Urban Heat Islands Make Cities Greener

[Ivan Seeking]

...from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on the Terra satellite, Boston University, Boston, researchers discovered that city climates have a noticeable influence on plant growing seasons up to10 kilometers (6 miles) away from a city's edges. Growing seasons in 70 cities in eastern North America were about 15 days longer in urban areas compared to rural areas outside of a city's influence. [continued]

http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2004/0801uhigreen.html

 

[Andre]

Thanks for finding that. Unfortunately that link won't work. This one does:

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov:8000/Newsroom/NasaNews/2004/2004072917348.html

Note:

Springtime land surface temperatures in eastern North American cities were on average 2.3°C (4.1°F) warmer than surrounding rural areas, according to the study. In late autumn to winter, the city temperatures were 1.5°C (2.7°F) higher than the surrounding areas.

Those numbers are not unfamiliar to me, as I was also studying the case. But they beat me to it.

So, how about the correlation between exponential growth of population, exponential growth of cities and exponential growth of Urban Heat Island effect on the Global temperature?

 

[ravenprp]

This research from NASA and Boston University highlights the significant impact that urban heat islands have on plant growth and the environment. By using satellite data and analyzing growing seasons in 70 cities, it is clear that cities have a noticeable influence on plant growth up to 10 kilometers away from their edges. This finding has important implications for city planning and management, as well as for understanding the effects of urbanization on the natural environment.

One of the most interesting aspects of this study is the finding that urban areas have longer growing seasons compared to rural areas outside of a city's influence. This is likely due to the higher temperatures and altered microclimates in cities, which can create a more favorable environment for plants to grow. This is an unexpected benefit of urban heat islands, as it suggests that cities may actually have a positive impact on plant growth and contribute to making our cities greener.

However, it is important to note that the positive effects of urban heat islands on plant growth may be limited to certain types of plants. The study only looked at the effects on growing seasons, and it is possible that other factors such as air pollution and soil quality may still have negative impacts on plant growth in urban areas. Additionally, the urban heat island effect can also contribute to higher energy consumption and air pollution in cities, which can have negative impacts on human health and the environment.

Overall, this research sheds light on the complex relationship between cities and the natural environment. While urban heat islands may have some positive effects on plant growth, it is important for cities to also address the negative impacts of urbanization and work towards creating more sustainable and environmentally-friendly urban environments. This study serves as a reminder of the need for careful planning and management in cities to balance the benefits and drawbacks of urbanization.