Population Density Growth Research Articles

Development of a Semi-Automated Decision-Making Method for the Resilience of Urban Healthcare Systems in Crisis Situations

This study is dedicated to solving the problem of how urban healthcare systems function in crisis situations. Cases where crisis situations lead either to population migrations or to a rapid increase in demand for medical services are the focus. There are often cases of the overloading of medical staff within institutions or the entire healthcare system in the city itself during new situations for which there are no clearly developed response protocols, such as the COVID-19 epidemic or man-made disasters. These situations can lead to the uneven access of resources for the population. This study develops a semi-automated decision-making method combining Wald world analysis and fuzzy logic. The method optimizes resource allocation and determines the priority of medical care, and, as a result, reduces the burden on the healthcare system by integrating socio-demographic and medical data. The results of experimental verification confirmed the ability of the method to adapt to dynamic changes, increase the accuracy of decision-making, and reduce response time. Importantly, the proposed method allows for a more equitable and efficient distribution of resources in the context of urbanization and population density growth.

How do trematode clones differ by fitness-related traits and interact within a host?

Polyclonal infections are widespread and provide evidence of facilitation, competition, and neutral interactions between parasite clones, even within the same host–parasite system. The outcome of coinfections is usually assessed by means of parasite infection intensities, while other important fitness-related traits, e.g., larval growth rates, are often ignored. We experimentally infected fish (Salvelinus malma) with different clones of the common trematode Diplostomum pseudospathaceum and pairs of clones. Clones were identified by microsatellite analysis. Their infectivity and growth rates within the fish were investigated in double-clone infections compared with single-clone ones. In total, 3838 parasite larvae (metacercariae) from 325 fish were measured. The growth rates of the D. pseudospathaceum clones were more variable than their infectivity. Relationships of these parasite traits with host mass were clone-specific. Some clones demonstrated higher infection intensities and growth rates in larger fish. Therefore, specialization toward different size groups of fish hosts may occur in this parasite species. Furthermore, we noticed a positive correlation between population density and parasite growth (Allee effect; rarely reported for parasites) but only in mixed infections. In double-clone infections, evidence of both interclonal facilitation and interclonal competition was found. When clones interacted, they either “cooperated” during infection of the host or competed while growing. There were no clone pairs in which interactions changed in type with time or were present constantly during development of the parasite.

Biological traits of a commercial mussel species Mytilus platensis from the South Atlantic Ocean: Environmental drivers affecting on its intertidal population

Population density, morphometric relationships, maximum age and shell growth rate were studied in an intertidal commercial mytilid species, the blue mussel Mytilus platensis d’Orbigny, 1842, at Villa Gesell (37° 15′S; 56° 57′W), Argentina, Southwest Atlantic Ocean. The population density and mean shell length showed variation across the year, i.e., the month with the highest density (December) was mostly characterized by smaller sized individuals, representing the newly settled recruits during the austral summer months. Shell cross sections and acetate peels of M. platensis revealed an internal shell growth pattern alternating broad opaque and narrow translucent bands, corresponding to fast and slow-growing periods, respectively. Translucent bands representing external rings were formed mostly during July, coinciding with a decrease in sea water temperature (austral winter) and gonadal maturation processes. Data confirmed the annual formation of translucent bands in this species, showing a maximum age of 8 years. The generalized von Bertalanffy growth curve showed values of SL∞ = 38.46 mm, k = 0.28 yr−1 and t0 = −0.57 yr−1 (R2 = 0.80). Compared to studies of subtidal populations, lower shell growth rate in this intertidal population were observed, which may be associated with the stressful environmental conditions in this habitat, such as desiccation, exposure to waves and fluctuating sea water temperature. The characteristics described throughout the study highlight that the variability associated with intertidal environments could limit the sustainability of commercial exploitation of M. platensis in these ecosystems compared with conspecific subtidal populations.

