IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jgeogr/v5y2025i1p11-d1604182.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Vegetation Structure and Distribution Across Scales in a Large Metropolitan Area: Case Study of Austin MSA, Texas, USA

Author

Listed:
  • Raihan Jamil

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA)

  • Jason P. Julian

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA)

  • Meredith K. Steele

    (School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA)

Abstract

The spatial distribution of vegetation across metropolitan areas is important for wildlife habitat, air quality, heat mitigation, recreation, and other ecosystem services. This study investigated relationships between vegetation patterns and parcel characteristics at multiple scales of the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), a rapidly growing region in central Texas characterized by diverse biophysical and socioeconomic landscapes. We used LiDAR data to map vegetation types and distributions across a 6000 km 2 study area. Principal component analysis (PCA) and regression models were employed to explore tree, shrub, and grass cover across parcels, cities, and the MSA, considering home value, age, size, and distance to the city center. At the MSA scale, tree and shrub cover were higher in the Edwards Plateau than in the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Tree cover increased with parcel size and home value, especially in suburban areas. Older parcels had more mature trees, though less so in the grass-dominated Blackland Prairie. Shrub cover was higher on larger parcels in the Edwards Plateau, while the Blackland Prairie showed the opposite trend. PCA explained 60% of the variance, highlighting links between vegetation and urban development. Our findings reveal how biophysical and socioeconomic factors interact to shape vegetation, offering considerations for land use, housing, and green infrastructure planning.

