Assessing the Impact of Land Use Changes on Net Primary Productivity in Wuhan, China

Abstract

Since 2000, major changes have taken place in Wuhan city. Land use and land cover (LULC) has changed significantly, characterized by increased construction land, reducing farmland, grassland, and forest land due to the rapid urbanization process. Taking advantage of LULC data and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Net Primary Production (MODIS NPP) data from 2000 to 2020, we analyze the impact of LULC type transformation on NPP, reveal the relationship between LULC type and NPP, and quantify the impact of urban expansion on NPP by taking Wuhan, China as a study case. The results showed that: 1) the transformation from farmland and grassland to construction land was a dominant LULC change type in Wuhan during the investigated period; 2) there exists a significant negative correlation between NPP and changes in farmland, woodland, and grassland area; 3) the distance from the city center has a significant positive correlation with NPP, and the dynamics of NPP vary in different regions; 4) there is a significant positive correlation between NPP and night light data. The results of this study provide scientific references for the formation of greening construction and sustainable development strategies in Wuhan.