Hydraulic Design Concept of 6.60MLD Water Treatment Plant

Abstract: The design and construction of a 6.6 million liters per day (MLD) water treatment plant (WTP) in Belpada Village, Odisha, aim to meet the increasing water demand while ensuring public health through effective water treatment processes. The plant, which sources raw water from the Tel River, follows a well-structured treatment process that includes aeration, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. This journal outlines the hydraulic design, treatment schemes, and structural components of the WTP. Design calculations, based on CPHEEO standards, are also discussed, focusing on the hydraulic detention times, surface loading, filtration rates, and sludge management techniques.The design of water treatment plants (WTPs) plays a crucial role in delivering safe drinking water, especially in areas with high population density and industrial growth. The 6.6 MLD WTP designed for Belpada Village in Balangir District draws water from Tel River and utilizes a cascade aeration system for the removal of contaminants. This paper discusses the hydraulic and process design, focusing on flow rates, detention times, and surface loading parameters that meet the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organization (CPHEEO) standards.

Can Institutional Openness Boost China’s Urban Economic Resilience? Evidence from Pilot Free Trade Zones

Economic resilience represents a nation’s capacity to withstand external shocks, quicken economic recovery, and attain sustainable development. Can Pilot Free Trade Zones (PFTZs), as testing fields for China’s institutional openness, boost the economic resilience of host cities? This study empirically investigates the impact and mechanisms of establishing PFTZs on urban economic resilience. It does so by building overlapping Difference-in-Differences (DID), Propensity Score Matching DID (PSM-DID), and spatial DID models using panel data across 284 cities in China from 2007 to 2021. It is found that establishing PFTZs significantly promotes urban economic resilience, and PFTZs largely achieve this by increasing population density, consumer demand, and economic growth in host cities. Spatial heterogeneity analysis reveals that PFTZs in North, East, Central, and South China notably enhance urban economic resilience, whereas those in Northeast, Southwest, and Northwest China do not. Regarding spatial spillover effects, the establishment of PFTZs has a beneficial impact on the economic resilience of nearby cities within a radius of 100 km to 400 km. The impacts become stronger as the distance grows, peaking at a radius of 400 km. This research offers important policy implications for promoting the establishment of PFTZs, unlocking the benefits of institutional openness, and strengthening urban economic resilience.

Shoreline and land use–land cover changes along the 2004-tsunami-affected South Andaman coast: understanding changing hazard susceptibility

Abstract. The 2004 tsunami affected the South Andaman coast, causing it to experience dynamic changes in the coastal geomorphology and making the region vulnerable. We focus on pre-and post-tsunami shoreline and land use–land cover changes from 2004, 2005, and 2022 to analyze the dynamic change in hazard. We used General Bathymetric Chart of the Ocean (GEBCO) data to calculate run-up [m], arrival times [min], and inundation [m] at a few locations using three tsunamigenic earthquake source parameters, namely the 2004 Sumatra, 1941 North Andaman, and 1881 Car Nicobar earthquakes. The Digital Shoreline Analysis System is used for the shoreline change estimates. Landsat data are used to calculate shoreline and land use–land cover (LULC) change in five classes, namely built-up areas, forests, inundation areas, croplands, and water bodies during the above period. We examine the correlation between the LULC changes and the dynamic change in shoreline due to population flux, infrastructural growth, and gross state domestic product growth. The Indian industry estimates the Andaman and Nicobar Islands losses exceeded INR 10 billion during 2004, which would today see a 5-fold increase in economic loss due to a doubling of built-up area, a 3-fold increase in tourist inflow, and population density growth. The unsustainable decline in the forest cover, mangroves, and cropland would affect sustainability during a disaster despite coastal safety measures.

