. It should also be considered that the effect of urbanization is lasting, and therefore, the possibility of an intense storm to take place is higher than in the case of forest fires that have an abrupt but temporal impact on runoff response. It should be noted though that the combined effect of urbanization and forest fires results in even higher runoff responses. The SCS-CN method, proved to be a valuable tool in this study, allowing the determination of the direct runoff response for each soil, land cover and land management complex in a simple but efficient way. The analysis of the evolution of the urbanization process and the runoff response in the studied watershed may provide a better insight for the design and implementation of flood risk management plans.

To what extents do urbanization and air pollution affect fog?

Abstract. The remarkable development of China has resulted in rapid urbanization (urban heat island and dry island) and severe air pollution (aerosol pollution). Previous studies demonstrate that these two factors have either suppressing or promoting effects on fog, but what are the extents of their individual and combined effects? In this study, a dense radiation fog event in eastern China in January 2017 was reproduced by the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem), and the individual and combined effects of urbanization and aerosols on fog (indicated by liquid water content – LWC) are quantitatively revealed. Results show that urbanization inhibits low-level fog, delays its formation and advances its dissipation due to higher temperatures and lower saturations. In contrast, upper-level fog could be enhanced because of the updraught-induced vapour convergence. Aerosols promote fog by increasing LWC, increasing droplet concentration and decreasing droplet effective radius. Further experiments show that the current pollution level in China could still be below the critical aerosol concentration that suppresses fog. Urbanization influences fog to a larger extent than aerosols do. When urbanization and aerosol pollution are combined, the much weaker aerosol-promoting effect is counteracted by the stronger urbanization-suppressing effect on fog. Budget analysis of LWC reveals that urban development (urbanization and aerosols) alters the LWC profile and fog structure mainly by modulating condensation–evaporation process. Our results infer that urban fog will be further reduced if urbanization keeps developing and air quality keeps deteriorating in the future.

Combined effects of urbanization and climate change on watershed evapotranspiration at multiple spatial scales

How urbanization-associated land use/land cover change (LULCC) affects the ecohydrological cycle through altering evapotranspiration (ET) processes is not clear for rice paddy dominated watersheds. The purpose of this study was to understand long-term (2000–2013) spatial and temporal variations of ET over the Qinhuai River Basin in a humid region, southern China. We revised the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) by incorporating new algorithms describing hydrological processes of rice paddies. Using the improved SWAT model driven by remote sensing-derived LULCC and local climatic data, we separated the effects of LULCC on ET from climate at the watershed scale. We showed that the modified SWAT model significantly improved monthly streamflow estimates. The Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency (NSE) was 0.86 and coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.88 for the calibration period (1990–1994) while the NSE was 0.65 and R2 was 0.71 for the validation period (1995–1999). We also found good agreements between modelled daily ET and lysimeter-based measurements for an experimental rice paddy field (R2 = 0.75, p less than 0.01). For areas with little land cover change, ET rates increased over time due to the increase in potential ET (PET) during 2000–2013. However, the contribution from rice paddy to the watershed-level ET decreased over time coincident with a period of rapid urbanization and loss of rice paddy field. Dynamic attribution analysis indicated that the negative contribution of LULCC to change in ET increased from 53% in 2000 to 61% in 2013 while the positive contribution of climate variability decreased from 47% in 2000 to 39% in 2013. We concluded that factors affecting ET varied with spatial scale. Conversion of rice paddy field to urban use directly resulted in significant ET reduction at the watershed scale despite the rise in the air temperature and potential ET in the study region. The improved SWAT model provides a better integrated method for understanding ET processes and assessing the impacts of environmental change on ecosystem services in a rapidly urbanizing region.

Exploring the impact of urbanization on consumer goods distribution networks

PurposeDue to the growing percentage share of urban dwellers, the physical distribution of products faces altering conditions. This research explores the effects that urbanization has on the performance of a fast-moving consumer goods distribution network. A focus is set on changes in distribution cost, the cost-minimal network design, and greenhouse gas emissions.Design/methodology/approachThe analyses are based on a quantitative distribution network model of an existing manufacturer of consumer goods.FindingsThe results indicate that the foreseen population shift will affect the network's economic and environmental performance. Effects are, among others, due to differences in the efficiency of supplying urban and nonurban regions. The combined effects of urbanization and the development of the population size will even more affect the network's performance.Originality/valueResearch dealing with distribution logistics and urbanization primarily focuses on city logistics. In this paper, the object of analysis is the entire distribution system.

Synergistic effect of extreme climatic events and urbanization on population density of the ghost crab Ocypode quadrata (Fabricius, 1787)

AbstractThe combined effects of urbanization and extreme climatic events were examined on the ghost crab Ocypode quadrata, a well‐recognized ecological indicator in sandy beaches. The effect of storm waves was assessed before and after these climate events in beaches with different levels of urbanization in the coast of Brazil, Tropical Atlantic Ocean. The number of burrows was used as a metric for the population size of O. quadrata and the number of humans along the beaches as a proxy for the urbanization level. Significant differences were recorded in this species’ population density according to the human pressure. Our core modelling approach showed that the number of O. quadrata burrows was lower after storm waves in urbanized zones, compared to non‐urbanized ones. The interaction between storm waves and urbanization impacted the number of O. quadrata burrows negatively, and suggest that species’ populations are more vulnerable to the combined effects of extreme climatic events and urbanization. Extreme events are predicted to increase in frequency in the next few decades, and may modify or impair ecosystem functioning in sandy beaches by reducing populations of the O. quadrata, an important beach scavenger, which markedly contribute to the flux of energy in coastal trophic webs.

