Urban expansion and the environmental effects of informal settlements on the outskirts of Xalapa city, Veracruz, Mexico

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Griselda Benítez ◽  
Arturo Pérez-Vázquez ◽  
Martha Nava-Tablada ◽  
Miguel Equihua ◽  
José Luis Álvarez-Palacios
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Statistical Modelling ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Growth Data ◽  
Ecological Importance ◽  
Farmland Conservation ◽  
Social Logic

This paper analyzes the dynamics of population growth and urban expansion in the city of Xalapa, Mexico. It focuses on the establishment of informal settlements, which are one of the many threats to forest and farmland conservation (although these settlements are not the only source of the problem). Spatial analysis of growth data (using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and statistical modelling) showed that by 2007, 90 per cent of the land area in the municipality of Xalapa had already been altered by human activity. Furthermore, informal settlements occupied around 54 per cent of the urban area. The cover of cloud forest, the region’s original ecosystem that is of immense ecological importance and biological wealth, was calculated at only 7.6 per cent (9.3 square kilometres) and this is being threatened by the continued expansion of informal settlements. It appears that, at the time when these informal settlements are being established, a certain environmental logic operates, which in turn makes possible the social logic that sets off the occupation of spaces that are, in principle, not suitable for urbanization. The inadequate income of much of the population and their need for housing, as well as the absence of genuine long-term urban planning and, most importantly, the lack of legally available contiguous land for building, are encouraging the occupation of land not suitable for urban development, including sites at high risk of landslides and flooding. This is also causing natural resource and farmland degradation as well as the deterioration of living conditions within the urban boundary, problems that threaten the city’s sustainability.

Geographical Analysis of Entertainment Services in the City of Daratu Using Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 618-644
Author(s):  
Hoshmand Jawhar Abbas ◽  
Sanger Ahmed Hussein ◽  
Fatimah Qader Mustafa
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Recreational Facilities ◽  
Financial Gain ◽  
Recreational Services ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

 The impact of the recreational services that exist within the group of services that are practiced within the geographical framework of the city, is not limited to the lives of its residents and their activities, but also on the residents of the surrounding areas. Recreational services contribute to providing diversified investment opportunities for leisure time, so that they are appropriate and beneficial to the health, comfort and well-being of the population at the lowest possible cost, without the goal of their establishment being financial gain, as they lead to the creation of mental, psychological and physical balance on the level of one individual and on the basis of society in a way. In general, recreational services are an integral part of urban activities in most cities of the world. Rather, the concept of modernity and urbanization in contemporary urban centers is measured to some extent by the availability of recreational facilities for their inhabitants, and the study also showed the low level of efficiency of recreational services in terms of their spatial distribution and numbers. As it is concentrated in some neighborhoods of the city, while it is less or absent in other neighborhoods, as well as not taking into account the planning standards in its distribution and during its construction in line with the population increase, urban expansion and the residents' needs for these services. The success in providing these different types of recreational facilities depends on how they are distributed geographically. The balanced distribution of these activities determines the success of the adopted plans in achieving the required goals and policies.

scholarly journals Using building types and demographic data to improve our understanding and use of urban sprawl simulation

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Mojtaba Eslahi ◽  
Rani El Meouche ◽  
Anne Ruas
Keyword(s):  
Cellular Automata ◽  
Urban Growth ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Dynamic Models ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Sleuth Model

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Many studies, using various modeling approaches and simulation tools have been made in the field of urban growth. A multitude of models, with common or specific features, has been developed to reconstruct the spatial occupation and changes in land use. However, today most of urban growth techniques just use the historical geographic data such as urban, road and excluded maps to simulate the prospective urban maps. In this paper, adding buildings and population data as urban fabric factors, we define different urban growth simulation scenarios. Each simulation corresponds to policies that are more or less restrictive of space considering what these territories can accommodate as a type of building and as a global population.</p><p>Among the urban growth modeling techniques, dynamic models, those based on Cellular Automata (CA) are the most common for their applications in urban areas. CA can be integrated with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to have a high spatial resolution model with computational efficiency. The SLEUTH model is one of the cellular automata models, which match the dynamic simulation of urban expansion and could be adapted to morphological model of the urban configuration and fabric.</p><p>Using the SLEUTH model, this paper provides different simulations that correspond to different land priorities and constraints. We used common data (such as topographic, buildings and demography data) to improve the realism of each simulation and their adequacy with the real world. The findings allow having different images of the city of tomorrow to choose and reflect on urban policies.</p>

scholarly journals Multitemporal Analysis of Soil Sealing and Land Use Changes Linked to Urban Expansion of Salamanca (Spain) Using Landsat Images and Soil Carbon Management as a Mitigating Tool for Climate Change

