Urban Areas Of Turkey Research Articles

Determination of potentially toxic metals and natural radionuclides in airborne pollens produced different urban environments in Turkey and health risk assessment

ABSTRACT Air pollutants are associated with potentially toxic metals (PTMs) and natural and/or artificial radionuclides, which can pose a major threat to human and environmental health. Pollens can be utilized as a bioindicator to determine the level of air pollution in urban areas. In this study, the concentrations of PTMs and natural radionuclides in 35 airborne pollen samples of 22 species belonging to Pinaceae, Cupressaceae, Araucariaceae, Betulaceae, Salicaceae, and Oleaceae families grown in different urban areas in Turkey were determined using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. For the first time, non-carcinogenic and radiologic health risk assessments for adults were done, estimating hazard index (HI) and annual effective dose (AED), respectively. The concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Ti, Sr, Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, V and Pb analyzed in airborne pollen samples varied from 52.1 to 3078.0, 26.1 to 159.6, 15.6 to 199.7, 9.1 to 282.2, 1.0 to 128.4, 5.0 to 40.1, 5.4 to 23.6, <LD to 11.3, 1.6 to 26.6, <LD to 11.1 and <LD to 5.7 mg/kg, respectively. The average concentrations of K (2%), Th (1.3 mg/kg) and U (1.0 mg/kg) were converted into the activity concentrations (in Bq/kg) of 40K (595.8), 232Th (5.2) and 238U (11.8), respectively. All HI and AED values revealed a very low non-carcinogenic and radiological health risk due to exposure to all PTMs and radionuclides in the pollen samples studied.

Social Participation of Older Adults in Rural and Urban Areas: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Turkey

ABSTRACT Social participation is important in terms of active aging and quality of life during old age. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the social participation of older adults in rural and urban areas in Turkey. Related factors were similarly identified. The sample comprised 1,224 people over the age of 60, with a mean of 69.78 ± 7.48 years. Among the participants, 61.4% live in urban areas. The data were collected in family health centers through face-to-face interview and the Interview Form, Social Participation Assessment Form, and Social Participation Dimension of the Turkish Version of the Aging Module of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) Scale. The scores obtained from the social participation dimension of the scale among the elderly in urban areas were higher than those obtained among the elderly in rural areas (p = .002). In addition, older adults in the urban areas who talked on the phone several times a month (p = .025), went to concerts, theater/cinema, museum/exhibition, various visual/musical shows (p = .046), and engaged in gardening (p = .032) obtained higher scores in the social participation dimension than the other participants. Health care professionals should take an advocacy role in building relationships with policy makers and create suitable socialization opportunities for older adults in urban and rural areas.

Development and progression of myopia in children during the COVID-19 pandemic in urban area in Turkey.

To investigate the relationship between digital screen time and the development and progression of myopia during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Children aged 7-18years who had regular refractive measurement follow-ups before and after the COVID-19 pandemic were included in the study. They were divided into two groups according to their initial refractive status, emmetropic and myopic. The relationship between spherical equivalent refraction (SER) changes and digital screen time before and after the pandemic was analyzed. A total of 255 children were included in the study. During the pandemic in the emmetropic group, digital screen time increased by 5.98 ± 2.13h/day, and the mean SER decreased from - 0.02 to - 0.55 D (p < 0.001). During the pandemic in the myopic group, the digital screen time increased by 6.25 ± 2.36h, and the mean SER decreased from - 1.82 to - 2.72 D (p < 0.001). A significant correlation was found between the increase in digital screen time and the change in SER in the emmetropic and myopic groups (r = - 0.261, p = 0.015, r = - 0.269, p = 0.001, respectively). Increased digital screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a myopic shift in emmetropic children and myopic progression in myopic children. As a result of COVID-19, increasing cases of myopia should be addressed as a public health concern.