What kind of landscape management can counteract the extinction of experience?

Much research has explored the effects of being in natural areas on human health, well-being and environmental concern. However, the combined effects of urbanization, biodiversity loss and the Western way of life reduce the opportunities to experience nature. Landscape management could play a prominent role in providing opportunities and motivation for people to be in nature. It is important, therefore, to understand which kinds of nature people mostly prefer and use. Based on complementary questionnaire surveys obtained from 4639 French adults, we studied the habits of nature uses, in relation to personal previous experiences and nature connectedness. We explored the type and frequency of natural areas people visit most often, the place where they grew up, and the extent to which they feel interdependent with the natural environment. In an innovative process, we assessed the extent to which respondents mentioned a personal place (e.g., my garden), a specific non-personal place (e.g. a particular forest) or remained general (e.g. forests). Among a wide range of cited natural areas, five types predominated, consistently for all samples surveyed. Interestingly, connectedness with nature was negatively related to mentions of place specificity, but positively related to frequency of visits of natural areas. These results clarify the relationship between past and present experiences of nature and sense of connectedness to nature. They can also guide future landscape management processes, in order to better coordinate the provision and the desirability of natural spaces and promote both sustainable landscapes and reconnection of people to nature.

Combined effects of urbanization and connectivity on iconic coastal fishes

AbstractAimDisturbance and connectivity shape the structure and spatial distribution of animal populations in all ecosystems, but the combined effects of these factors are rarely measured in coastal seascapes. We used surf zones of exposed sandy beaches in eastern Australia as a model seascape to test for combined effects of coastal urbanization and seascape connectivity (i.e. spatial links between surf zones, estuaries and rocky headlands) on fish assemblages.LocationFour hundred kilometres of exposed surf beaches along the eastern coastline of Australia.MethodsFish assemblages were surveyed from surf zones of 14 ocean‐exposed sandy beaches using purpose‐built surf baited remote underwater video stations.ResultsThe degree of coastal urbanization and connectivity were strongly correlated with the spatial distribution of fish species richness and abundance and were of greater importance to surf fishes than local surf conditions. Urbanization was associated with reductions in the abundance of harvested piscivores and fish species richness. Piscivore abundance and species richness were lowest on highly urbanized coastlines, and adjacent to beaches in wilderness areas where recreational fishing is intense. By contrast, seascape connectivity was correlated with the spatial distribution of omnivore and planktivore abundance. Spatial linkages between surf zones and estuaries were also important to two globally threatened guitarfish that are of international conservation significance.Main conclusionsWe show for the first time how vulnerable and iconic fish species in surf zones are affected by the presence of coastal cities and the attributes of seascapes in which these cities are embedded. It is possible that greater connectivity may lessen ‘urbanization’ impacts for species with broad diets and strong ecological links to other ecosystems – this offers new perspectives in coastal conservation, for fishes and beyond.

Contrasting effects of urbanization and agriculture on surface temperature in eastern China

AbstractThe combined effect of urbanization and agriculture, two most pervasive land use activities, on the surface climate remains poorly understood. Using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data over 2010–2015 and forests as reference, we showed that urbanization warmed the land surface temperature (LST), especially during the daytime and in growing seasons (maximized at 5.0 ± 2.0°C in May), whereas agriculture (dominated by double‐cropping system) cooled the LST in two growing seasons during the daytime and all the months but July during the nighttime in Jiangsu Province, eastern China. Collectively, they had insignificant effects on the LST during the day (−0.01°C) and cooled the LST by −0.6°C at night. We also found large geographic variations associated with their thermal effects, indicated by a warming tendency southward. These spatiotemporal patterns depend strongly on vegetation activity, evapotranspiration, surface albedo, and the background climate. Our results emphasize the great potential of agriculture in offsetting the heating effects caused by rapid urbanization in China.

Subsurface urban heat island and its effects on horizontal ground-source heat pump potential under climate change

Recent urban air temperature increase is attributable to the climate change and heat island effects due to urbanization. This combined effects of urbanization and global warming can penetrate into the underground and elevate the subsurface temperature. In the present study, over-100 years measurements of subsurface temperature at a remote rural site were analysed, and an increasing rate of 0.17 °C per decade at soil depth of 30 cm due to climate change was identified in the UK, but the subsurface warming in an urban site showed a much higher rate of 0.85 °C per decade at a 30 cm depth and 1.18 °C per decade at 100 cm. The subsurface urban heat island (SUHI) intensity obtained at the paired urban–rural stations in London showed an unique ‘U-shape’, i.e. lowest in summer and highest during winter. The maximum SUHII is 3.5 °C at 6:00 AM in December, and the minimum UHII is 0.2 °C at 18:00 PM in July. Finally, the effects of SUHI on the energy efficiency of the horizontal ground source heat pump (GSHP) were determined. Provided the same heat pump used, the installation at an urban site will maintain an overall higher COP compared with that at a rural site in all seasons, but the highest COP improvement can be achieved in winter.