The Impacts of Urban Form on PM<sub>2.5</sub> Concentrations: A Regional Analysis of Cities in China from 2000 to 2015
The urban form (e.g., city size, shape, scale, density, etc.) can impact the air quality and public health. However, few studies have been conducted to assess the relationship between the urban form and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations on a regional scale and long-term basis in China. In...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/6/963 |
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| author | Zefa Wang Jing Chen Chunshan Zhou Shaojian Wang Ming Li |
| author_facet | Zefa Wang Jing Chen Chunshan Zhou Shaojian Wang Ming Li |
| author_sort | Zefa Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The urban form (e.g., city size, shape, scale, density, etc.) can impact the air quality and public health. However, few studies have been conducted to assess the relationship between the urban form and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations on a regional scale and long-term basis in China. In this study, we explored the impact of the urban form on the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations in four different regions (i.e., northeast, central, east, western) across China for the years 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. Five landscape metrics were classified into three characteristics of the urban form (compactness, shape complexity, and urban expansion) using high-resolution remote-sensing data. With considerations given to regional differences, panel-data models and city-level panel data were used to calculate the impact of the urban form on the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations. The results of the study indicate that urban expansion is positively correlated with the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations across China, with the only exception being the country’s western region, which suggests that urban extension is conducive to increasing the PM<sub>2.5</sub> levels in relatively developed regions. Meanwhile, the positive relationship between the irregularity of cities and the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations indicates that reducing the urban shape complexity will help to mitigate PM<sub>2.5</sub> pollution. Moreover, urban compactness, which mainly refers to the landscape-division-index values, proved to have a negative effect on the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations, suggesting that the optimization of urban spatial compactness could reduce PM<sub>2.5</sub> levels. The findings of this study are beneficial for a better understanding of the intensity and direction of the effect of the urban form on PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:26:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3a85c0bae82147eb90b223d3b82add2f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:26:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-3a85c0bae82147eb90b223d3b82add2f2023-11-23T15:33:32ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332022-06-0113696310.3390/atmos13060963The Impacts of Urban Form on PM<sub>2.5</sub> Concentrations: A Regional Analysis of Cities in China from 2000 to 2015Zefa Wang0Jing Chen1Chunshan Zhou2Shaojian Wang3Ming Li4College of Resources and Environmental Science, Quanzhou Normal University, Quanzhou 362000, ChinaSchool of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urbanization and Geo-Simulation, School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urbanization and Geo-Simulation, School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, ChinaLand Consolidation and Rehabilitation Center, MNR, Beijing 100035, ChinaThe urban form (e.g., city size, shape, scale, density, etc.) can impact the air quality and public health. However, few studies have been conducted to assess the relationship between the urban form and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations on a regional scale and long-term basis in China. In this study, we explored the impact of the urban form on the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations in four different regions (i.e., northeast, central, east, western) across China for the years 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. Five landscape metrics were classified into three characteristics of the urban form (compactness, shape complexity, and urban expansion) using high-resolution remote-sensing data. With considerations given to regional differences, panel-data models and city-level panel data were used to calculate the impact of the urban form on the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations. The results of the study indicate that urban expansion is positively correlated with the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations across China, with the only exception being the country’s western region, which suggests that urban extension is conducive to increasing the PM<sub>2.5</sub> levels in relatively developed regions. Meanwhile, the positive relationship between the irregularity of cities and the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations indicates that reducing the urban shape complexity will help to mitigate PM<sub>2.5</sub> pollution. Moreover, urban compactness, which mainly refers to the landscape-division-index values, proved to have a negative effect on the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations, suggesting that the optimization of urban spatial compactness could reduce PM<sub>2.5</sub> levels. The findings of this study are beneficial for a better understanding of the intensity and direction of the effect of the urban form on PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/6/963urban landscape patternlandscape metricsregional differencesPM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrationsChina |
| spellingShingle | Zefa Wang Jing Chen Chunshan Zhou Shaojian Wang Ming Li The Impacts of Urban Form on PM<sub>2.5</sub> Concentrations: A Regional Analysis of Cities in China from 2000 to 2015 Atmosphere urban landscape pattern landscape metrics regional differences PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations China |
| title | The Impacts of Urban Form on PM<sub>2.5</sub> Concentrations: A Regional Analysis of Cities in China from 2000 to 2015 |
| title_full | The Impacts of Urban Form on PM<sub>2.5</sub> Concentrations: A Regional Analysis of Cities in China from 2000 to 2015 |
| title_fullStr | The Impacts of Urban Form on PM<sub>2.5</sub> Concentrations: A Regional Analysis of Cities in China from 2000 to 2015 |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impacts of Urban Form on PM<sub>2.5</sub> Concentrations: A Regional Analysis of Cities in China from 2000 to 2015 |
| title_short | The Impacts of Urban Form on PM<sub>2.5</sub> Concentrations: A Regional Analysis of Cities in China from 2000 to 2015 |
| title_sort | impacts of urban form on pm sub 2 5 sub concentrations a regional analysis of cities in china from 2000 to 2015 |
| topic | urban landscape pattern landscape metrics regional differences PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations China |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/6/963 |
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