Influential Factors of Household Car and Vehicle Ownership in Urban Areas of Turkey

Car and vehicle ownership levels in developing countries are gradually increasing, leading to traffic congestion, energy consumption, and air pollution. As a developing country, Turkey encounters many of the issues caused by this rapid increase in car ownership. This paper aims to examine potential determinants of household car and vehicle ownership behavior in urban areas of Turkey by concentrating on three cities (Ankara, Erzurum, and Bayburt) that are distinct in population, geographical region, and public transit services. For this purpose, a written survey was administered to 1389 households living in these cities. The data is analyzed using alternative ordered response models—the generalized ordered logit, partial proportional odds (PPO), and heteroskedastic ordered logit models. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first attempt to compare alternative ordered response models to determine car and vehicle ownership behavior in Turkey. Consequently, the PPO model was found to be the most parsimonious model among the others. The results demonstrated that household car and vehicle ownership behavior in Turkey differs significantly with urban area size. The estimation results also revealed that several key drivers, including type of dwelling, parking availability, household monthly income, and public transit use, significantly influence Turkish households’ car and vehicle ownership levels. This study’s empirical findings may provide insight to policymakers and stakeholders for future transportation strategies and policies.

Why Is There a Need for a Value-Based Zoning Application Method in Urban Areas in Turkey

In addition to the economic and social problems experienced due to migration from rural to urban areas in developing communities, there are also problems of 'physical settlement and use of property' in urban areas. After determining the needs for the solution of urban problems, it is necessary to "manage urban settlements and existing resources" in a fast, effective, accurate and sustainable approach. In this regard, the approaches implemented by central and local governments within the scope of the ‘11th Development Plan of the Republic of Turkey’, titled "Free Individual, Strong Society, More Democratic Turkey" published by the Ministry of Justice in 2021 are based on the perspective of 'individual rights and social reconciliation'. In addition, the importance of real estate property right, its strengthening and the need to use it without any problems were mentioned. In the process of ensuring the development of the 'zoning plan implementation in the Land Readjustment method' model including the sustainable, innovative and applicable qualifications for Turkey; Institutional level projects are produced by practitioners, users and academics. In this method/model development process, in the Land Readjustment (LR) method, it is important to 'pre-regulation and post-regulation equality of land value and protection of property rights' in the process of allocating zoning parcels to the property owner. In the phenomenon of sustainable urbanization, real estate is also the determinant of the social life of living in urban sociology in terms of 'problem-free use of property'. For this reason, innovative solution proposals are needed in cities where 'zoning planning and plan implementation processes will be carried out in a sustainable land management approach and interactively'. In this study, the deficiencies and negativities encountered both in the legislation and during the implementation of the LR method currently applied in Turkey will be revealed; in this regard, the methods applied in the world and the 'appliance based on value equality' models will be examined. Taking into account the social habits regarding the use of property, an answer will be sought to the question of why it is necessary to switch from the area-based application (equiproportion) principle to the value-based application (equivalence) model in the LR method in Turkey.

Investigation of obesity, eating behaviors and physical activity levels living in rural and urban areas during the covid-19 pandemic era: a study of Turkish adolescent

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to determine the eating behaviors, obesity and physical activity status of children of similar ages living in rural and urban areas and to examine these relationships during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic process.MethodThe research was conducted using the scanning model. The research group consists of children living in rural and urban areas in Turkey. The sample of the study consists of a total of 733 adolescent participants, 351 females (47.9%) and 382 males (52.1%). After anthropometric measurements were made, the Physical Activity Questionnaire for older children and the Yale Food Addiction Scale for children 2.0 were used to determine the food addiction and physical activity status of children during the COVID19 pandemic process. Since the groups were homogeneously distributed, independent samples t-test and Pearson correlation test were used.ResultIn terms of food addiction and physical activity levels, children living in the urban have higher scores than children living in rural areas. In addition, children living in the urban were taller and have higher body mass values than those in rural areas. In terms of physical activity level and food addiction levels, while girls living in the urban had higher activity levels than those living in rural areas, no statistically significant difference was found between the physical activity levels of boys. When evaluated in terms of general and gender, it was determined that children living in rural areas were overweight and obese at a higher rate. Obese children had higher levels of food addiction and lower physical activity levels than non-obese children.ConclusionIn order to prevent childhood obesity, the level of food addiction should be reduced as well as increasing the level of physical activity. This study is limited in terms of cross-sectional evaluation. Future research can experimentally reveal how much obesity is reduced by methods such as exercise and diet interventions.

Nutritional Experiences of Parents of Children Who Had Gastric Transposition Surgery.