Preface

Geographies of Sustainability: Environmental Change, Adaptation and Development The current volume is a part of the annual series of conference on Viet Nam’s Seas and Islands organised by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City. The conference “ Geographical Science: New approaches, perspectives and directions in territorial planning and organization” with the English section “Geographies of sustainability: environmental change, adaptation and development” held on December 29th 2023, focuses on the history of maritime exploitation, assessing the potential for economic development, and environmental protection towards sustainable development. A total of 38 papers in English were received from various research institutions across the country. Among those papers, 25 papers were selected and transferred to the publication process and 13 papers were published. Climate change, various human pressures, and associated environmental issues pose numerous challenges for low-income countries in combining the needs of society, the economy, and nature protection. With growing population density and pressure on the environment, these challenges are equally visible in fast-expanding and transforming urban areas and in less affluent rural regions, where conflicts between humans and nature are often most pronounced. Sustainable development, particularly sustainable tourism development is globally recognized as both a feasible and optimal adaptation strategy. However, low-income countries may lack the necessary scientific background to design and implement management and social innovations needed for the rapid, ongoing transformation and adaptation to the changing environment. This volume presents 15 scientific papers from Vietnam that delve into the various issues of sustainability, exploring them in a range of geographical, environmental, economic and social contexts. Thus, several contributions in this volume deal with sustainable tourism and its development, analysing different aspects from perceptions and awareness to governance and management mechanisms. List of Editorial Board and Organiser are available in this Pdf.

Are parks as favourable habitats for wild bees as wastelands in watercourse valleys of a large city?

Because of the growing population density and rate of urban development, the question of biodiversity conservation in cities and towns is increasingly important. In general, urban environments provide attractive habitats for a diversity of wild bees, but different types of urban habitats can have different effects on these pollinating insects. In this study, we compared the attractiveness of two different urban habitat types – parks (10 sites) and wastelands (10 sites) located in river and canal valleys in Bydgoszcz (northern Poland) – with respect to abundance, species richness, species composition, and functional trait composition of wild bees. We hypothesized that urban wastelands are more attractive to wild bees than urban parks are. Urban wastelands were characterized by higher abundance and species richness of wild bees compared to urban parks. When habitat type was the only predictor, nonlinearity of wild bee abundance and species richness was significant exclusively for wastelands. Overall, both wild bee abundance and species richness depended on the percentage of total bee food plant coverage, regardless of habitat type. Wild bee community composition also responded significantly to the percentage of total bee food plant coverage. Local and landscape features of the green spaces affected the functional traits of the wild bees recorded there. These findings reveal that formal green spaces, such as managed parks, are not sufficient to conserve wild bee resources in urban environments in river and canal valleys. In contrast, high-quality informal urban green spaces, such as urban wastelands, can promote abundant and rich wild bee communities. Thus it is crucial to strive for appreciation and protection of this persistently overlooked category of urban green spaces.

Response of Low Carbon Level to Transportation Efficiency in Megacities: A Case Study of Beijing, China

Global warming caused by massive carbon dioxide emissions can lead to a chain of ecological disasters. As one of the main sources of carbon emissions, transportation is of great significance, and the evaluation of its connections with carbon emissions is necessary to achieve “carbon neutrality”. Taking Beijing as an example, this study evaluated traffic efficiency (TE) by utilizing principal component analysis and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. Using the Tapio decoupling model and coupling coordination degree model, the corresponding relationship between urban low carbon level (LCL) and TE was explored. The results showed the following: (1) The total carbon emission (CE) level exhibited fluctuating variation from increasing to decreasing. The carbon emission intensity (CEI) continued to slow down, and the rapid growth of population density played a key role in low-carbon development. (2) The traffic operations continually showed a positive trend in development. TE increased from a step-like to a slow shape, until it declined in 2020 due to the pandemic. (3) TE and LCL both developed from low coordination to an extreme level of coordination. Per capita carbon emission (CEP) and TE presented an inverted U-shaped curve; meanwhile, with increases in TE, the decline in CEI slowed. In addition, the weak decoupling of TE changed to become strong, due to CE and CEP, and maintained a strong decoupling state from CEI. (4) There is a necessity for the rational planning of land use for transportation infrastructure, the encouragement of a combination of public and private transportation, and the strengthening of the maintenance of the relative infrastructure and the management of traffic behaviors to attain a win–win situation. The results provide a reference for optimizing the traffic structure to achieve “carbon neutrality”.