Suggested Citation

  • Raihan Jamil & Jason P. Julian & Meredith K. Steele, 2025. "Vegetation Structure and Distribution Across Scales in a Large Metropolitan Area: Case Study of Austin MSA, Texas, USA," Geographies, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-22, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jgeogr:v:5:y:2025:i:1:p:11-:d:1604182
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7086/5/1/11/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7086/5/1/11/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Virginia Harris & Dave Kendal & Amy K. Hahs & Caragh G. Threlfall, 2018. "Green space context and vegetation complexity shape people’s preferences for urban public parks and residential gardens," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(1), pages 150-162, January.
    2. Sandifer, Paul A. & Sutton-Grier, Ariana E. & Ward, Bethney P., 2015. "Exploring connections among nature, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health and well-being: Opportunities to enhance health and biodiversity conservation," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 1-15.
    3. Raihan Jamil & Jason P. Julian & Jennifer L. R. Jensen & Kimberly M. Meitzen, 2024. "Urban Green Infrastructure Connectivity: The Role of Private Semi-Natural Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-25, August.
    4. Julie Brunner & Paul Cozens, 2013. "'Where Have All the Trees Gone?' Urban Consolidation and the Demise of Urban Vegetation: A Case Study from Western Australia," Planning Practice & Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(2), pages 231-255, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lennon, Mick & Douglas, Owen & Scott, Mark, 2019. "Responsive environments: An outline of a method for determining context sensitive planning interventions to enhance health and wellbeing," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 68-78.
    2. Wai Soe Zin & Aya Suzuki & Kelvin S.-H. Peh & Alexandros Gasparatos, 2019. "Economic Value of Cultural Ecosystem Services from Recreation in Popa Mountain National Park, Myanmar: A Comparison of Two Rapid Valuation Techniques," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-20, December.
    3. Julian Bolleter, 2016. "On the verge: re-thinking street reserves in relation to suburban densification," Journal of Urban Design, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 195-212, April.
    4. Christopher Hassall & Michael Nisbet & Evan Norcliffe & He Wang, 2024. "The Potential Health Benefits of Urban Tree Planting Suggested through Immersive Environments," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-12, February.
    5. Deborah F Coldwell & Karl L Evans, 2017. "Contrasting effects of visiting urban green-space and the countryside on biodiversity knowledge and conservation support," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, March.
    6. Kaowen Grace Chang & William C. Sullivan & Ying-Hsuan Lin & Weichia Su & Chun-Yen Chang, 2016. "The Effect of Biodiversity on Green Space Users’ Wellbeing—An Empirical Investigation Using Physiological Evidence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-15, October.
    7. Matthew Dennis & David Barlow & Gina Cavan & Penny A. Cook & Anna Gilchrist & John Handley & Philip James & Jessica Thompson & Konstantinos Tzoulas & C. Philip Wheater & Sarah Lindley, 2018. "Mapping Urban Green Infrastructure: A Novel Landscape-Based Approach to Incorporating Land Use and Land Cover in the Mapping of Human-Dominated Systems," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-25, January.
    8. William L. Rice & Sarah Y. Michels & Miranda Foster & Jon Graham & Peter Whitney & Jennifer M. Thomsen, 2023. "Exploring the Impacts of Protected Areas’ Attributes on Pediatric Health: The Case for Additional Research beyond Greenspace," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-19, August.
    9. Manoj Sharma & Erin Largo-Wight & Amar Kanekar & Hana Kusumoto & Stephanie Hooper & Vinayak K. Nahar, 2020. "Using the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of Health Behavior Change to Explain Intentional Outdoor Nature Contact Behavior among College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-12, August.
    10. repec:osf:socarx:tmdv4_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Pelletier, Marie-Chantale & Heagney, Elizabeth & Kovač, Mladen, 2021. "Valuing recreational services: A review of methods with application to New South Wales National Parks," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    12. Peta Brom & Kristine Engemann & Christina Breed & Maya Pasgaard & Titilope Onaolapo & Jens-Christian Svenning, 2023. "A Decision Support Tool for Green Infrastructure Planning in the Face of Rapid Urbanization," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-19, February.
    13. Suzanne M. Skevington & Richard Emsley & Svenja Dehner & Ian Walker & Stuart E. Reynolds, 2019. "Does Subjective Health Affect the Association between Biodiversity and Quality of Life? Insights from International Data," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(5), pages 1315-1331, November.
    14. Kelei Li & Wenpeng Du & Zhiqi Yang & Huimin Yan & Yutong Mu, 2024. "Spatio-Temporal Pattern of Urban Green Space in Chengdu Urban Center under Rapid Urbanization: From the Policy-Oriented Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, March.
    15. Tian Gao & Rui Song & Ling Zhu & Ling Qiu, 2019. "What Characteristics of Urban Green Spaces and Recreational Activities Do Self-Reported Stressed Individuals Like? A Case Study of Baoji, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-16, April.
    16. Elwell, Tammy L. & López-Carr, David & Gelcich, Stefan & Gaines, Steven D., 2020. "The importance of cultural ecosystem services in natural resource-dependent communities: Implications for management," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    17. Karen T. Lourdes & Chris N. Gibbins & Perrine Hamel & Ruzana Sanusi & Badrul Azhar & Alex M. Lechner, 2021. "A Review of Urban Ecosystem Services Research in Southeast Asia," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-21, January.
    18. Benjamin Guinaudeau & Mark Brink & Beat Schäffer & Martin A. Schlaepfer, 2023. "A Methodology for Quantifying the Spatial Distribution and Social Equity of Urban Green and Blue Spaces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-19, December.
    19. Jason Corburn, 2017. "Urban Place and Health Equity: Critical Issues and Practices," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-10, January.
    20. María Julieta Arias & Pablo Andrés Vaschetto & Mercedes Marchese & Luciana Regaldo & Ana María Gagneten, 2022. "Benthic Macroinvertebrates and Zooplankton Communities as Ecological Indicators in Urban Wetlands of Argentina," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-21, March.
    21. Mannetti, Lelani M. & Göttert, Thomas & Zeller, Ulrich & Esler, Karen J., 2017. "Expanding the protected area network in Namibia: An institutional analysis," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 28(PB), pages 207-218.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jgeogr:v:5:y:2025:i:1:p:11-:d:1604182. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.