This study aimed to understand the postoperative nutritional experiences of parents of children who had undergone gastric transposition surgery after corrosive esophageal injury. The study had a descriptive qualitative research design, and used a structured interview form as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The population of the study consisted of the parents of 12 children who had undergone gastric transposition surgery at the pediatric surgery clinic of a university hospital in an urban area in Turkey. Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcripts using the MAXQDA program. Four main themes emerged and five supporting sub-themes were identified. The main themes were what we experienced in the postoperative nutrition process, coping with how we live, what we want to know, and our recommendations to healthcare professionals. Family-centered care should be a main focus when caring children who have had gastric transposition surgery, and children and their parents should be supported by a multidisciplinary team.

Applications of utility tunnels for natural gas pipelines

The scope of this article is to provide environmentally friendly, sustainable and safe infrastructure services for end-users with utility tunnels, including continuous flow systems, one of the transportation modes. Sustainable infrastructure systems are of great importance for urban highway planning and city construction site management. The implementation of utility tunnel systems in cities has emerged in recent years with the acceleration of urban transformation in Turkey. Initially, utility tunnel applications were limited and partially sheltered large campuses such as organized industrial zones, university campuses, and large sites. Implementations of utility tunnels are planned within urban transformation works, especially in metropolitan cities. However, it should not be ignored that there are essential points to be considered in these investment activities, which are carried out by various institutions at different times and planned to prevent damaging other infrastructures and the environment. It should not be forgotten that underground spaces filled by gas leaks are potential areas that cause explosions.This article aims to guide decision-makers and engineers to pay attention to the correct planning and implementation of utility tunnels in urban areas in Turkey. Application methods have been researched for the correct positioning of infrastructures and especially natural gas lines while applying utility tunnels. Additionally, examining the national and international applications and revealing the pros and cons of utility tunnels is also intended to help the correct choice of decision-makers and engineers. Infrastructure damages that cause gas leaks have been examined, and what needs to be done for the safer operation of natural gas lines has been discussed. The extent of the damage that occurred in the natural gas lines during or after constructing the infrastructures with the traditional open-cut trenching was searched. Instead of the traditional open-cut excavation method, the importance of utility tunnel applications for sustainable and safer urban life has been emphasized while natural gas lines are planned correctly through the use of utility tunnels in urban areas.

Intensifying Iodine Deficiency Throughout Trimesters of Pregnancy in a Borderline Iodine-Sufficient Urban Area, Ankara, Turkey.

Iodine has long been recognized as an essential micronutrient for maternal thyroid function, as well as fetal growth and development during pregnancy. The current study aimed to evaluate thyroid hormone status, urinary iodine concentration (UIC), thyroid volume, and nodularity in pregnant women, throughout trimesters, in a borderline iodine sufficient, urban area with mandatory table salt iodization. Two-hundred-sixty-five pregnant women ranging from 17 to 45years participated in this prospective longitudinal study. Thyroid function tests, thyroid volume, nodule growth, and UIC were recorded throughout the first, second, and third trimesters with no intervention. Median UIC was 96, 78, and 60µg/L in the first, second, and third trimester of pregnancy, respectively (p < 0.001). Mean TSH values increased significantly (i.e. 0.65 mIU/ml, 1.1 mIU/ml, and 1.3 mIU/ml in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively) (p < 0.001). Mean ± s.d. thyroid volume was significantly higher in the third trimester (14.72 ± 6.8ml) compared with the first trimester (13.69 ± 5.31ml) (p < 0.001). An intensifying iodine deficiency (ID) was reported throughout trimesters in this cohort of pregnant women from Ankara. A significant percentage of pregnant women from a borderline iodine sufficient, urban area in Turkey were iodine deficient during all trimesters, and the deficiency increased throughout the pregnancy. Pregnant women should receive iodine supplementation, besides consuming iodized salt in borderline iodine sufficient areas.

Children’s right to the city: The case of street children

Children are important actors in the urban areas of Turkey since they make up the largest demographic group. Therefore, the reasons behind their being regarded as ‘passive’ should be re-examined, in view of the fact that they live and work in, and create and recreate the city. The purpose of this study is to elaborate the children’s right to the city concept from two different points of view using liberal and radical approaches within the theoretical framework provided by Marcuse in the right to the city discourse. The reason for choosing Marcuse is that at some points, his arguments meet with both a liberal and radical understanding of the right to the city. Therefore, these two approaches will be compared regarding children’s right to the city in Turkey in light of related literature. In the last part of the study, children’s right to the city will be discussed from these two perspectives with the particular case of street children derived from findings in the literature. It is revealed that while there are significant developments in Turkey at local and international level in terms of children’s right to the city and street children, there is still a need for a strengths-based perspective which positions children as active agents making decisions about their own lives and formation of urban space.

