Urban hypotheses and spatiotemporal characterization of urban growth in the Treasure Valley of Idaho,USA

Spatiotemporal patterns of urban growth can help identify impacts of urbanization, assess conceptual models of that growth, help predict future change, and inform associated urban management policies. Using multi-temporal spatial data (1938-2014), we categorized the newly urbanized area in Treasure Valley, Idaho into four urban growth forms and six urban land use classes. A time series analysis of new development revealed the existence of decadal-scale variability of urbanization at various levels of urban land use. Alternating dominance of dispersion and compaction processes were observed at the urban patch level. A similar periodicity was observed between edge-expansion and infill in terms of growth forms, and between residential and commercial development at the land use level. Our observations also indicate that recent urban densification is occurring in the Treasure Valley, similar to some other metropolitan regions in the United States.     

Morphological features and processes in the central Algarve rocky coast (South Portugal)

Morphological features along the Algarve rocky coast, South Portugal, are identified and described, with an emphasis on shore platforms and notches. The contributions of processes, such as wave attack, chemical weathering and bioerosion, to sculpting the shore platforms are discussed. The preferential localization of shore platforms on sites exposed to waves, and the lack of significant chemical weathering, point to wave erosion as the first-order factor in platform formation, whilst bioerosion/bioprotection, lithology and geological structure determine platform morphological variations. In addition, platforms above the present intertidal zone appear to have a polygenetic evolution, being inherited from former sea-level highstands and currently undergoing chemical weathering. The occurrence of notch features is independent of the degree of exposure to waves, but they mostly occur where the substratum is sand. Hydrostatic pressure appears to be an important factor in the formation of marine caves in the more sheltered sites.     

Identifying determinants of urban growth from a multi-scale perspective: A case study of the urban agglomeration around Hangzhou Bay,China

Analyzing the spatial determinants of urban growth is helpful for urban planning and management. In a case study of urban agglomeration around Hangzhou Bay (China), four landscape metrics (total area, total edge, landscape shape index and aggregation index) were used to describe the landscape characteristics of the urban growth at two block scales (4 km and 7 km) during two temporal intervals (1994–2003 and 2003–2009). Spatial autocorrelation regression was employed to identify the geographic determinants of the urban landscape changes. The results indicated that the urban landscapes became more dominant, unstable, irregular and compact, especially in the centers of cities. These changes exhibited notable spatial variations and spatial autocorrelation at the two block scales. The distances to national and provincial roads influenced the urban pattern changes. The impacts of the urban centers on urban expansion gradually declined with the urbanization progress. The slope factor was the most influential determinant of urban growth. Our study emphasized the importance of considering the autocorrelation and scale effects when analyzing the determinants of urban growth. These findings may help land planners create policies and strategies for future urban development.     

Modelling spatial patterns of urban growth in Africa

The population of Africa is predicted to double over the next 40 years, driving exceptionally high urban expansion rates that will induce significant socio-economic, environmental and health changes. In order to prepare for these changes, it is important to better understand urban growth dynamics in Africa and better predict the spatial pattern of rural-urban conversions. Previous work on urban expansion has been carried out at the city level or at the global level with a relatively coarse 5–10 km resolution. The main objective of the present paper was to develop a modelling approach at an intermediate scale in order to identify factors that influence spatial patterns of urban expansion in Africa. Boosted Regression Tree models were developed to predict the spatial pattern of rural-urban conversions in every large African city. Urban change data between circa 1990 and circa 2000 available for 20 large cities across Africa were used as training data. Results showed that the urban land in a 1 km neighbourhood and the accessibility to the city centre were the most influential variables. Results obtained were generally more accurate than results obtained using a distance-based urban expansion model and showed that the spatial pattern of small, compact and fast growing cities were easier to simulate than cities with lower population densities and a lower growth rate. The simulation method developed here will allow the production of spatially detailed urban expansion forecasts for 2020 and 2025 for Africa, data that are increasingly required by global change modellers.     

Spatial metrics to study urban patterns in growing and shrinking cities

This article reviews existing literature on spatial metrics, presenting a portfolio of metrics addressing the spatial patterns of growing and shrinking cities and discussing their potential and limitations. A wide and diverse set of spatial metrics was found. While these metrics address most of the identified spatial patterns of urban growth, spatial metrics used in urban shrinkage studies are much scarcer and not nearly sufficient to provide a comprehensive assessment of its spatial patterns. The article concludes that there is great potential for the development of new spatial metrics or mixed indicators, particularly in shrinkage contexts. The article builds on recent literature focusing on reviewing and developing metrics for particular spatial patterns (notably patterns of urban sprawl), while considering a very broad and multidisciplinary set of metrics. It focuses not only on the outcomes of urban growth but also on those of the increasingly common shrinking phenomenon.     