Актуализация подходов к исследованию неоднородности экономического пространства

The article distinguishes the categories of “heterogeneity of economic space” and “interregional social differentiation”, as well as the ways of their assessment. On the basis of the theories of new economic geography and center-periphery theory, the nature of spatial heterogeneity is revealed. The heterogeneity of Russia’s economic space is analyzed through the prism of two key properties of space, i.e., density and connectivity. It is shown that the spatial heterogeneity in terms of population density is growing against the background of decreasing differentiation of space in terms of economic density, measured as GRP per 1 km 2 and volume of investment in fixed capital per 1 km 2 , which can be explained by the fact that the economy is in a phase of recession. A positive correlation between population density and highway density is revealed, which can be explained by the discreteness of space. Based on empirical data, the authors conclude that communicative compression of economic space is characteristic of regions with high population density and economic density and regions with extremely low population density and transport connectivity. In the first case, it is evidence of high business activity in the territory, while in the second case it is a way to increase the availability of services. Based on the comparison of population density and economic density of space, four types of territories were identified: territories of spatial compression; territories with growing population density against the background of high economic density of space; and territories characterized by high population density with relatively low density of economic space; territories with relatively low population density and a trend for its further reduction against the background of high economic density of space. The priorities of spatial development are defined for each type of territory.

Mengungkap Keterkaitan Aspek Sosial-Ekonomi Dengan Pembangunan Manusia (Studi Pada Enam Wilayah Pembangunan Jawa Barat)

This analysis is intended to reveal and examine the partial impact of population density, poverty, economic growth and minimum wages on the human development index covering a number of districts/cities in West Java Province for the 2016-2020 period which are classified based on Area Development (WP). Panel data design using an econometric approach is used to analyze the relationship between several basic socio-economic aspects that are closest, namely poverty, minimum wages, population density and economic growth. All modeling uses a fixed effect model approach except for the Sukabumi development area which uses a common effect model approach. A number of development areas have similarities in data processing and test results, including the Bandung Cekungan WP and the Sukabumi WP with all test variables being significant. This is different from the Bodebekpunjur WP where the population density is not significant, and the Ciayumajakuning WP where the poverty level is not significant. The last two WPs including Purwasuka and East Priangan have two variables that are not significant, namely poverty and economic growth in the first WP and population density and poverty in the last WP.

Fearsome Game, Popular Meat, Symbolic Wealth: Human-Pig Relations in Pre-Islamic Java

Abstract The Indonesian island of Java has been at the center of the world’s oldest interactions between humans and pigs. This article scrutinizes the complexities of human-pig relations through premodern texts. Philology remains uncommon in studying the past of nonhuman animals, yet its insights are highly relevant. Old Javanese poems and inscriptions differentiate two species: the Javan warty pig and the Eurasian wild pig. Both influenced human societies, including in the realm of religion, class, and gender. The textual record further reveals that pigs were regularly hunted and consumed by elites and commoners alike, and also played a role in rituals. Full domestication can be dated to the eleventh century and apparently coincided with urbanization and growing population density. By that time, pigs had come to symbolize wealth, as seen from Java’s unique piggybanks. Yet wild populations of pigs persisted and their aggression and fighting skills were both feared and respected.

