Articles tagged with Urbanization
Researchers used high-resolution connectivity maps and satellite imagery to predict how future land-use change and climate change will alter landscape connectivity for six species, including black bear and red wolf. The study highlights the urgent need to protect and restore habitats to promote species survival.
A Yale-led study provides a spatially explicit dataset of urban centers from 3700 BC to A.D. 2000, offering insights into long-term historical urbanization trends and patterns. The dataset allows researchers to map and visualize city-level population changes through time, shedding light on human interactions with the environment.
Cities around the world are exploring innovative ways to reduce their carbon footprint, from solar panels on buildings to optimized transportation systems. Researchers propose various strategies to improve water management, food supply chains, and air quality in urban areas.
Despite failure to meet Millennium Development Goal target, papers showcase positive developments and point the way forward for improved sanitation and drainage in cities. The journal explores persistent gaps in urban sanitation provision and ways to address them.
A new NASA study reveals that the presence of vegetation is crucial in mitigating urban heat island effects, which can raise temperatures by 1.9°C in urban areas compared to surrounding rural areas. The study found that replacing impervious surfaces with vegetation can reduce temperature differences by up to 1.3°C.
Urbanization leads to more thunderstorm initiation events, posing dangers like lightning and flash floods with little warning. The risk is higher on weekdays due to increased aerosol levels from commuters.
A study found that orb-weaving spiders living in urban areas tend to have larger bodies and increased reproductive abilities compared to those in natural environments. The spiders' size is associated with the level of urbanization, with larger bodies found in areas with more hard surfaces.
A new Arizona State University study examines the impact of urbanization on heat-related mortality in Maricopa County. The research found that projections of heat-related mortality range from a decrease of 46 deaths per year to an increase of 339 deaths per year, with nighttime temperatures being a significant concern.
A new study finds that climate change and urbanization are threatening Ohio butterflies, with eight species showing significant delays in lifecycle events. The findings suggest that these changes may render the species unfit for parts of the state, highlighting the importance of monitoring butterfly populations.
Rapid urbanization exposes French cities to significant seismic risk, with old structures posing a major vulnerability. The study found that if the 1909 Lambesc earthquake were to occur today, the region would suffer serious consequences, including damage to over 15,000 buildings.
Researchers at Arizona State University discovered a direct link between urbanization and increased parasitic infections in wild house finches. The study found that birds from more urbanized areas were heavier and more infected by internal parasites, which disrupt the animal's ability to get nutrients.
Researchers developed a high-resolution map of streams in the Potomac River watershed, revealing previously hidden streams and improving understanding of urbanization's impact on aquatic ecosystems. The study's findings have significant implications for sustainable development and land use decisions.
Cities are likened to social reactors and networks, attracting people and accelerating social interaction. The new framework predicts statistical relationships observed in thousands of real cities worldwide, providing insights into urban growth and development.
Researchers found that urban-born blackbirds waited longer to approach new objects and tended to avoid unfamiliar ones compared to their rural counterparts. This suggests that urbanization may have an underlying evolutionary impact on the development of distinct personalities in birds.
A recent study found that urbanization significantly affects surface warming in eastern China, particularly in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region. The study revealed a remarkable summer warming rate of 0.132-0.250°C per decade, accounting for 36%-68% of regional warming. In contrast, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region experienced...
A study by Arizona State University reveals that megapolitan expansion could lead to local maximum summertime warming of nearly 4 degrees Celsius, surpassing the warming caused by increased greenhouse gases. The research found that incorporating 'cool roofs' into urban planning can alleviate summertime warming substantially.
By 2030, humanity's urban footprint will occupy an additional 1.5 million square kilometers, equivalent to the combined territories of France, Germany, and Spain. The forecast urban population in 2050 is expected to reach 6.3 billion, with dense cities designed for efficiency offering a promising path to sustainability.
By 2030, urbanized land worldwide will grow by 590,000 square miles, posing threats on environmental and economic levels. Cities tend to have better access to healthcare, water, and sanitation facilities, driving innovation and business opportunities.
Researchers at the University of Calgary discovered that urban life is far from ideal for Prairie bats, contrary to expectations. Despite the presence of roosts and food sources in cities, bat populations exhibit poor body condition, reproductive rates, and juvenile survival.
A study in Indianapolis found that increasing urbanization has led to the loss of native plant species and the introduction of non-native invasive species. Over 70 years, Indianapolis's native plants have declined at a rate of 2.4 species per year, while non-natives arrive at a rate of 1.4 species per year.
A new study found that a slowing of population growth could contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with slower growth paths by 2050 accounting for 16-29% of necessary emissions reductions. Urbanization and aging also play significant roles in shaping future emissions.
A team of scientists finds that global warming is unlikely to expand the range of malaria due to effective control measures, urbanization and economic development. Malaria control efforts have reduced the disease's prevalence over the past century despite a global temperature rise.
A new study reveals that urban growth and agricultural exports are major drivers of tropical deforestation, contrary to previous assumptions. The study found that industrial-scale clearing in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, and Cambodia is driven by demand for products like palm oil, soybeans, and meat.
Monsoon rainfall has decreased over the past 50 years in rural areas with increased irrigation in northern India, while urban areas have seen an increase in heavy rainfall. This shift is attributed to landscape changes and cooling effects on low-pressure systems necessary for monsoons to progress.
A Dutch study finds that expanding communities and municipalities leads to a 'dilution' of citizen protests, with densely populated areas experiencing more opposition against disappearing green spaces. Concerned citizens are often well-educated and personally invested in the areas affected.
A six-year study found that urban areas attract lower-quality Acadian Flycatcher birds, which have reduced nesting success. These birds are more likely to fail or abandon their nests and return year after year.
A new study from Harvard University and colleagues challenges previous knowledge about the origins of urbanization, proposing that smaller groups made decisions leading to city growth. The research analyzed artifacts at Tell Brak in Mesopotamia over an 800-year period, revealing patterns of population growth and settlement clusters.
A study on European blackbirds found that urbanization favors sedentary males, with those exhibiting lower migratory disposition having an earlier onset of reproductive season. This is due to the advantages of sedentariness and earlier territory establishment for males in terms of reproductive success.
Researchers found that a one-mile stretch of National Forest significantly reduced chemical pollutants and improved bacterial populations in a stream. The study suggests that undeveloped forest sections can mitigate the effects of urbanization on water quality.
The UN model predicts 60.8% of people will live in towns and cities by 2030, but a new model suggests this number is lower at 49.2%. Most population growth between 2025-2030 will come from 10 large developing countries.
A new study by Georgia Institute of Technology researchers found that China's rapid urbanization has led to a significant increase in the region's surface temperature, with a mean rise of 0.09 degrees Fahrenheit per decade since 1979. The nighttime low temperatures have also risen faster than daytime high temperatures, resulting in an ...
Research shows that cities built on fertile lands account for a significant decline in global food production, despite covering only 3% of US land area. Urbanization leads to a 1.6% reduction in annual Net Primary Productivity, offsetting gains from increased agricultural lands.
A NASA study reveals that urbanization can reduce annual photosynthetic productivity in some areas by up to 20 days. However, research also shows that human activity can increase productivity in resource-limited regions through land transformation.