Analysing urban sprawl and land consumption patterns in major capital cities in the Himalayan region using geoinformatics

In the present study, spatio-temporal urban sprawl and land consumption patterns were analysed in seven capital cities located in the Himalayan region during 1972, 1991 and 2015 using multi-temporal satellite images. The study exhibits that capital Himalayan cities experienced rapid growth (830.92%) with high population increase (333.45%) during the observation period (1972–2015). The significant urban growth was observed in the cities of western and middle Himalayan region viz., Srinagar (9.36 km²–142.19 km²), Kathmandu (11.38 km²–92.58 km²) and Dehradun (4.1 km²–50.09 km²) in the higher altitudes due to remarkable increase in the population (0.5–1 million persons) during 1972–2015. On the contrary, Itanagar (7.19 km²), Gangtok (7.09 km²), Shimla (3.04 km²) and Thimphu (2.93 km²) observed less urban growth with moderate to low population growth (i.e., 0.05 to 0.15 million persons). The Shannon entropy based study exhibits that the cities viz., Kathmandu, Gangtok and Itanagar observed comparatively more dispersed urban growth during later period (1991–2015) as compared to the previous period (1972–1991) whereas, the remaining cities observed comparatively less dispersed urban growth during later period. The temporal land consumption pattern exhibits low density urban growth in Srinagar, Dehradun and Kathmandu, as observed with decrease in population density and increasing land consumption during 1972–2015 as compared to other cities, wherein urban densification was evident with increase in population density and decrease in land consumption. The cities in central and western Himalayan region observed high urban growth as compared to cities in eastern Himalayan region. The result shows that the capital cities contributes insignificant proportion (0.5%; 314 km²) of urban area in Himalayan region and accommodating large (ca. 4 million) population during 2015. The study indicates unplanned and haphazard growth in all capital Himalayan cities, leading towards urban densification as well as dispersion in the periphery with varied pattern and intensity. The specific trends and patterns of urban and population growth are governed by geographical as well as socio-economic-political factors at local to regional scale. The high population pressure induced higher risk to the urban residents as well as constrained urban growth over higher vulnerable zones. The study necessitates implementation of suitable urban planning methods considering socio-economic and physico-cultural characteristics of the region.     

长三角地区城市创新投入要素的经济溢出效应及趋同格局

近年来,城市创新投入要素在长三角一体化进程中的作用不断增加。论文基于2010—2017年长三角地区各城市空间面板数据,利用空间计量模型与马尔可夫链等方法,测度创新投入要素的经济溢出效应并揭示长三角一体化背景下创新外溢对区域经济趋同格局的影响。结果表明：① 长三角地区城市创新投入和创新产出均对城市自身经济增长表现出显著的直接效应,创新投入的溢出效应显著且大于其直接效应,而创新产出的溢出效应不显著;② 受创新投入要素影响,长三角地区经济增长存在“俱乐部趋同”现象,但毗邻不同创新投入类型的城市对本地经济增长呈现出“高促进、低抑制”的态势;③ 长三角一体化经济格局呈现由中心区高水平趋同向外围低水平趋同转变的特征,且具有明显的空间转移惰性,创新投入外溢作用将加剧区域经济增长的“马太效应”;④ 经济增长类型转移的城市集中于省域边界,在局部溢出作用下表现出复杂的转移机理。基于创新局部外溢促进经济俱乐部趋同的分析结果,对长三角区域一体化发展提出针对性建议。     

Configuring growth coalitions among the projects of urban aggrandizement in Kunming,Southwest China

In this paper, we examine two urban projects in Kunming, Southwest China, one a massive scheme to build a new city center on rural land outside the city, and the other, an act of urban restructuring involving the rebuilding of an old Hui (Muslim) neighborhood in the old city center. We analyze the coalition of forces configured to undertake these large-scale projects; we underline the role of specially formed city-building organizations and the support provided by the state-owned institutions that dominate the city’s political economy; and we draw attention to the caution with which the city government handled resistance to urban restructuring among Hui residents. We argue that urban growth projects in inland cities like Kunming are marked by certain features that distinguish them from similar projects in Eastern Chinese cities but maintain that nonetheless the drive for profit maximization at the expense of residents is unchanged.     

