Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- Part I The Earth System
- Part II Global Physical Climatology
- Part III Soil Processes
- Part IV Hydrometeorology
- Part V Biometeorology
- Part VI Terrestrial Plant Ecology
- Part VII Terrestrial Forcings and Feedbacks
- 25 Land surface processes in climate models
- 26 Seasonal-to-interannual variability
- 27 Land use and land-cover change
- 28 Coupled climate–vegetation dynamics
- 29 Carbon cycle–climate feedbacks
- 30 Urbanization
- Index
- Plate section
- References
30 - Urbanization
from Part VII - Terrestrial Forcings and Feedbacks
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- Part I The Earth System
- Part II Global Physical Climatology
- Part III Soil Processes
- Part IV Hydrometeorology
- Part V Biometeorology
- Part VI Terrestrial Plant Ecology
- Part VII Terrestrial Forcings and Feedbacks
- 25 Land surface processes in climate models
- 26 Seasonal-to-interannual variability
- 27 Land use and land-cover change
- 28 Coupled climate–vegetation dynamics
- 29 Carbon cycle–climate feedbacks
- 30 Urbanization
- Index
- Plate section
- References
Summary
Chapter summary
Whether residential or commercial, infill development, or on the urban fringe, urban land uses represent an alteration of the natural landscape. The vast tracts of impervious roads, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, roofs, and walls alter the surface energy budget and the hydrologic cycle. The most prominent characteristic of the urban climate is the urban heat island, by which the air temperature in cities can be several degrees warmer than that of rural landscapes. The heat island arises due to the reduced emission of longwave radiation by the city surface, much of which is trapped by tall buildings, reduced latent heat flux and increased sensible heat flux because of greater impervious surface area, and from the storage of heat in urban materials during the day that is released at night. Cities also generate more runoff compared with rural landscapes because of greater impervious surface area. Vegetated parks within cities ameliorate the urban heat island by reducing the impervious surface area and allowing for infiltration and evaporation of rainfall.
Urban morphology
Large cities in the United States have a distinct physical morphology (Table 30.1). Single-family residential housing is the dominant land use in all cities, ranging from 49% to 78% of total land area. Apartment housing is generally modest (about 5% of area) except in Baltimore and Philadelphia, where row houses are abundant. Industrial zones range from 10% to 22% of total area while commercial zones range from 7% to 17%.
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- Information
- Ecological ClimatologyConcepts and Applications, pp. 520 - 544Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008