Green Infrastructure Fluctuations in Urban Agglomeration of Shanxi Province, China: Implications for Controlling Ecological Crises

Cheng Gong, Huijun Pang, Aruhan Olhnuud, Fan Hao and Feinan Lyu ()
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Cheng Gong: Department of Design, Taiyuan Normal University, Jinzhong 030619, China
Huijun Pang: Department of Design, Taiyuan Normal University, Jinzhong 030619, China
Aruhan Olhnuud: School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
Fan Hao: College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Feinan Lyu: College of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: The rapid urbanization process means that even moderate-sized cities can quickly become part of larger urban agglomerations, creating new urban zones. Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) plays a crucial role in these clusters, acting as precious green spaces essential for maintaining ecological safety. This study combines fluctuation analysis based on Morphological Spatial Pattern with traditional landscape pattern analysis, comprehensively addressing the evolution of UGI in terms of quantity, characteristics, and morphology. We selected the Taiyuan-Jinzhong agglomeration as our study area, which is currently in an agglomeration process. The results demonstrated the critical role of surrounding mountains as natural ecological barrier zones. During urban agglomeration, management strategies focused on large-scale afforestation to ensure the quantity of UGI. However, this approach also led to a more clustered landscape with reduced connectivity. Additionally, linear or small-scale UGI types such as branch and islet have seen reductions over the past decade. Changes in internal morphological and complex fluctuations within UGI can harm the formation of ecological networks and potentially negatively affect biodiversity and ecological safety. The research highlights how ecological protection and urban planning policies can influence UGI fluctuations. Therefore, urban managers should not just concentrate on maintaining the quantity of UGI, but also give consideration to changes in its internal features and morphology. Before cities further agglomerate into larger urban clusters, it is crucial to address deficiencies in UGI, continuously improving type configurations and functional structures at the landscape scale. Through strategic planning of UGI, cities can mitigate ecological risks and foster sustainable urban development.

Keywords: urban green infrastructure; moderate urban agglomeration; landscape patten; fluctuation; Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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