IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i17p7655-d1732005.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatiotemporal Regulation of Urban Thermal Environments by Source–Sink Landscapes: Implications for Urban Sustainability in Guangzhou, China

Author

Listed:
  • Yaxuan Hu

    (School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China)

  • Junhao Chen

    (School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China)

  • Zixi Jiang

    (School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China)

  • Jiaxi He

    (School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China)

  • Yu Zhao

    (State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China)

  • Caige Sun

    (School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China)

Abstract

Urban thermal environments critically impact human settlements and sustainable urban development. In this study, a multi-index framework integrating Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI observations (2004–2019) is developed to quantify the contributions of “source–sink” landscapes to urban heat island (UHI) dynamics in Guangzhou, China, with direct implications for advancing sustainable development. Urban–rural gradient analysis was combined with emerging spatiotemporal hotspot modeling, revealing the following results: (1) there were thermal spatial heterogeneity with pronounced heat accumulation in core urban zones and improved thermal profiles in northern sectors, reflecting a transition from “more sources, fewer sinks” in the southwest to “fewer sources, more sinks” in the northeast; (2) UHIs were effectively mitigated within 25–35 km of the city center, with the landscape effect index (LI > 1) indicating successful sink-dominated cooling; (3) spatiotemporal hotspots were observed, including persistent UHIs in old urban areas contrasting with environmentally vulnerable coldspots in suburban mountainous regions, highlighting uneven thermal risks. This framework provides actionable strategies for sustainable urban planning, including optimizing green–blue infrastructure in UHI cores, enforcing cool material standards, and zoning expansion based on source–sink dynamics. This study bridges landscape ecology and sustainable development, offering a replicable model for cities worldwide to mitigate UHI effects through evidence-based landscape management.