Transitional 'hospital to home' care of older patients: healthcare professionals' perspectives.

Transitional care is a key area of care provision to older people with chronic and complex health conditions and is associated with the quality of care delivered in the healthcare system. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of healthcare providers, including nurses and physicians, regarding transitional care from hospital to home in an urban area of Turkey. A qualitative study using a thematic analysis method was carried out. In-depth semi-structured interviews were held with eight clinical nurses and five general physicians involved in the provision of healthcare services to older patients in the transitional care process from hospital to home. The thematic analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews with 13 healthcare professionals led to the development of the following themes: 'uninterrupted chain of care transfer', 'commitment to meet patient's needs' and 'support and removing ambiguities'. Key factors impacting on the quality and safety of transitional care and continuity of healthcare are communication and collaboration between healthcare staff and settings, and older patients' as well as family caregivers' awareness and their feelings of responsibility towards the continuity of care at home.

Evaluation of MODIS C6 and C6.1 Dark Target AOD products over Turkey based on NDVI and aerosol type

This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of the MODIS C6 and C6.1 Aerosol Optical Depths (AOD) from Terra and Aqua satellites over the two sites located in the urban and coastal regions of Turkey. This is the first study in Turkey focusing on comparison of MODIS Dark Target (DT) C6 and C6.1 AOD against AERONET AOD to provide a better understanding of applicability and suitability of MODIS products under different surfaces and aerosol loadings. Analysis was performed with direct comparisons between MODIS DT AOD retrievals with 3 km and 10 km resolutions and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Version 3 Level 2 ground-based observations at site scale. Meanwhile, the spatial and temporal variations were also compared and discussed. Accuracy of the spatially and temporally collocated AOD retrievals was analyzed with the correlation coefficient (R), normalized mean bias (NMB), the root mean square error (RMSE), and the expected error (EE) (0.05% + 20%) and (0.05% + 15%) of the DT 3 km and 10 km algorithm over land, respectively. The C6.1 showed better accuracy than the C6 with the higher number of the retrievals falling within the expected error (EE). The C6.1 DT exhibited more significant improvements over the urban site than the coastal site, but both the DT 3 km and 10 km products did not show satisfactory performance with the lower percentages of the retrievals falling within EE (ranging from 36.7% to 50.6%), that was less than one standard deviation confidence interval over the urban site. Moreover, C6.1 DT had a little effect on improvements over the coastal site. Higher percentages of the retrievals falling within EE (ranging from 80.2% to 90.7%) were found at the coastal site. The effects of the surface reflectance based on NDVI and SSA parameter for understanding the aerosol type effect on aerosol retrievals were also discussed. Underestimation of the AOD over the coastal site indicated an inaccurate assumption in the aerosol model. Highly absorbing aerosols also caused overestimation over the urban site. This study suggests that further improvements are required to provide better estimates of satellite-based AOD over urban areas of Turkey.

Model Cities for Resilience: Climate-led Initiatives

Paris Agreement of December 2015 was the last official initiative led by the United Nations (UN) as the driver of climate change mitigation. Climate change was hence linked with an increase in the occurrence of natural hazards. A variety of initiatives were consequently adopted under different themes such as sustainable cities, climate-friendly development, and low-carbon cities. However, most of the initiatives targeted by global cities with urban areas being the focus in terms of taking action against global warming issues. This is due to the structural and environmental features of cities characterized by being populated, as such, they not only generate a large number of carbon emissions but also happens to be the biggest consumer of natural resources. In turn, they create a microclimate, which contributes to climate change. Masdar City, for example, was designed as the first fully sustainable urban area, which replaced fuel-based energy with electric-based energy. China, as another example, introduced the Sponge Cities action, a method of urban water management to mitigate against flooding. Consequently, architects and urban planners are urged to conform to the proposals that would mitigate global warming. This paper, as a result, examines some of the models that have been internationally adopted and thereafter provide recommendations that can be implemented in large urban areas in Turkey, primarily in Istanbul.

