Spatial and Seasonal Variation and the Driving Mechanism of the Thermal Effects of Urban Park Green Spaces in Zhengzhou, China

Yuan Feng, Kaihua Zhang, Ang Li, Yangyang Zhang, Kun Wang, Nan Guo, Ho Yi Wan, Xiaoyang Tan, Nalin Dong, Xin Xu, Ruizhen He, Bing Wang, Long Fan, Shidong Ge () and Peihao Song ()
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Yuan Feng: College of Landscape Architecture and Art and International Union Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Kaihua Zhang: College of Landscape Architecture and Art and International Union Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Ang Li: College of Landscape Architecture and Art and International Union Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Yangyang Zhang: Zhengzhou Green and Low-Carbon Building Design and Smart Construction Research, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Kun Wang: College of Landscape Architecture and Art and International Union Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Nan Guo: College of Landscape Architecture and Art and International Union Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Ho Yi Wan: Department of Wildlife, California State Polytechnic University Humboldt, 1 Harpst Street, Arcata, CA 95521, USA
Xiaoyang Tan: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), 2108-11 Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0115, Japan
Nalin Dong: College of Landscape Architecture and Art and International Union Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Xin Xu: China Association of Building Energy Efficiency, Beijing 100089, China
Ruizhen He: College of Landscape Architecture and Art and International Union Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Bing Wang: Henan Provincial Institute of Land and Space Investigation and Planning, Zhengzhou 450018, China
Long Fan: Henan Urban and Rural Planning and Design Research Institute Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou 450053, China
Shidong Ge: College of Landscape Architecture and Art and International Union Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Peihao Song: College of Landscape Architecture and Art and International Union Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-25

Abstract: Greenscaping, a key sustainable practice, helps cities combat rising temperatures and climate change. Urban parks, a pivotal greenscaping element, mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) effect. In this study, we utilized high-resolution remote sensing imagery (GF-2 and Landsat 8, 9) and in situ measurements to analyze the seasonal thermal regulation of different park types in Zhengzhou, China. We calculated vegetation characteristic indices (VCIs) and landscape patterns (LMs) and employed boosted regression tree models to explore their relative contributions to land surface temperature (LST) across different seasons. Our findings revealed that urban parks lowered temperatures by 0.65 °C, 1.41 °C, and 2.84 °C in spring, summer, and autumn, respectively, but raised them by 1.92 °C in winter. Amusement parks, comprehensive parks, large parks, and water-themed parks had significantly lower LSTs. The VCI significantly influenced LST in autumn, with trees having a stronger cooling effect than shrubs. LMs showed a more prominent effect than VCIs on LST during spring, summer, and winter. Parks with longer perimeters, larger and more dispersed green patches, higher plant species richness, higher vegetation heights, and larger canopies were associated with more efficient thermal reduction in an urban setting. The novelty of this study lies in its detailed analysis of the seasonal thermal regulation effects of different types of urban parks, providing new insights for more effective urban greenspace planning and management. Our findings assist urban managers in mitigating the urban surface heat effect through more effective urban greenspace planning, vegetation community design, and maintenance, thereby enhancing cities’ potential resilience to climate change.

Keywords: landscape metrics (LMs); land surface temperature (LST); urban ecology; urban parkland; vegetation characteristic index (VCI); urban heat island (UHI); boosted regression trees (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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