Spatiotemporal impact of land use/land cover changes on urban heat islands: A case study of Paco do Lumiar, Brazil

The rapid urbanization in Paco do Lumiar County has had a remarkable effect on the urban thermal environment and influenced the local climate, environment, and quality of life of residents. The intensity and accelerated growth of urban heat islands (UHI) were investigated, and changes in land use/land cover (LULC) were detected over 16 years based on multi-temporal Landsat TM satellite data. TM/Landsat images and OLI/Landsat images were used to assess the thermal characteristics of urban areas and the relationship between LULC changes and land surface temperature. The results of the multi-temporal analysis of the land surface and acquired monitoring data were used to evaluate the influences of vegetation cover and fragmentation on the urban environment. The results indicate that the city experienced extensive urban growth during the study period. UHIs fluctuated in the city, with the largest observed in the 2014 image. The UHI intensity and spatial distribution were higher and more dominant in urban zones compared to those in other areas of the city. Many areas experienced extensive urbanization over the 16-year study period, which resulted in the loss of green spaces and increased UHI effects.