Monitoring land changes in an urban area using satellite imagery,GIS and landscape metrics

Monitoring land changes is an important activity in landscape planning and resource management. In this study, we analyze urban land changes in Atlanta metropolitan area through the combined use of satellite imagery, geographic information systems (GIS), and landscape metrics. The study site is a fast-growing large metropolis in the United States, which contains a mosaic of complex landscape types. Our method consisted of two major components: remote sensing-based land classification and GIS-based land change analysis. Specifically, we adopted a stratified image classification strategy combined with a GIS-based spatial reclassification procedure to map land classes from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) scenes acquired in two different years. Then, we analyzed the spatial variation and expansion of urban land changes across the entire metropolitan area through post classification change detection and a variety of GIS-based operations. We further examined the size, pattern, and nature of land changes using landscape metrics to examine the size, pattern, and nature of land changes. This study has demonstrated the usefulness of integrating remote sensing with GIS and landscape metrics in land change analysis that allows the characterization of spatial patterns and helps reveal the underlying processes of urban land changes. Our results indicate a transition of urbanization patterns in the study site with a limited outward expansion despite the dominant suburbanization process.     

Complex analysis of the damage caused by geocryologic processes (as exemplified by effects on the Chara-China Railway track, Transbaikal region)

The report presents an analysis of a unique data set demonstrating the influence of geocryological processes on the 75-km Chara-China Railway track (northern Transbaikal region). The originality of these investigations lies in the study of the influence of natural processes on the road in the absence of any repair works or protective and compensating measures for a long period of time (1998~2014). These conditions allowed assessment of the actual damage to the railroad.     

Simulating urban growth by integrating landscape expansion index (LEI) and cellular automata

Traditional urban cellular automata (CA) model can effectively simulate infilling and edge-expansion growth patterns. However, most of these models are incapable of simulating the outlying growth. This paper proposed a novel model called LEI-CA which incorporates landscape expansion index (LEI) with CA to simulate urban growth. Urban growth type is identified by calculating the LEI index of each cell. Case-based reasoning technique is used to discover different transition rules for the adjacent growth type and the outlying growth type, respectively. We applied the LEI-CA model to the simulation of urban growth in Dongguan in southern China. The comparison between logistic-based CA and LEI-CA indicates that the latter can yield a better performance. The LEI-CA model can improve urban simulation accuracy over logistic-based CA by 13.8%, 10.8% and 6.9% in 1993, 1999 and 2005, respectively. Moreover, the outlying growth type hardly exists in the simulation by logistic-based CA, while the proposed LEI-CA model performs well in simulating different urban growth patterns. Our experiments illustrate that the LEI-CA model not only overcomes the deficiencies of traditional CA but might also better understand urban evolution process.     

Uneven urban metabolisms: toward an integrative (ex)urban political ecology of sustainability in and around the city

ABSTRACT

Expanding cities present a sustainability challenge, as the uneven proliferation of hybrid landscape types becomes a major feature of 21st century urbanization. To fully address this challenge, scholars must consider the broad range of land uses that being produced beyond the urban core and how land use patterns in one location may be tied to patterns in other locations. Diverse threads within political ecology provide useful insights into the dynamics that produce uneven urbanization. Specifically, urban political ecology (UPE) details how economic power influences the development decision-making that proliferate urban forms, patterns of uneven access, and modes of decision-making, frequently viewing resource extraction and development through the urban metabolism lens. The political ecology of exurbia, or, perhaps, an exurban political ecology (ExPE), examines the symbolic role nature and the rural have played in conservation and development efforts that produce social, economic, and environmental conflicts. While UPE approaches tend to privilege macroscale dynamics, ExPE emphasizes the role of landowners, managers, and other actors in struggles over the production of exurban space, including through decision-making institutions and within the context of broader political economic forces. Three case studies illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches, demonstrating the benefits for and giving suggestions on how to integrate their insights into urban sustainability research. Integrated political ecology approaches demonstrate how political-economic processes at a variety of scales produce diverse local sustainability responses.     