Factors affecting severe weather threat index in urban areas of Turkey and Iran

BackgroundDistinguishing dynamic variations of the climate from the physical urban indicators is a challenge to assess the factors affecting weather severity. Hence, the time-series of the severe weather threat index (SWEAT) were considered in the four urban areas of Turkey and Iran to identify its affecting factors among the climatic variables and urban indicators in 2018. The SWEAT data were obtained from the upper-air sounding database of the University of Wyoming. The climatic variables were extracted from the Asia Pacific data research center (APDRC). The spatial statistics for urban expansion were collected from global human built-up and settlement extent (HBASE) data sets. A quantitative measuring of the Pearson correlation test was used to expose the relationships between dependent index (SWEAT) and independent variables (climatic and anthropogenic).ResultsResults revealed that the high and extreme severity classes of the weather condition in the Ankara, Istanbul, Mashhad, and Tehran are estimated as 7.7% (28 days), 15.3% (56 days), 1.1% (4 days), and 4.4% (16 days), respectively. The strongest values of the annual SWEAT index, exposing the unstable and severe weather conditions, were observed for Istanbul and Ankara urban regions. This result may be corresponding to the highest values of mean annual precipitation and relative humidity in addition to the largest values of urban expansion and sprawl index. The statistical correlation tests in annual scale confirmed the effective role of climatic elements of precipitation, relative humidity, and cloudiness (R from 0.94 to 0.99) and the urban expansion indicators (R from 0.86 to 0.91) in increasing annual severe weather index of SWEAT at above 85–95% of confidence level.ConclusionsThe correlations between the urban expansion indicators and outcome SWEAT index can be strengthened by some climatic elements (e.g., precipitation, humidity, and cloudiness), revealing the mediator and magnifier task. However, the mentioned correlations can be weakened by another climatic variable (i.e., air temperature), revealing a moderator and modifier task. Ultimately, investigation of the weather severity indices (e.g., SWEAT index) could be applied to identify the local and regional evidence of climate change in the urban areas.

Teaching socio-scientific issues through evidence-based thinking practices: Appropriateness, benefits, and challenges of using an instructional scaffold

Teachers are expected to improve their students’ analytical thinking and decision-making skills through evidence-based thinking and critical evaluation processes. In this study, a three-hour workshop was conducted to investigate science teachers’ views about teaching socio-scientific issues through argumentation and introducing an instructional scaffold, Model-Evidence Link diagrams to promote the use of argumentation and critical evaluation in science classrooms. 125 science teachers, who were working in public schools of an urban area in Turkey participated in the workshop. Findings revealed that 90% of the participants stated that the use of MEL diagram is appropriate for science teaching. Promoting higher order thinking skills was the highest benefit, whereas the need for time for the development and implementation of the material was the greatest challenge for the use of the MEL diagrams in science classrooms. This study contributes to the literature on teaching socio-scientific issues, especially through argumentation, evidence-based thinking, and critical evaluation.

Posttraumatic Stress and Depression Among Syrian Refugees Living in Turkey: Findings From an Urban Sample.

Although most of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey live outside refugee camps, most mental health research is on camp residents and few are on those living in cities. We aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in Syrian refugees living in an urban area in Turkey. A total of 420 adult Syrians living in Ankara were assessed using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory. Probable PTSD and depression rates were 36.5% and 47.7%, respectively. Female sex, physical illness, and greater number of potentially traumatic events predicted both PTSD and depression. PTSD was additionally predicted by past psychiatric illness, and depression was predicted by lower economic status. Interestingly, lower economic status predicted depression among men, but not among women. Studies on refugees should be sensitive to factors that could have a significant effect on mental health such as sex or residence.

