Assessing the Impact of Vegetation and Terrain on Land Use Changes Using Multisensor Data

Land use and land cover (LULC) changes have significantly altered landscapes worldwide, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions. With a rise in industrialization and economic development, China has seen great changes in LULC that also affect the environment. This article uses remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to investigate LULC shifts between the years 2003 and 2023 in the Suzhou–Wuxi–Changzhou metropolitan area. Using Landsat satellites, the images were classified, and further accurate assessments were completed through ground truthing. The findings show that in urban regions, there was an increase of 31% from 4 315.66 km² in 2003 to 5 689.18 km² in 2023. Other than that, the amount of cropland decreased by 10% from 9 758.64 to 8 716.74 km². This study also indicates that there was an 18% reduction in forest cover, which worsened the effect of urban heat islands (UHIs), while water bodies were steady. The study discusses the urbanization of the region and its significance in modifying LULC changes and its consequences toward ecological and hydrologic imbalances, added by the UHI phenomenon. The findings emphasize the necessity for sustainable land use planning, improved green space conservation, and integrated policy measures to mitigate adverse environmental impacts.