Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

As globalization and urbanization accelerate, urban environments face numerous challenges, including deteriorating air quality, intensified urban heat island effects, and degradation of ecosystem services. These environmental issues not only impact the sustainability of cities but also pose serious threats to the health and well-being of residents. As a crucial component of urban ecosystems, urban forests play an irreplaceable role in addressing the myriad environmental problems caused by rapid urbanization. Urban forests have many ecological functions, such as air purification, absorbing pollutants, producing oxygen, and effectively regulating urban climates. Additionally, urban forests provide valuable habitats for various organisms, enhancing urban biodiversity and offering necessary recreational spaces for city dwellers. However, compared to natural forests, urban forests, as a complex of artificial and natural ecosystems, exhibit various unique characteristics such as high fragmentation and habitat separation. These features make the study and management of urban forests more challenging. Current research on the ecological functions of urban forests often relies on traditional methods such as point measurements or field surveys. While these methods provide valuable data, they are limited by data discontinuity and low spatial precision. With the advancement of remote sensing technology, using remote sensing data for studying the structure and functions of urban forests has become increasingly important. Remote sensing enables extensive, high-frequency observations, allowing for continuous monitoring of urban forests. This technology aids in accurately reflecting changes in the structure and ecological functions of urban forests. However, how to use remote sensing to obtain the urban forest structures and their ecological functions is still poorly understood.

We are pleased to propose publishing a Topic titled "Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions". We welcome researchers to submit their work on remote sensing monitoring of urban forests, assessment of urban forest structure, and spatial pattern of ecological functions. Through this research, we aim to deepen the scientific understanding of the ecological functions of urban forests and explore the application of remote sensing technologies in urban forest management. This is an excellent opportunity for researchers engaged in urban forestry ecology to exchange ideas and expand their current knowledge of urban forests and their ecological functions. We sincerely invite submissions on any of the above topics. Please contact us if you are interested in this Topic or have any questions.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• The Relationship between Urban Forests and Human Well-being
• Response of urban forests or trees to urban stressed environment
• Remote sensing of urban forest structure
• Remote sensing of urban forest diversity
• Remote sensing of urban wetland
• Spatiotemporal estimation of urban ecosystems functions by remote sensing
• The Impact of Urbanization on the Structure and Ecological Functions of Urban Forests
• The Multifunctionality of Urban Forest Landscapes and Its Associated driving Factors.

Dr. Zhibin Ren
Dr. Sheng Xu
Dr. Mingming Jia
Dr. Chunlin Li
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Forests forests	2.4	4.4	2010	16.2 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Land land	3.2	4.9	2012	16.9 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Remote Sensing remotesensing	4.2	8.3	2009	23.9 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Urban Science urbansci	2.1	4.3	2017	20.7 Days	CHF 1600	Submit

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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All Forests Land Remote Sensing Urban Science

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17 pages, 3577 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Urban Park Construction Period on Plant Multidimensional Diversities, Landscape Patterns of Green Spaces, and Their Associations in Changchun City, Northeast China

by Xiao Yao, Dan Zhang, Yuhang Song, Hongjian Zhang, Xiaolei Zhang, Yufei Chang, Xinyuan Ma, Ziyue Lu and Yuanyuan Wang

Land 2025, 14(4), 675; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040675 - 22 Mar 2025

Viewed by 281

Abstract

Understanding the characteristics of urban plant multidimensional diversity and urban green spaces (UGSs) landscape patterns is the central theme of urban ecology, providing theoretical support for UGSs management and biodiversity conservation. Taking Changchun, a provincial city, as an example, a total of 240 [...] Read more.