Türkiye'de Mahalle Yönetimlerinin Tarihsel Gelişimi ve Hukuki Statüsü

Mahalle yönetimi; demokrasinin gelişmesi, mahalle sakinlerinin kentin yönetim sürecine katılımı ve yerel seviyedeki kamusal sorunların belirlenmesi ve çözüme kavuşturulması noktasında önemli bir araç olduğu tartışmasızdır. Türkiye'de 2012 yılında çıkarılan 6360 sayılı “On Dört İlde Büyükşehir Belediyesi ve Yirmi Yedi İlçe Kurulması İle Bazı Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamelerde Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Kanun” sonrası büyükşehir belediyesi olan illerdeki köylerin mahalleye dönüştürülmesi ile birlikte mahalle sayısı artış göstermiştir. Günümüzde vatandaşların %90’dan fazlası kentlerde yaşamını devam ettirmektedir. Dolayısıyla vatandaşlar yaşamlarını belirli bir mahallede sürdürmektedir. Demokrasinin küçük temel taşı ve gelişiminde önemli rol üstlenen bu topluluğun yönetilmesi hakkında geçmişten günümüze kadar genel bilgi ve temel sorunların dile getirilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu bağlamda çalışmada, öncelikli olarak; mahalle kavramı, mahalle yönetimi ve tarihsel gelişim süreci, günümüzdeki mahallenin hukuki statüsü, mahalle yönetimlerinin kurulması, kaldırılması ve organik yapısı, mahalle yönetimindeki aktörlerin görevleri ve yasal dayanaklarına ilişkin bilgiler verilmesinin yanında mahalle yönetiminin başı olan muhtarın seçimi ve muhtarın daha etkin ve verimli bir konuma getirilmesi adına üç model öneri sunulmuştur.

Postmortem findings on a group of Pica pica (Passeriformes: Corvidae)

Common magpies (Corvidae: Pica pica) distribute through rural and urban areas of Turkey. Because of theirdistribution in urbanised regions, magpies may have some potential infectious agents which may relate to domestic animals andhumans. In this study, eight common magpies brought to the animal hospital in need of medical intervention were examined for endo-parasites and bacteria in a one-year period. Additionally, histopathologic examinations with related organs were carried out along withendo-parasitical, cytological and microbial examination the following necropsy. As results of the necropsies, three parasite speciesincluding two helminths and one protozoan (Passerilepis sp., Brachylaima sp., Isospora rochalimai, respectively) were identified,while Staphylococcus xylosus, S. sciuri, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella spp. were isolated after microbiologicalexamination. Histopathology revealed that subacute focal mycotic pneumonia, chronic nonpurulent granulomatous gastroenteritis,verminous enteritis, and the presence of paratyphoid nodules in liver. Both of the parasites and bacteria are the first records for Turkey’shelminth/bacterial fauna in wild birds.

Household Nutrition Habits and Food Consumption in Turkey

Food consumption and the accompanying nutritional quality of the diet are determined both by income and price as well as by a broad range of the other factors. Changing demographics and household composition, woman’s labor force participation, new concerns about health-diet links as well as changes in the food markets can all affect the types and amounts of food consumed. Specifically, the major objective of this study is to develop methodologies and to analyze the effects of socioeconomic and demographic factors on nutrition demand and consumption behavior of households. To accomplish these objectives in this study, the food consumption survey data collected from the national representatives of Turkish households, who live in urban and rural areas. This study also investigated nutrition consumption for socioeconomic and demographic groups in both rural and urban areas in Turkey. According to results of the model, fat income elasticity is considerably higher at 0.57, while those for protein-calorie and carbohydrates are 0.47, 0.43 and 0.38. Thus a given increase in household expenditure will lead to a much larger proportionate rise in consumption of protein and fat than it will for carbohydrate and total calorie intake.

Monitoring the urban green spaces and landscape fragmentation using remote sensing: a case study in Osmaniye, Turkey

Urban green spaces play a significant role in management of physical activity, psychological well-being, and public health of urban residents. With the expansion of urban areas in Turkey during the past decades, urban green spaces have been fragmented and dispersed causing impairment and environmental degradation. The purpose of this study is to model urban green space distribution by focusing on the landscape fragmentation in city of Osmaniye using remote sensing and geographic information system technology. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and urban landscape ratio (ULR) were used to assess the proximity and spatial arrangement of urban green spaces within the neighbor landscapes to quantify the urban land use effect. The geospatial analysis results showed that increase in total built-up area and population has significantly decreased the urban green space cover because of high levels of landscape fragmentation in urban city center. Also, due to high levels of landscape fragmentation, approximately 45% of the Osmaniye city is estimated to become urbanized by 2030. This study demonstrated the benefits of directional vegetation index application with geospatial analyses in characterizing the environmental quality for planning and management of urban green spaces. This approach could be used for determining the future urban land development scenarios correlating with regional planning procedures.