Urban Green Space Pattern in Core Cities of the Greater Bay Area Based on Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis

Zixuan Lian and Xianhui Feng ()
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Zixuan Lian: School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
Xianhui Feng: School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 19, 1-15

Abstract: Urban green spaces (UGSs) play a crucial role in supporting urban ecological systems and improving human well-being in cities. The spatial patterns of UGS are vital bases for analyzing various ecological processes. However, few studies have investigated morphological UGS patterns, especially in high-density cities. The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in China is one of the four major bay areas in the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the patterns and distributions of UGS in the core GBA cities (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Hong Kong, and Macao), and discuss the shortcomings and potential environmental impacts of the contemporary patterns of UGS. Morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) was used to analyze the spatial UGS pattern. Seven MSPA metrics (core, islet, perforation, edge, loop, bridge, and branch) were assessed to measure morphological UGS patterns. The results showed that: (1) Hong Kong has the highest quality habitat, with a large and continuous distribution of UGSs, and a few smaller green spaces scattered in built-up areas; (2) Guangzhou’s UGSs are unevenly distributed, with large green spaces concentrated in the northern part of the city and many small, scattered green spaces distributed in built-up areas, demonstrating the most prominent pattern of green space fragmentation; (3) green space patches in the Shenzhen–Hong Kong region exhibit a relatively complex form; and (4) the UGS in Zhuhai–Macao is relatively discrete, and its connectivity is relatively low. These findings not only improve the depth of understanding of the spatial pattern of UGS in the GBA, but also confirm the applicability of MSPA in the analysis of spatial patterns of UGS.

Keywords: urban green spaces (UGSs); morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA); spatial pattern; urban planning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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