Understanding the characteristics of urban plant multidimensional diversity and urban green spaces (UGSs) landscape patterns is the central theme of urban ecology, providing theoretical support for UGSs management and biodiversity conservation. Taking Changchun, a provincial city, as an example, a total of 240 plots were surveyed using the stratified random sampling method. We studied the effects of the urban park construction period on plant multidimensional diversities, landscape patterns of green spaces, and their associations in Changchun City, Northeast China. The results indicated that total woody species and tree species diversity attributes were both the highest in the construction period of 2001–2020 and lowest in the construction period before 1940. However, shrub species diversity attributes were completely the opposite. Diameter at the breast height (DBH) diversity index (H_d) was the highest in the construction period before 1940 and lowest in the construction period of 2001–2020. However, the height diversity index (H_h) showed the opposite trend. Phylogenetic structures of total woody species and tree species showed divergent patterns in parks constructed before 1940 and 1940–2000 period, while that in 2001–2020 period could not be determined. In contrast, the phylogenetic structure of the shrub species clustered across all construction periods. Landscape pattern metrics varied significantly among different construction periods. Total Area (TA) was the highest in the construction period of 2001–2020. The structural equation model (SEM) revealed that construction periods exerted significant direct effects on both multidimensional diversities and landscape patterns of green spaces. Specifically, construction periods indirectly affected tree species diversity through structural diversity and influenced shrub species’ phylogenetic diversity through shrub species diversity. What is more, Patch Density (PD), Edge Density (ED), and Aggregation Index (AI) correlated with H_h, which had a direct effect on the Shannon–Wiener diversity index of tree species (H′_t). Overall, the results indicated that species diversity can be enhanced through regulating landscape patterns, rationally selecting tree species, and optimizing plant configuration. These above results can provide scientific references for the configuration of plant communities and selection of tree species in urban parks, and offer important guidance for urban biodiversity conservation and enhancement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions)

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24 pages, 13944 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Analysis of Spatial Resolution Sentinel-2 and Pleiades Imagery for Mapping Urban Tree Species

by Fabio Recanatesi, Antonietta De Santis, Lorenzo Gatti, Alessio Patriarca, Eros Caputi, Giulia Mancini, Chiara Iavarone, Carlo Maria Rossi, Gabriele Delogu, Miriam Perretta, Lorenzo Boccia and Maria Nicolina Ripa

Land 2025, 14(1), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14010106 - 7 Jan 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 982

Abstract

Urbanization poses significant challenges to ecosystems, resources, and human well-being, necessitating sustainable planning. Urban vegetation, particularly trees, provides critical ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, air quality improvement, and biodiversity conservation. Traditional tree assessments are resource-intensive and time-consuming. Recent advances in remote sensing, [...] Read more.

Urbanization poses significant challenges to ecosystems, resources, and human well-being, necessitating sustainable planning. Urban vegetation, particularly trees, provides critical ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, air quality improvement, and biodiversity conservation. Traditional tree assessments are resource-intensive and time-consuming. Recent advances in remote sensing, especially high-resolution multispectral imagery and object-based image analysis (OBIA), offer efficient alternatives for mapping urban vegetation. This study evaluates and compares the efficacy of Sentinel-2 and Pléiades satellite imagery in classifying tree species within historic urban parks in Rome—Villa Borghese, Villa Ada Savoia, and Villa Doria Pamphilj. Pléiades imagery demonstrated superior classification accuracy, achieving an overall accuracy (OA) of 89% and a Kappa index of 0.84 in Villa Ada Savoia, compared to Sentinel-2’s OA of 66% and Kappa index of 0.47. Specific tree species, such as Pinus pinea (Stone Pine), reached a user accuracy (UA) of 84% with Pléiades versus 53% with Sentinel-2. These insights underscore the potential of integrating high-resolution remote sensing data into urban forestry practices to support sustainable urban management and planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions)

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15 pages, 9277 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Differential Responses of Tree Species to Elevated Ozone and Increasing Air Temperature: Implications for Foliar Functional Traits, Carbon Sequestration, and Their Relationship Under Mixed Planting

by Ruiting Wang, Sheng Xu, Qin Ping, Kexin Li, Kexin Gao and Xingyuan He

Forests 2024, 15(12), 2183; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15122183 - 12 Dec 2024

Viewed by 668

Abstract

Ozone pollution and global warming are affecting plant growth and ecosystem functions considerably. However, the information is limited on the effects of these factors on foliar traits and carbon sequestration (CS). This study evaluated the effects of elevated ozone (EO, ambient air +80 [...] Read more.

Ozone pollution and global warming are affecting plant growth and ecosystem functions considerably. However, the information is limited on the effects of these factors on foliar traits and carbon sequestration (CS). This study evaluated the effects of elevated ozone (EO, ambient air +80 ppb) and increased air temperature (IT, ambient air +2 °C) alone and the combination of these on foliar traits and CS in Quercus mongolica and Pinus tabuliformis under single (SP) and mixed planting (MP) conditions. The results showed that CS increased by 24.3% in Q. mongolica and decreased by 5.3% in P. tabuliformis under MP. EO decreased CS, while IT increased it (p < 0.05). Under MP, IT mitigated ozone’s negative impact on CS of P. tabuliformis, but exacerbated it on Q. mongolica. Structural equation modeling revealed that ozone reduced CS by reducing the photosynthesis rate (P_n) under SP and by reducing leaf length under MP in Q. mongolica. IT enhanced CS by increasing P_n, leaf thickness (LT) under SP, and LT under MP only in P. tabuliformis. P_n had the highest total effect. Overall, MP can modulate environmental stress effects on CS, but this varies by species. Future research should focus on long-term, cross-species studies to provide practical strategies for ecosystem management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions)