The magnitude of Allee effects varies across Allee mechanisms, but not taxonomic groups

The Allee effect is a density‐dependent phenomenon in which individual fitness increases as population density increases at low population densities. Over the past few decades, a growing number of studies have identified Allee effects in populations using experimental approaches and statistical modeling techniques. These studies have investigated multiple Allee mechanisms (e.g. mate‐finding, predation, resource limitation), across a range of systems and taxa (e.g. plants, vertebrates, invertebrates). This meta‐analysis aims to synthesize studies that experimentally manipulated population density and measured either per capita population growth or fitness components, with the goal of determining whether the ‘magnitude' of the Allee effect (defined here as the positive correlation between population density and population growth or fitness) varies with Allee mechanism across taxonomic groups. A total of 2305 studies were screened, and 62 of these studies met our meta‐analysis inclusion criteria. Within these 62 studies, 155 effect sizes encompassing nine different Allee mechanisms were identified across five broad taxa. When grouped by Allee mechanism and taxa, the magnitude of the Allee effect differed across mechanisms, whereas taxonomic group was less useful at explaining variation in the magnitude of Allee effects. Of the nine Allee mechanisms identified, interspecific competition was associated with the largest Allee effects, followed by fear, pollen limitation and mate limitation. These findings suggest that Allee effects may be more dependent on mechanism than taxa and may function similarly within different taxonomic groups. However, as the majority of experimental Allee effect studies included in this meta‐analysis focused on plants and invertebrates, more research is needed on Allee effects in other taxonomic groups to confirm this conclusion. This first quantitative synthesis of Allee effect research in ecology offers novel insight into how Allee mechanisms affect the manifestation of Allee effects in populations, providing important information for ecologists and conservationists.

Wildlife fencing at German highways and federal roads – requirements and management implications

In Germany, the high risk of wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVC) is further increasing due to increasing traffic volumes and road densities as well as the growing population densities of common ungulate species. As a result, threats to human health and property as well as wildlife mortality of widely spread and rare species increase. Currently, three basic types of wildlife fences are used in Germany: type A, a conventional galvanized‐high tensile deer fence (made of knot braid); type B, a chain wire (mesh wire) fence; type C, a rigid welded wire mesh fence panels. Since fencing needs to restrict access of many different species with different behaviours (e.g. jumping, climbing, digging), fencing needs to be multifaceted to be effectively. Furthermore, the occurrence of wildlife species with habits such as jumping, climbing or digging determines the optimal (functional) fence design per location. We surveyed road managers in combination with a personal assessment of road sections in Germany and derived the following recommendations for optimal fencing to reduce WVC: 1) To deter digging, use plates made of recycled synthetic materials or a concrete foundation, instead of barbed wire. 2) Fencing should be made of chain wire (mesh wire, type B) fence or rigid welded wire mesh fence panels (type C) instead of knot braid mesh (type A). 3) To restrict climbing, use angled chain wire fence or rigid welded wire mesh fence panels at the top of the fences. 4) Maintain fences so that they are kept free from ingrown vegetation/woods. Maintenance conditions should be considered while planning and building the fence, especially to ensure sufficient space on both sides for accessibility. 5) Fencing should be established preferably near the roadside and moved away from property lines. In conclusion, wildlife fencing could be a very effective mitigation measure to prevent WVC with common as well as protected species, when proper designed and recommendations of the survey will be consequently considered. Currently many wildlife fences lack functionality due to an inappropriate design and maintenance issues in Germany.

SNC_Net: Skin Cancer Detection by Integrating Handcrafted and Deep Learning-Based Features Using Dermoscopy Images

