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Cooling Effect of Different Land Cover Types: A Case Study in Xi’an and Xianyang, China

Author

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  • Yuhe Ma

    (College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
    Shaanxi Remote Sensing and GIS Engineering Research Center, Xi’an 710127, China)

  • Mudan Zhao

    (College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
    Shaanxi Remote Sensing and GIS Engineering Research Center, Xi’an 710127, China)

  • Jianbo Li

    (College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
    Shaanxi Remote Sensing and GIS Engineering Research Center, Xi’an 710127, China)

  • Jian Wang

    (College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
    Shaanxi Remote Sensing and GIS Engineering Research Center, Xi’an 710127, China)

  • Lifa Hu

    (College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
    Shaanxi Remote Sensing and GIS Engineering Research Center, Xi’an 710127, China)

Abstract

One of the climate problems caused by rapid urbanization is the urban heat island effect, which directly threatens the human survival environment. In general, some land cover types, such as vegetation and water, are generally considered to alleviate the urban heat island effect, because these landscapes can significantly reduce the temperature of the surrounding environment, known as the cold island effect. However, this phenomenon varies over different geographical locations, climates, and other environmental factors. Therefore, how to reasonably configure these land cover types with the cooling effect from the perspective of urban planning is a great challenge, and it is necessary to find the regularity of this effect by designing experiments in more cities. In this study, land cover (LC) classification and land surface temperature (LST) of Xi’an, Xianyang and its surrounding areas were obtained by Landsat-8 images. The land types with cooling effect were identified and their ideal configuration was discussed through grid analysis, distance analysis, landscape index analysis and correlation analysis. The results showed that an obvious cooling effect occurred in both woodland and water at different spatial scales. The cooling distance of woodland is 330 m, much more than that of water (180 m), but the land surface temperature around water decreased more than that around the woodland within the cooling distance. In the specific urban planning cases, woodland can be designed with a complex shape, high tree planting density and large planting areas while water bodies with large patch areas to cool the densely built-up areas. The results of this study have utility for researchers, urban planners and urban designers seeking how to efficiently and reasonably rearrange landscapes with cooling effect and in urban land design, which is of great significance to improve urban heat island problem.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuhe Ma & Mudan Zhao & Jianbo Li & Jian Wang & Lifa Hu, 2021. "Cooling Effect of Different Land Cover Types: A Case Study in Xi’an and Xianyang, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-16, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:3:p:1099-:d:484587
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Yang Lu & Jiansi Yang & Song Ma, 2021. "Dynamic Changes of Local Climate Zones in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area and Their Spatio-Temporal Impacts on the Surface Urban Heat Island Effect between 2005 and 2015," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, June.

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