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22 pages, 9118 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Changes of Air Particle Pollutants and Scale Regulation of Forest Landscape in a Typical High-Latitude City

by Chang Zhai, Ning Fang, Xuan Xu, Bingyan Liu, Guangdao Bao, Zhibin Ren and Ruoxuan Geng

Land 2024, 13(11), 1947; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111947 - 18 Nov 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 690

Abstract

Particulate pollutants, particularly PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, pose serious threats to human health and environmental quality. Therefore, effectively mitigating and reducing the concentrations of these pollutants is crucial for human survival and development. In this study, we analyzed the distribution characteristics [...] Read more.

Particulate pollutants, particularly PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, pose serious threats to human health and environmental quality. Therefore, effectively mitigating and reducing the concentrations of these pollutants is crucial for human survival and development. In this study, we analyzed the distribution characteristics of air particulate pollutants in a typical high-latitude city, extracted urban forest areas from high-resolution remote sensing images, and examined the changing characteristics of PM concentration and the relationship between landscape pattern indexes and PM at different scales. The results showed that the concentrations of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were highest in winter and lowest in summer. At the small scales of 0.5 km × 0.5 km to 1.5 km × 1.5 km, PM concentration decreased with the decrease in PARA (Perimeter–Area Ratio). At the mesoscales of 2 km × 2 km to 2.5 km × 2.5 km, both PARA and CIRCLE (Related Circumscribing Circle) were highly significant (p < 0.001) correlated with PM concentration. At the large scales of 3 km × 3 km to 4 km × 4 km, PARA and PAFRAC (Perimeter–Area Fractal Dimension) were positively correlated with PM concentration. Our study indicates that reducing the complexity of forest patches in small-scale planning can help mitigate particulate air pollution. In the medium scale of urban forest planning, the more regular the forest patch shape and the more similar the patch shape to the strip, the better PM can be alleviated, while in large-scale planning, increasing the forest area and making the patches more normalized and simplified can reduce PM concentration. Moreover, reducing the complexity of forest patches can significantly mitigate PM pollution at all scales. The results of this research provide theoretical support and guidance for improving air quality in urban forest planning at different scales. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions)

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24 pages, 4797 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Urban Forest Multifunctionality through Strategic Community Configurations: Insights from Changchun, China

by Jinsheng Yan, Juan Zhang, Qi Wang and Xingyuan He

Forests 2024, 15(10), 1704; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15101704 - 26 Sep 2024

Viewed by 904

Abstract

The role of forest community configurations in multiple ecosystem functions remains poorly understood due to the absence of quantifiable metrics for evaluating these configurations. This limitation hinders our ability to use forests to enhance urban well-being effectively. This study integrates both observation and [...] Read more.

The role of forest community configurations in multiple ecosystem functions remains poorly understood due to the absence of quantifiable metrics for evaluating these configurations. This limitation hinders our ability to use forests to enhance urban well-being effectively. This study integrates both observation and experimentation to elucidate the effects of community configurations on the multifunctionality of forests. We examine seven ecosystem functions in Changchun’s urban forests: carbon sequestration, rainwater interception, temperature reduction, humidity increase, particulate matter reduction, noise reduction, and water conservation. Assortment indices, derived from traditional diversity metrics and relative importance values, reveal a negative correlation with multifunctionality. This suggests that improving forest multifunctionality requires a strategically planned species composition rather than simply increasing diversity. Furthermore, the creation of comprehensive configuration indices for evaluating intraspecific configurations has confirmed their beneficial impact on multifunctionality. Our results highlight the significance of intraspecific structural configurations and advocate for using mixed-species plantings in urban forestry practices. We propose practical management strategies to enhance urban forest multifunctionality, including selecting tree species for their functional benefits, implementing uneven-aged plantings, and integrating both shade-tolerant and sun-loving species. Together, our findings underscore the essential role of community configuration in sustaining multifunctionality and strongly support the management of urban forests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions)

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28 pages, 13305 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Changes in Spatiotemporal Pattern and Its Driving Factors of Suburban Forest Defoliating Pest Disasters

by Xuefei Jiang, Ting Liu, Mingming Ding, Wei Zhang, Chang Zhai, Junyan Lu, Huaijiang He, Ye Luo, Guangdao Bao and Zhibin Ren

Forests 2024, 15(9), 1650; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091650 - 19 Sep 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1206

Abstract

Forest defoliating pests are significant global forest disturbance agents, posing substantial threats to forest ecosystems. However, previous studies have lacked systematic analyses of the continuous spatiotemporal distribution characteristics over a complete 3–5 year disaster cycle based on remote sensing data. This study focuses [...] Read more.

