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Arid Land Geography ›› 2024, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (11): 1863-1875.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2023.691

• Climatology and Hydrology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Evaluation of heat vulnerability and its spatial-temporal variation in the Guanzhong area

BAO Wei1(), HUANG Xiaojun1,2,3(), JI Wangdi1   

  1. 1. College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, Shaanxi, China
    2. Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, Xi’an 710127, Shaanxi, China
    3. Shaanxi Xi’an Urban Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Xi’an 710127, Shaanxi, China
  • Received:2023-12-08 Revised:2024-03-19 Online:2024-11-25 Published:2024-12-03
  • Contact: HUANG Xiaojun E-mail:baowei@stumail.nwu.edu.cn;huangxj@nwu.edu.cn

Abstract:

With global warming, extreme heat events have occurred more frequently, posing significant threats to human health, and social and economic development in many regions. This study comprehensively utilizes remote sensing data and socio-economic statistics to develop a heat vulnerability evaluation index system based on the “exposure-sensitivity-adaptability” framework. This approach quantifies heat vulnerability and reveals its spatiotemporal characteristics in the Guanzhong region of Shaanxi Province, China, from 2005 to 2020. The results indicate that: (1) The high-temperature zones of summer land surface temperature in the Guanzhong region expanded from 2005 to 2020. The spatial pattern of land surface temperature remained relatively consistent, with sub-high-temperature and high-temperature zones distributed sporadically in the central area, while sub-low-temperature and low-temperature zones were concentrated in the southern Qinling Mountains. (2) Heat vulnerability in the Guanzhong region exhibited significant spatial clustering, mirroring the distribution pattern of surface temperature. Higher vulnerability zones were predominantly located in the central plains, whereas lower and low vulnerability zones were mainly found in the southern Qinling Mountains. (3) The heat vulnerability index of the Guanzhong region showed a decreasing trend from 2005 to 2020, with the proportion of higher and high vulnerability areas declining from 48.20% in 2005 to 37.49% in 2020. (4) From 2005 to 2010, changes in heat vulnerability levels were relatively minor, whereas from 2010 to 2020, the extent of changes increased substantially, with most regions experiencing a decrease in vulnerability levels. This change was primarily characterized by medium vulnerability shifting to lower vulnerability, higher vulnerability reducing to medium vulnerability, and high vulnerability decreasing to higher vulnerability. The findings offer valuable insights for enhancing heat adaptability and mitigating heat vulnerability.

Key words: land surface temperature, heat vulnerability, spatial-temporal variation, Guanzhong area