The medical sciences are facing a major problem with the auto-detection of disease due to the fast growth in population density. Intelligent systems assist medical professionals in early disease detection and also help to provide consistent treatment that reduces the mortality rate. Skin cancer is considered to be the deadliest and most severe kind of cancer. Medical professionals utilize dermoscopy images to make a manual diagnosis of skin cancer. This method is labor-intensive and time-consuming and demands a considerable level of expertise. Automated detection methods are necessary for the early detection of skin cancer. The occurrence of hair and air bubbles in dermoscopic images affects the diagnosis of skin cancer. This research aims to classify eight different types of skin cancer, namely actinic keratosis (AKs), dermatofibroma (DFa), melanoma (MELa), basal cell carcinoma (BCCa), squamous cell carcinoma (SCCa), melanocytic nevus (MNi), vascular lesion (VASn), and benign keratosis (BKs). In this study, we propose SNC_Net, which integrates features derived from dermoscopic images through deep learning (DL) models and handcrafted (HC) feature extraction methods with the aim of improving the performance of the classifier. A convolutional neural network (CNN) is employed for classification. Dermoscopy images from the publicly accessible ISIC 2019 dataset for skin cancer detection is utilized to train and validate the model. The performance of the proposed model is compared with four baseline models, namely EfficientNetB0 (B1), MobileNetV2 (B2), DenseNet-121 (B3), and ResNet-101 (B4), and six state-of-the-art (SOTA) classifiers. With an accuracy of 97.81%, a precision of 98.31%, a recall of 97.89%, and an F1 score of 98.10%, the proposed model outperformed the SOTA classifiers as well as the four baseline models. Moreover, an Ablation study is also performed on the proposed method to validate its performance. The proposed method therefore assists dermatologists and other medical professionals in early skin cancer detection.

Analyzing land use changes in Grogol District, Sukoharjo, Indonesia: A study from 2013 to 2019

The phenomenon of land use change in Grogol District, Sukoharjo Regency, between 2013 and 2019. The district, which was previously primarily an agricultural area with rice fields, has experienced a shift in land use towards settlements and shopping/industrial centers. Grogol District is a crucial access road connecting Surakarta City with Wonogiri Regency, making it a strategic location for industrial development. The study aims to analyze the changes in land use in Grogol District during the specified time frame and identify the factors influencing these changes. The research utilizes the comparison and overlay methods, using data on land use from 2013 and 2019. The findings indicate that the dominant change in land use is the conversion of paddy fields into industrial land, covering an area of 127.96 hectares. Several factors contribute to these changes, including the growth of economic facilities, population, and population density. Additionally, the district’s adjacency to Surakarta City plays a role in the land use transformation. As Surakarta City faces limitations in available land for development, the economic infrastructure development has been redirected to Grogol District.

폐교 활용 의사결정 요인 분석

Since 1982, when the Ministry of Education's small school consolidation policy was implemented, a total of 3,922 schools have been closed as of March 2023. Most of the previous studies have focused on analyzing cases and recommending how to utilize them. This study takes a quantitative approach by considering time to examine what factors are considered in the four types of management (non-utilization, self-utilization, lease and sale) after the decision to close. A panel probit model with sample selection bias was applied in three steps. The results showed that the age of the school and the total appraised value of the land and building are important factors in whether the school is utilized; land area, building area, land appraised value, population density, and population growth rate are important factors in whether the school is self-utilized; and land area, price, and financial independence are important factors in whether the school is sold. Through this study, we derived the selection factors that are important for the public sector, which must efficiently manage closed schools, and the private sector, which wants to earn profits by utilizing them and provide useful information for establishing policies necessary to efficiently manage closed schools.