Suggested Citation

  • Yaxuan Hu & Junhao Chen & Zixi Jiang & Jiaxi He & Yu Zhao & Caige Sun, 2025. "Spatiotemporal Regulation of Urban Thermal Environments by Source–Sink Landscapes: Implications for Urban Sustainability in Guangzhou, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-21, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:17:p:7655-:d:1732005
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/17/7655/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/17/7655/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yunsheng Xie & Peng Wang & Yi Dou & Lei Yang & Songyan Ren & Daiqing Zhao, 2022. "Assessment on the Cost Synergies and Impacts among Measures on Energy Conservation, Decarbonization, and Air Pollutant Reductions Using an MCEE Model: A Case of Guangzhou, China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, February.
    2. Jiao Chai & Zhibin Zhang & Long Chen & Xiaomin Ma & Zhixiang Wu, 2023. "Analysis of the Spatial and Temporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Forces of the Surface Thermal Environment in Lanzhou City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, May.
    3. Han, Zhiming & Huang, Qiang & Huang, Shengzhi & Leng, Guoyong & Bai, Qingjun & Liang, Hao & Wang, Lu & Zhao, Jing & Fang, Wei, 2021. "Spatial-temporal dynamics of agricultural drought in the Loess Plateau under a changing environment: Characteristics and potential influencing factors," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    4. Ran Goldblatt & Abdullah Addas & Daynan Crull & Ahmad Maghrabi & Gabriel Gene Levin & Steven Rubinyi, 2021. "Remotely Sensed Derived Land Surface Temperature (LST) as a Proxy for Air Temperature and Thermal Comfort at a Small Geographical Scale," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-24, April.
    5. Yasha Wang & Wanlu Ouyang & Qingming Zhan & Li Zhang, 2022. "The Cooling Effect of an Urban River and Its Interaction with the Littoral Built Environment in Mitigating Heat Stress: A Mobile Measurement Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-16, September.
    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. Abdullah Addas, 2023. "Understanding the Relationship between Urban Biophysical Composition and Land Surface Temperature in a Hot Desert Megacity (Saudi Arabia)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Wang, Xinzhi & Lin, Qingxia & Wu, Zhiyong & Zhang, Yuliang & Li, Changwen & Liu, Ji & Zhang, Shinan & Li, Songyu, 2025. "Agricultural GDP exposure to drought and its machine learning-based prediction in the Jialing River Basin, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    3. Wei Wei & Jiping Wang & Libang Ma & Xufeng Wang & Binbin Xie & Junju Zhou & Haoyan Zhang, 2024. "Global Drought-Wetness Conditions Monitoring Based on Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Tao He & Wenya Zhang & Hanwen Zhang & Jinliang Sheng, 2023. "Estimation of Manure Emissions Issued from Different Chinese Livestock Species: Potential of Future Production," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-17, November.
    5. Benoit Govoeyi & Jean-Baptiste De La Salle Tignégré & Felix Badolo & Paul Alhassan Zaato & Karamoko Sanogo & Birhanu Zemadim Birhanu, 2022. "Perceptions on Sack Gardening in Rural Areas: The Case of Vegetable Stakeholders in Koutiala and Bougouni, Mali," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-19, November.
    6. Zhang, Yu & Hao, Zengchao & Feng, Sifang & Zhang, Xuan & Hao, Fanghua, 2022. "Changes and driving factors of compound agricultural droughts and hot events in eastern China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
    7. Ting Wei & Wei Li & Juan Tang, 2024. "Decoding Tianjin: How Does Urban Form Shape the Diurnal Cycle of Surface Temperature?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-27, November.
    8. Li, Yifei & Huang, Shengzhi & Wang, Hanye & Zheng, Xudong & Huang, Qiang & Deng, Mingjiang & Peng, Jian, 2022. "High-resolution propagation time from meteorological to agricultural drought at multiple levels and spatiotemporal scales," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    9. Juan Zhang & Yuan Qi & Qian Li & Jinlong Zhang & Rui Yang & Hongwei Wang & Xiangfeng Li, 2025. "Combining UAV-Based Multispectral and Thermal Images to Diagnosing Dryness Under Different Crop Areas on the Loess Plateau," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, January.
    10. Dongying Li & Galen D Newman & Bev Wilson & Yue Zhang & Robert D Brown, 2022. "Modeling the relationships between historical redlining, urban heat, and heat-related emergency department visits: An examination of 11 Texas cities," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 49(3), pages 933-952, March.
    11. Xu, Yang & Zhang, Xuan & Hao, Zengchao & Hao, Fanghua & Li, Chong, 2021. "Projections of future meteorological droughts in China under CMIP6 from a three‐dimensional perspective," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 252(C).
    12. Lv, Aifeng & Yang, Xianglei & Zhang, Wenxiang & Han, Yan, 2025. "Integrated soil moisture fusion for enhanced agricultural drought monitoring in China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 311(C).
    13. Panxing He & Yiyan Zeng & Ningfei Wang & Zhiming Han & Xiaoyu Meng & Tong Dong & Xiaoliang Ma & Shangqian Ma & Jun Ma & Zongjiu Sun, 2023. "Early Evidence That Soil Dryness Causes Widespread Decline in Grassland Productivity in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-17, February.
    14. Zhang, Yitong & Hao, Zengchao & Zhang, Yu, 2023. "Agricultural risk assessment of compound dry and hot events in China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    15. Min Wang & Yuqing Su & Jieqiong Wang, 2025. "How to Improve Blue–Green–Gray Infrastructure to Optimize River Cooling Island Effect on Riparian Zone for Outdoor Activities in Summer," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-34, June.
    16. Samantaray, Alok Kumar & Ramadas, Meenu & Panda, Rabindra Kumar, 2022. "Changes in drought characteristics based on rainfall pattern drought index and the CMIP6 multi-model ensemble," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    17. Eduilson Carneiro & Wilza Lopes & Giovana Espindola, 2021. "Linking Urban Sprawl and Surface Urban Heat Island in the Teresina–Timon Conurbation Area in Brazil," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-16, May.
    18. Taher Safarrad & Mostafa Ghadami & Andreas Dittmann & Mousa Pazhuhan (Panahandeh Khah), 2021. "Tourism Effect on the Spatiotemporal Pattern of Land Surface Temperature (LST): Babolsar and Fereydonkenar Cities (Cases Study in Iran)," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-25, September.
    19. Xiwen Bao & Xin Wang & Ziao Ge & Jiayao Xi & Yinghui Zhao, 2024. "Analysis of the Carbon Emission Trajectory and Influencing Factors of Agricultural Space Transfer: A Case Study of the Harbin-Changchun Urban Agglomeration, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-25, November.
    20. Chunlan Guo & Timothy Sim & Guiwu Su, 2021. "Individual Disaster Preparedness in Drought-and-Flood-Prone Villages in Northwest China: Impact of Place, Out-Migration and Community," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-14, February.

    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:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:17:p:7655-:d:1732005. 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.