Forest defoliating pests are significant global forest disturbance agents, posing substantial threats to forest ecosystems. However, previous studies have lacked systematic analyses of the continuous spatiotemporal distribution characteristics over a complete 3–5 year disaster cycle based on remote sensing data. This study focuses on the Dendrolimus superans outbreak in the Changbai Mountain region of northeastern China. Utilizing leaf area index (LAI) data derived from Sentinel-2A satellite images, we analyze the extent and dynamic changes of forest defoliation. We comprehensively examine the spatiotemporal patterns of forest defoliating pest disasters and their development trends across different forest types. Using the geographical detector method, we quantify the main influencing factors and their interactions, revealing the differential impacts of various factors during different growth stages of the pests. The results show that in the early stage of the Dendrolimus superans outbreak, the affected area is extensive but with mild severity, with newly affected areas being 23 times larger than during non-outbreak periods. In the pre-hibernation stage, the affected areas are smaller but more severe, with a cumulative area reaching up to 8213 hectares. The spatial diffusion characteristics of the outbreak follow a sequential pattern across forest types: Larix olgensis, Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica, Picea koraiensis, and Pinus koraiensis. The most significant influencing factor during the pest development phase was the relative humidity of the year preceding the outbreak, with a q-value of 0.27. During the mitigation phase, summer precipitation was the most influential factor, with a q-value of 0.12. The combined effect of humidity and the low temperatures of 2020 had the most significant impact on both the development and mitigation stages of the outbreak. This study’s methodology achieves a high-precision quantitative inversion of long-term disaster spatial characteristics, providing new perspectives and tools for real-time monitoring and differentiated control of forest pest infestations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions)

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21 pages, 7348 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Urban Green Space Coverage and Its Exposed Population under Rapid Urbanization in China

by Chang Zhai, Ruoxuan Geng, Zhibin Ren, Chengcong Wang, Peng Zhang, Yujie Guo, Shengyang Hong, Wenhai Hong, Fanyue Meng and Ning Fang

Remote Sens. 2024, 16(15), 2836; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16152836 - 2 Aug 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2178

Abstract

Urban green spaces (UGSs) provide important support for the health of urban residents and the realization of sustainable urban development. However, the spatiotemporal pattern of urban resident exposure to UGSs in cities is unclear, especially at the national scale in China. Based on [...] Read more.

Urban green spaces (UGSs) provide important support for the health of urban residents and the realization of sustainable urban development. However, the spatiotemporal pattern of urban resident exposure to UGSs in cities is unclear, especially at the national scale in China. Based on the annual 30 m resolution Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data of the Landsat satellite, we quantitatively analyzed the change in UGS coverage from 2000 to 2020 for 320 cities in China and combined it with population data to understand the changing patterns of urban population exposure to different UGS coverage. The results indicated that the average UGS coverage decreased from 63% to 44% from 2000 to 2020 in China, which could be divided into two stages: a rapid decline phase (2000–2014) and a progressive decline phase (2015–2020). Geographically, UGS coverage declined faster in southwestern and eastern cities than in other regions, particularly in medium-sized cities. We also found that urban pixel-based areas in cities with the highest UGS coverage (80–100%) decreased rapidly, and the proportion of the urban population exposed to the highest UGS coverage also declined significantly from 2000 to 2020. Urban pixel-based areas with low UGS coverage (20–40%) continued to expand, and there was a rapid increase in the proportion of the urban population exposed to low UGS coverage, with an increase of 146 million people from 2000 to 2020. The expansion of impervious surfaces had the most significant effect on the change in UGS coverage during different periods (2000–2020, 2000–2014, and 2015–2020). Natural factors such as precipitation, surface maximum temperature, and soil moisture also affected UGS coverage change. These findings provide insights into the impact of urbanization on the natural environment of cities, availability of UGS for residents, and sustainable urban development under rapid urbanization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions)

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