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Criado ◽  
Fernando Santos-Francés ◽  
Antonio Martínez-Graña ◽  
Yolanda Sánchez ◽  
Leticia Merchán
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Multicriteria Analysis ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Landsat Images ◽  
Carbon Management ◽  
Soil Sealing

The lack of urban sustainability is a widespread deficiency in urban agglomerations. To achieve adequate land use, we present a methodology that allows for: 1) the identification of the impacts caused by urban expansion since 1956 to the present in Salamanca (Spain); and 2) the promotion of a more sustainable future in urban development. A multi-temporal assessment of land use was made by remote sensing, while sustainability criteria were analyzed using the multicriteria analysis (MCA) with Geographical Information Systems (GIS). In addition, we established recommendations for soil carbon management in semi-arid ecosystem soils that contribute to climate change mitigation. The results show an increase of the urbanized area from 3.8% to 22.3% in the studied period, identifying up to 15% of buildings in zones with some type of restriction. In 71% of the cases, urbanization caused the sealing of productive agricultural soils (2519 Ha), almost 20% of which were of the highest quality. In last few decades, an excessive increase of built-up areas in comparison to population dynamics was identified, which causes unnecessary soil sealing that affects the food production and the capacity to mitigate climate change by managing the carbon cycle in the soil.

The Use of GIS and Remote Sensed Data as an Aid to Pipeline Integrity

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Glen
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Image Data ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Growth Data ◽  
Synthetic Aperture Radar Data

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have been in use in some industries for over two decades. Some large scale database or GIS implementations have failed to deliver their full benefits because their scope has often been too wide. Such systems are generally multimillion dollar projects which in turn need ongoing support to maintain the database and administer the system. Where the general needs of a pipeline company are given precedence the specific needs of the integrity department can often be overlooked. As a result the company wide GIS is often of little value for the analysis and management of pipeline integrity data. Recent advances in computing power, software, communications and database design aided by new sources of geographical image data mean that the time is now right for a pipeline integrity specific Geographical Information System. GIS allows the condition of a pipeline to be viewed in a geographical context and maximises the value of existing data sets. Specific pipeline anomalies can be related to geographical or environmental data such as soil conditions, hydrology, land slip or subsidence. A GIS system used in this way provides a valuable tool to help understand, explain, predict and avoid degradation of a pipeline asset. New sources of geographical image data such as sub meter, multi spectral optical satellite imagery, synthetic aperture radar data from satellites and thermal data from aircraft systems, can be used to identify ground characteristics or leakage and provide frequent updates to enable change detection and surveillance to be performed. The GIS can be used as a risk assessment and data management tool, which will enable the full benefit to be extracted from each individual data source, ranging from ILI data to CP and corrosion growth data. This new source of information will be an essential aid to pipeline integrity in the new century. Once implemented the system can be used to perform spatial queries to provide rapid access to the analysis results, confirm code compliance and prioritise corrective action and maximise the efficient use of the resources available.

scholarly journals Dynamics and forecasting of population growth and urban expansion in Srinagar City – A Geospatial Approach

2014 ◽  
Vol XL-8 ◽  
pp. 709-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Farooq ◽  
M. Muslim
Keyword(s):  
Population Growth ◽  
Urban Sprawl ◽  
Urban Growth ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Jammu And Kashmir ◽  
Srinagar City

The urban areas of developing countries are densely populated and need the use of sophisticated monitoring systems, such as remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS). The urban sprawl of a city is best understood by studying the dynamics of LULC change which can be easily generated by using sequential satellite images, required for the prediction of urban growth. Multivariate statistical techniques and regression models have been used to establish the relationship between the urban growth and its causative factors and for forecast of the population growth and urban expansion. In Srinagar city, one of the fastest growing metropolitan cities situated in Jammu and Kashmir State of India, sprawl is taking its toll on the natural resources at an alarming pace. The present study was carried over a period of 40 years (1971–2011), to understand the dynamics of spatial and temporal variability of urban sprawl. The results reveal that built-up area has increased by 585.08 % while as the population has increased by 214.75 %. The forecast showed an increase of 246.84 km<sup>2</sup> in built-up area which exceeds the overall carrying capacity of the city. The most common conversions were also evaluated.