Population densities and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon: New insights on the current human settlement patterns

This paper provides the first analysis at the sub-municipality scale of the relationships between population densities and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2000 and 2010. We use the database on deforestation published by the Brazilian space research center (INPE) and the population census data released by the federal geographical and statistical agency IBGE at their finest scale: the census tract level. By crossing the population density and deforestation variables, we identify ten human settlement patterns in the Amazon. There are low-low and high-high classes of population density and deforestation, but also low-high and high-low classes. This analysis helps understand the low overall relations in the Amazon for population and deforestation. We emphasize the expansion of large-scale agriculture and cattle ranching as causing the depopulation of rural areas while in many regions of the Amazon quite strong population densities coexist with relatively low extents of deforestation. Such findings stress the need to implement case-specific public policies in these regions in order to encourage human presence compatible with the conservation of forest cover and biodiversity. We also confirm the importance of the Amazon urbanization process, including the ‘discrete urbanization’ of rural areas, and the need to better recognize the distinct social and environmental problems of urban areas.     

中国撤县（市）设区对城市经济增长的影响分析

撤县（市）设区是通过打破行政区经济,减少行政区边界,实现以地级市为基础的经济一体化的重要手段,采用政策评估的常用工具——倍差法,对中国1990-2007年的撤县（市）设区的样本进行了分析,发现撤县（市）设区对城市经济增长具有约5年的短期促进作用,主要表现在人均GDP增长率、人均固定资产投资增长率、人均消费增长率等方面,对人均道路面积和人均公共汽车数量的增长率则是先抑后扬,对相邻城市的经济增长则具有约2年的短期促进作用;并以佛山撤县（市）设区为案例,分析了短期促进作用的来源和长期激励消失的原因,认为基础设施投资是政府在撤县（市）设区后的主要行为,以此带动产业转移和房地产消费,进而促进了经济增长;但由于撤县（市）设区削弱了地方政府的发展权限,向上级政府集中了资源的控制权,使得地方长期经济发展的激励消失。     

Mapping and evaluation the process,pattern and potential of urban growth in China

In this paper, the night-time light (NTL hereafter) data obtained by the Defence Meteorological Satellite Programme's Operational Line scan System (DMSP/OLS) were used to extract urban light index (ULI) for analysing urban growth and patterns in China. A unit circle mode was established to perform a comprehensive analysis and calculation of the variation of various types of urban land covers. In order to verify the ULI ability in extracting urban spatial patterns, eight typical cities were selected to make a comparison therein using Landsat TM/ETM + data. The objectives of this research include: 1) mapping temporal process of the urban growth; 2) exploring spatial characteristics of eight typical cities; 3) analysing spatial distribution pattern of primary urban agglomerations, and 4) assessing potential and tendency for urbanization in the future. The research results indicate that: the spatial pattern features of ULI generally agree with those of the features of urban pattern extracted from Landsat TM data. The morphological change of the urban light space can reflect the objective characteristics of the evolution of urban space. The study further illustrated that the NTL Data are applicable for extracting urban space information and have the potential to deepen understanding of urban space expansion.     

On the agricultural growth and structural changes in Suzhou Wuxi Changzhou region

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长三角地区城市人口-绿地面积异速增长特征及驱动机制

人口城镇化的快速推进与生态城镇化的建设滞后是中国快速城镇化进程中面临的重要问题。以长三角地区城市人口与绿地面积为研究对象,构建城市人口-绿地面积异速增长模型分析2000—2018年两者关系的时空变化规律,并运用地理探测器模型揭示异速增长的驱动机制。结果表明:(1)长三角地区城市人口呈加速增长态势,绿地建设增长缓慢,城市人口-绿地面积异速关系逐渐由人地基本协调型转变为人口扩张弱型,2000—2008年多数城市表现出绿地扩张的特征,2009—2018年则转变为人口扩张的特征。(2)教育投入度、人口集中度、设施供给度、土地开发度和对外开放度是影响长三角地区城市人口-绿地面积异速增长的主要因子,双因子交互解释力均高于单因子,各因子间的影响具有协同增强的特征。(3)长三角地区城市人口-绿地面积异速增长是行政力、市场力和外资力共同驱动的结果,三种驱动力彼此联系、协同作用,主导驱动力逐渐由行政力转变为市场力。     

