Variations in urban land surface temperature intensity over four cities in different ecological zones

This study aims at assessing variations and changes in the intensity of urban land surface temperature (LST) over four major cities in different ecological zone. The study intends to examine the contributions of different land cover types and variation in ecological locations on the intensity of urban LST. Remote Sensing and GIS techniques were used to measure the extent of the LST intensity over different cities and implications of land use/land cover (LULC) changes, using the Landsat TM/ ETM from 1984 to 2012, and Landsat OLI/TIRS from 2015 to 2019. The contributions of different landscape types to urban LST intensity were examined, using contribution index (CI) and Landscape index (LI) methods while the relationship between urban LST, and changes in LULC was examined using zonal statistics. The results revealed that the spatial and temporal changes in the LULC have greatly influenced the LST in the cities, though this varies from identified LULC. Changes in estimated LST vary from 0.12 to 1 °C yearly, while the changes are much intensified in the core section of the cities. The contribution of each landscapes varies, − 0.25 < CI > − 1.17 for sink landscape and 0.24 < CI > 1.05 for source landscape. The results further reveal that as LI ≥ 1, the contribution of source landscape to intensity of LST is lesser than that of sink landscape, but LI ≤ 1 shows that source landscapes contribute more to intensity of LST than sink landscapes. This might be as a result of changes in the vegetation cover between 1984 and 2019 as revealed in LULC change. Loss in the vegetal cover is anthropogenically induced leading to an increase in built-up and impervious surfaces resulted in mean monthly and yearly temperature changes. It is observed that the core and densities areas of cities witnessed higher LST compared with the rural area. The study concludes that different types of land cover within an urban area can affect the spatial pattern of urban LST, though this varies from one ecological zone to another and distribution of LST intensity in the urban area depends on its changes LULC. Thus, as cities’ population is expected to keep expanding there is a need to establish more viable linkages between the ever-growing population and land use patterns. The major findings from this study are useful in informing policymakers of the need to promote more sustainable urban development in the cities.