Influence of land use patterns on urban heat island dynamics in an emerging megacity: A case study of Zhengzhou, Henan, China

This study investigates the influence of land use and land cover change (LULCC) on urban heat island (UHI) effects in Zhengzhou, Henan, China, amid rapid urbanization and significant landscape transformations between 1993 and 2023. Employing remote sensing and geospatial analytical methods, we analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of UHI intensity and its relationship with LULCC variables, including built-up areas, bare land, farmlands, forests, water bodies, and grasslands/shrubs. Our findings reveal a dramatic increase in UHI intensity, rising from 1.02°C in 1993 to 2.49°C in 2023, closely associated with a 130.78% expansion of built-up areas (from 1,951.13 sqkm to 4,502.84 sqkm). Concurrently, vegetative cover has declined significantly, with forests and farmlands decreasing by 43.37% and 70.90%, respectively. Geodetector analysis stresses the role of built-up areas as the primary driver of UHI, with a strong positive correlation with UHI (R = 0.729). Conversely, farmlands (R = −0.891) and forests (R = −0.962) demonstrate notable negative correlations, highlighting their critical cooling functions. K-means clustering analysis identifies spatial heterogeneity in UHI effects, with densely built-up clusters exhibiting the highest UHI intensities, whereas vegetated and water-dominated clusters exhibit significantly lower values. These findings emphasize the detrimental impact of urbanization on local thermal dynamics while emphasizing the importance of preserving green spaces and water bodies in mitigating UHI effects. Our standpoints drive the urgent need for sustainable land-use policies that integrate green infrastructure into urban planning frameworks. These insights are crucial for fostering climate-resilient cities in the face of ongoing urbanization and climate change.