Global forecasts of urban expansion to 2030 and direct impacts on biodiversity and carbon pools

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 109(40), P. 16083 - 16088

Published: Sept. 17, 2012

Urban land-cover change threatens biodiversity and affects ecosystem productivity through loss of habitat, biomass, carbon storage. However, despite projections that world urban populations will increase to nearly 5 billion by 2030, little is known about future locations, magnitudes, rates expansion. Here we develop spatially explicit probabilistic forecasts global explore the direct impacts on hotspots tropical biomass. If current trends in population density continue all areas with high probabilities expansion undergo change, then land cover 1.2 million km(2), tripling area circa 2000. This would result considerable habitats key hotspots, highest forecasted growth take place regions were relatively undisturbed development 2000: Eastern Afromontane, Guinean Forests West Africa, Western Ghats Sri Lanka hotspots. Within pan-tropics, vegetation biomass from probability estimated be 1.38 PgC (0.05 yr(-1)), equal ∼5% emissions deforestation land-use change. Although urbanization often considered a local issue, aggregate projected require significant policy changes affect trajectories minimize losses.

Language: Английский

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Defining urban resilience: A review

Landscape and Urban Planning, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 147, P. 38 - 49

Published: Dec. 30, 2015

Language: Английский

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A Meta-Analysis of Global Urban Land Expansion

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2011, Volume and Issue: 6(8), P. e23777 - e23777

Published: Aug. 18, 2011

The conversion of Earth's land surface to urban uses is one the most irreversible human impacts on global biosphere. It drives loss farmland, affects local climate, fragments habitats, and threatens biodiversity. Here we present a meta-analysis 326 studies that have used remotely sensed images map conversion. We report worldwide observed increase in area 58,000 km2 from 1970 2000. India, China, Africa experienced highest rates expansion, largest change total extent has occurred North America. Across all regions for three decades, expansion are higher than or equal population growth rates, suggesting becoming more expansive compact. Annual GDP per capita approximately half China but only moderately India Africa, where driven by growth. In high income countries, slower increasingly related However, America, contributes it does Europe. Much variation was not captured either population, GDP, other variables model. This suggests contemporary variety factors difficult observe comprehensively at level, including international capital flows, informal economy, use policy, generalized transport costs. Using results model, develop forecasts new cover using SRES Scenarios. Our show 2030, will between 430,000 12,568,000 km2, with an estimate 1,527,000 likely.

Language: Английский

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Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers

Nature, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 569(7755), P. 215 - 221

Published: May 8, 2019

Language: Английский

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Global land cover mapping at 30m resolution: A POK-based operational approach

ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 103, P. 7 - 27

Published: Oct. 19, 2014

Global Land Cover (GLC) information is fundamental for environmental change studies, land resource management, sustainable development, and many other societal benefits. Although GLC data exists at spatial resolutions of 300 m 1000 m, a 30 resolution mapping approach now feasible option the next generation products. Since most significant human impacts on system can be captured this scale, number researchers are focusing such This paper reports operational used in project, which aims to deliver reliable Over 10,000 Landsat-like satellite images required cover entire Earth resolution. To derive map from large volume necessitates development effective, efficient, economic approaches. Automated approaches usually provide higher efficiency thus more solutions, yet existing automated classification has been deemed ineffective because low accuracy achievable (typically below 65%) global scale As result, an based integration pixel- object-based methods with knowledge (POK-based) developed. handle process 10 types, split-and-merge strategy was employed, i.e. firstly each class identified prioritized sequence then results merged together. For identification class, robust pixel-and improve quality results, knowledge-based interactive verification procedure developed support web service technology. The performance POK-based tested using eight selected areas differing landscapes five different continents. An overall over 80% achieved. indicates that effective

Language: Английский

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The footprint of urban heat island effect in China

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 5(1)

Published: June 10, 2015

Abstract Urban heat island (UHI) is one major anthropogenic modification to the Earth system that transcends its physical boundary. Using MODIS data from 2003 2012, we showed UHI effect decayed exponentially toward rural areas for majority of 32 Chinese cities. We found an obvious urban/rural temperature “cliff” and estimated footprint (FP, including urban area) was 2.3 3.9 times size day night, respectively, with large spatiotemporal heterogeneities. further revealed ignoring FP may underestimate intensity in most cases even alter direction estimates few Our results provide new insights characteristics emphasize necessity considering city- time-specific when assessing urbanization effects on local climate.

Language: Английский

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A global analysis of the impacts of urbanization on bird and plant diversity reveals key anthropogenic drivers

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 281(1780), P. 20133330 - 20133330

Published: Feb. 12, 2014

Urbanization contributes to the loss of world's biodiversity and homogenization its biota. However, comparative studies urban leading robust generalities status drivers in cities at global scale are lacking. Here, we compiled largest dataset date two diverse taxa cities: birds (54 cities) plants (110 cities). We found that majority bird plant species native cities. Few cosmopolitan, most common being Columba livia Poa annua. The density (the number per km(2)) has declined substantially: only 8% 25% currently present compared with estimates non-urban species. current was best explained by anthropogenic features (landcover, city age) rather than non-anthropogenic factors (geography, climate, topography). As urbanization continues expand, efforts directed towards conservation intact vegetation within landscapes could support higher concentrations both Despite declines species, still retain endemic thus providing opportunities for regional conservation, restoration education.

Language: Английский

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Scaling up from gardens: biodiversity conservation in urban environments

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2009, Volume and Issue: 25(2), P. 90 - 98

Published: Sept. 15, 2009

Language: Английский

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Extinction of experience: the loss of human–nature interactions

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 14(2), P. 94 - 101

Published: March 1, 2016

Increasingly, people are becoming less likely to have direct contact with nature (natural environments and their associated wildlife) in everyday lives. Over 20 years ago, Robert M Pyle termed this ongoing alienation the “extinction of experience”, but phenomenon has continued receive surprisingly limited attention. Here, we present current understanding extinction experience, particular emphasis on its causes consequences, suggest future research directions. Our review illustrates that loss interaction not only diminishes a wide range benefits relating health well‐being, also discourages positive emotions, attitudes, behavior regard environment, implying cycle disaffection toward nature. Such serious implications highlight importance reconnecting nature, as well focusing public policy addressing improving awareness experience.

Language: Английский

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Strong contributions of local background climate to urban heat islands

Nature, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 511(7508), P. 216 - 219

Published: July 8, 2014

Language: Английский

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