“胡焕庸线”的稳定性及其两侧人口集疏模式差异

"胡焕庸线"是反映中国人地关系的重要地理发现之一。在当今中国经济社会背景下,"胡焕庸线"所表达地理意义及其对城镇化发展的指导作用受到广泛关注。在GIS的支持下,构建了改革开放以来4次人口普查的县级空间数据库,提出人口时空扩张的识别方法,对"胡焕庸线"两侧的人口数量、集疏格局进行统计、分析,主要得出以下结论:1"胡焕庸线"两侧人口数量94:6的大数一直相对稳定,但东南半壁人口持续微减、西北半壁人口持续微增。得益于较高的自然增长率,西北半壁具有较高的人口增长速度。2"胡焕庸线"两侧呈现出迥然不同的人口集疏模式。东南半壁人口集中化程度提升较快,负增长区在"秦岭—淮河"以南、东北等地区大面积扩张、人口正增长优势逐步极化到长三角、珠三角、京津等少数地区,呈现"马太效应"式的集疏模式。主要是由于东南半壁内部区域经济差异及快速城镇化带来的剧烈人口流动。3西北半壁则呈现"相对均势"的人口集疏模式,多数地区的人口普遍表现为正增长,但是空间分布广袤、增长不集中,人口集中化程度提升缓慢。主要是由于少数民族"多分散、少聚居"造成了自然增长优势的不集中。然而均势是相对而不是绝对的,同样存在一定的负增长区,主要分布在"胡焕庸线"和"新欧亚大陆桥"两条带上。4未来时期,"胡焕庸线"两侧的人口分布及集疏格局将进一步演化,东南半壁应关注内陆腹地及中小城镇对人口的吸纳作用,西北半壁应关注将分散的人口增长优势向少数城镇进行集聚,以期为人口地理学研究以及城镇化发展提供参考。     

天山北坡城市群可持续发展战略思路与空间布局

城市群是国家工业化和城镇化发展到高级阶段的产物,是高度一体化和同城化的城市群体,城市群形成发育过程是一个各城市之间由竞争变为竟合的漫长自然过程,遵循自然发展规律。天山北坡城市群位于丝绸之路经济带核心区新疆的北疆地区,是国家“十三五”期间推动建设的19个城市群之一,也是重点建设的两个边疆地区城市群和丝绸之路经济带核心区建设的唯一一个城市群。本文分析了天山北坡城市群可持续发展的战略基础、发展机遇及存在问题,提出了天山北坡城市群可持续发展的战略定位、发展目标和空间布局设想。按照“创新驱动、开放带动、内外联动、重点撬动、兵地互动”的发展思路,未来可将天山北坡城市群建成丝绸之路经济带重要的战略支撑点、全国重要的战略资源加工储运基地、新疆城镇化与经济发展的核心引擎,边疆民族团结和兵地融合发展示范区;按照城市群内部干旱脆弱的生态功能区、产业集聚的生产功能区、城镇集聚的生活功能区三大功能分区管控要求,做实一带（丝绸之路经济带城镇化发展带）,做强一圈（乌昌五都市圈）,做通两轴（乌拉斯台口岸-准东-南疆库尔勒轴线、克拉玛依-奎屯-南疆库车轴线）,做精四区（包括奎独乌胡都市区、石沙玛都市区、克拉玛依都市区和吐鲁番都市区四大兵地融合型都市区）,形成由 “一带一圈、两轴四区”组成的“夫”字型兵地融合发展空间新格局。     

Assessing environmental inequalities in the city of Santiago (Chile) with a hierarchical multiscale approach

Environmental inequalities are a common characteristic of urban areas. Environmental inequality is the unequal spatial distribution of environmental risks and goods among social groups. As environmental inequalities are inherently a spatial matter the choice of scale is essential for correctly understanding inequality issues and for designing proper and effective mitigation policies. However, the potential effects of scale of analysis on inequalities results have largely been underestimated in the assessment of environmental inequalities, leading to contradictory results from different studies. In this study we assess the patterns of environmental inequalities and associated scale issues in the city of Santiago (Chile) using a hierarchical multiscale approach. Our approach focuses on the analysis of spatial relationships between three environmental (i.e., surface temperature, air pollution, vegetation cover) and two socio-demographic variables (i.e., household wealth, population density) on multiple grain sizes and extents. We used census data, remote sensing data, and air pollution monitoring stations to generate raster layers at five grain sizes and five nested extents. We tested for inequalities through Pearson correlation analysis resulting in a total of 1530 assessed relationships. Our results show that environmental inequalities are a prevalent phenomenon in the city of Santiago, but the details of these inequalities are highly scale dependent. Changing the grain size and extent of analysis do not only affect the strength of relationships between socio-demographic and environmental variables, but also the spatial distribution of environmental inequalities across the urban landscape. Therefore, due to the scale-dependence of assessment results, researchers and decision-makers should be extremely careful when interpreting their findings and translating them into policy making. If the scale dependency of environmental inequalities is not taken into account, policy interventions may be largely ineffective because the scale at which interventions are designed may not match the scale at which inequalities are generated.