Forecasting Urban Expansion in the Seven Lakes Area in San Pablo City, Laguna, the Philippines Using the Land Transformation Model

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Laura Quintal ◽  
Charlotte Kendra Gotangco ◽  
Maria Aileen Leah Guzman
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Kappa Statistic ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Transformation Model ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Buffer Zones ◽  
Land Transformation ◽  
Percent Correct ◽  
Land Transformation Model

Managing urban growth is essential to the conservation of the Seven Lakes ecosystem in San Pablo City, Laguna province in the Philippines. This study simulates potential conversion of agricultural lands to built-up areas using the land transformation model (LTM), which integrates geographical information systems (GIS) and an artificial neural network (ANN). Historical drivers of the expansion of built-up areas are identified and validated through the application of LTM to land cover maps from 1988 to 2015. Identified drivers include distance to roads, distance to trails, distance to the Seven Lakes, distance to existing built-up areas, slopes and population density per barangay. Results from the percent correct matrix (PCM) were 79.88 per cent for the 1988–2003 runs and 66.42 per cent for the 2003–2015 runs, while the Kappa statistic for both time periods was higher than 0.60, which indicates high levels of agreement. Forecasted scenarios were business-as-usual (BAU) growth, doubled growth and strict law implementation protecting the vicinity around the Seven Lakes and other natural areas. In the BAU scenario, urban expansion spread out along the road networks. The doubled growth scenario showed that further expansion will likely extend around the proximity of the lakes, which may adversely affect the livelihoods of the local fishing communities. As such, it was recommended that preventive measures, such as strict implementation of buffer zones coupled with regular monitoring, be taken to manage land use in the surrounding lake areas.

scholarly journals MAPPING URBAN VENTILATION CORRIDORS AND ASSESSING THEIR IMPACT UPON THE COOLING EFFECT OF GREENING SOLUTIONS

2020 ◽  
Vol XLIII-B4-2020 ◽  
pp. 665-672
Author(s):  
A. H. M. Eldesoky ◽  
N. Colaninno ◽  
E. Morello
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Statistical Modelling ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Relative Role ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Calm Wind

Abstract. Over the past decades, climate change has become among the top issues challenging cities worldwide, endangering the urban infrastructures and threatening the health of millions of people. Hence, climate action, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation to climate change, has become a priority for urban planning. This work introduces an example of the promising role that spatial analysis and statistical modelling, employing Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and freely available satellite and land-based data, can provide in supporting urban climate design and policymaking. In particular, this study puts special attention on the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon. Here, we first introduce a simple, but effective morphological-based approach for mapping potential ventilation corridors across cities of uniform built-up structure, as a common UHI mitigation measure. Then, we propose a methodology for assessing the relative role of these corridors in maximizing the impacts of green solutions upon lowering high temperature. Results show that even under very calm wind conditions, there is still an opportunity for maximizing the benefits of greening measures on the urban climate. Also, it has been demonstrated that green ventilation corridors are more effective during night-time when the UHI effect is peaked. The research findings are very promising, especially for cities where wind is a marginal potentiality.

scholarly journals The multi-criteria analysis for sustainable urban growth by using Fuzzy Method: case study Trikomo, Cyprus

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 623-636
Author(s):  
Can Kara ◽  
◽  
Nuhcan Akçit ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Growth ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Multi Criteria Evaluation ◽  
Multi Criteria Analysis ◽  
Gis Environment ◽  
The City

<abstract> <p>The Urban growth in Trikomo (Yeni İskele) region in Cyprus has dramatically increased recently. The unorganized and uncontrolled development process has started to consume land resources; loss of landcover, valuable agricultural lands, and change of wetlands of stream beds or ponds occurred. In addition, partial and fragmented housing development projects bring only housing and second housing to the coastal region. As a result, environmental and economic problems occurred in sustainable urban growth (SUG) in the Trikomo (Yeni İskele) region. Due to the lack of planning instruments in Trikomo, urban expansion policies and alternatives have been ignored. In this regard, this research tries to investigate spatial SUG and expansion alternatives by using Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) and fuzzy logic within geographical information systems (GIS). Compact growth, environmental protection, and equal accessibility to local services were used for multi-criteria analysis to construct spatial SUG problems. Then they were converted to spatial layers within the (GIS) environment. Results show that; 6 percent of the study area is in a shallow suitability zone. Forty-four percent of it has very low and low suitability for SUG. Also, 41 percent of the area is suitable. Only 12 percent of the area has high and very high suitability values. These findings showed that approximately 118 square kilometers (56 percent) of the city is within the same level appropriate for urban development.</p> </abstract>

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document