Assessing the Cooling Potential of Vegetation in a Central European Rural Landscape: A Local Study

Tereza Pohanková and Vilém Pechanec ()
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Tereza Pohanková: Department of Geoinformatics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 50, CZ-771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic
Vilém Pechanec: Department of Geoinformatics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 50, CZ-771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-18

Abstract: This study investigates the cooling potential of vegetation in rural landscapes of the Czech Republic to mitigate heat-related issues. Using remote sensing, the Cooling Capacity Index ( CCI ) is assessed to measure green spaces’ ability to lower air temperatures using evapotranspiration and shading. Landsat 8/9 and meteorological data are utilised, with CCI calculated based on vegetation cover, albedo, and evapotranspiration. Our results demonstrate significant variations in cooling capacity across different land use types. Forests exhibited the highest cooling potential, while urban areas, characterised by heat-absorbing materials, displayed the least. We analysed temporal and spatial variations in cooling capacity using various visualisation tools and validated the results against the InVEST software (v3.14.0). This study highlights the effectiveness of remote sensing in quantifying ecosystem functions, particularly the cooling services provided by vegetation. Our findings emphasise the crucial role of vegetation in mitigating urban heat islands and addressing climate change. This research provides valuable insights for developing climate change adaptation strategies in rural landscapes.

Keywords: cooling function; remote sensing; spatiotemporal analysis; vegetation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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