Urban green space area mitigates the accumulation of heavy metals in urban soils

Despite that the heavy metals in urban soils pose a threat to public health, the critical factors that influence their concentrations in urban soils are not well understood. In this study, we conducted a survey of surface soil samples from urban green spaces in Shanghai, to analyze the concentrations of the key heavy metals. The results showed that Zn was the most abundant metal with an average concentration of 122.99 mg kg−1, followed by Pb (32.72 mg kg−1) and Cd (0.23 mg kg−1). All concentrations were found to be below the risk screening values defined by the National Environmental Quality Standards for soils of development land in China (GB36600-2018), indicating no current risk in Shanghai. However, there was a clear accumulation of heavy metals, as the mean concentrations were significantly higher than the background values. Furthermore, we explored the relationships between key heavy metals with population density, GDP and green space area. Both Spearman correlation and Random Forest analysis indicated that per capita green space area (pGSA) and population density were the most crucial factors influencing the status of heavy metals in urban soils, unlike edaphic factors e.g. SOM content in farmland soils. Specifically, there was a significantly positive linear correlation between heavy metal concentrations and population density, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.3 to 0.4. However, the correlation with pGSA was found to be non-linear. The nonlinear regression analysis revealed threshold values between heavy metals concentrations and pGSA (e.g Zn 22.22 m2, Pb 24.92 m2, and Cd 25.92 m2), with a sharp reduction in heavy metal concentrations below the threshold and a slow reduction above the threshold. It suggests that an increase in per capita green space area can mitigate the accumulation of heavy metals caused by growing population density, but the effect is limited after the threshold. Our findings not only provide insights into the distribution patterns of heavy metals in the urban soils at the local scale, but also contribute to the urban greening at the global scale and offer guidance for city planning in the face of increasing population densities over the coming decades.

Adequate nutrient intake mitigate the toxic effects of bromate on the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus.

Bromate is receiving increased attention as a typical disinfection by-product in aquatic environments, but bromate toxicity tests on invertebrate such as Brachionus calyciflorus rotifer are inadequate. In the present study, the long-term toxicity tests on B. calyciflorus were performed during 21 days under the exposure of different bromate concentrations and two algal density conditions. Furthermore, we evaluated the feeding behaviors of the rotifers under the impact of bromate. The maximum population density of rotifers was significantly reduced at 100 and 200 mg/L bromate exposure at the two algal density conditions. However, we observed that the maximum population density and population growth rate of rotifers were higher at 3.0 × 106 cells/mL algal density than those at 1.0 × 106 cells/mL under the same conditions of bromate exposure. These results suggest that higher food density may have alleviated the negative effects of bromate on rotifers. Meanwhile, the ingestion rate at an algal density of 3.0 × 106 cells/mL was higher than that at 1.0 × 106 cells/mL. The present study provides a basic reference to comprehensively evaluate the toxic effects of bromate on aquatic organisms.

How Did Urban Environmental Characteristics Influence Land Surface Temperature in Hong Kong from 2017 to 2022? Evidence from Remote Sensing and Land Use Data

Urbanization has led to environmental challenges, with the urban heat island effect being a prominent concern. Understanding the influence of urban environmental characteristics (UECs) on land surface temperature (LST) is essential for addressing this issue and promoting sustainable urban development. The spatiotemporal characteristics and influencing factors of LST have been investigated in past studies, but research that explicitly investigates the key factors and long-term spatial relationships affecting LST in city-scale urban areas is limited. Remote sensing techniques provide valuable insights into LST patterns and the relationship between urban environment and temperature dynamics. We utilized Landsat 8 images to derive the LST and six spectral indices from 2017 to 2022 in Hong Kong, a city characterized by high population density and rapid urban growth. We also acquired land use data to reflect Hong Kong’s dynamic urban landscape. The complex interactions between urban environment and LST were analyzed using various analytical techniques, including slope trend analysis, land use change detection, and correlation analysis. Finally, we constructed a random forest model to assess the importance of each environmental characteristic. Our findings provide three key insights for regions experiencing rapid urbanization. First, the LST showed an increasing trend in Hong Kong from 2017 to 2022, with the annual LST rising from 21.13 °C to 23.46 °C. Second, we identify negative relationships between LST and vegetation (−0.49)/water bodies (−0.49) and a positive correlation between LST and built-up areas (0.56) utilizing Pearson’s correlation. Third, the dominant influence of built-up areas was underscored, contributing as much as 53.4% to elevated LST levels, with specific attention to the substantial reclamation activities in Hong Kong. The insights from this study provide valuable guidance for policymakers, urban planners, and environmental researchers to formulate evidence-based strategies to achieve a resilient, livable urban future.