Research on the delineation of urban growth boundary based on integration and “dual evaluation”: A case study of the Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area, China
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Metropolitan regions, central to socio-economic progress and global economics, necessitate robust spatial governance strategies. Establishing the urban growth boundary (UGB) is crucial for controlling urban expansion, balancing economic progress and environmental conservation, and fostering sustainable urban growth. However, UGB research urgently needs to broaden its scope from single cities to regional coordination and development. This study focused on the Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area (ZMA) in China, applying a comprehensive approach and the PLUS model for land use simulations and UGB delineation with integration and “dual evaluation”. The results showed that (1) PLUS effectively simulates land use, enabling metropolitan-scale UGB delineation. (2) Simulations indicate that land use in the study area is trending toward a decrease in cropland, shrubland, and grassland, forest, water , and construction land are increasing. (3) In different scenarios, the UGB in the study area expanded and the connections between towns strengthened. (4) Urban growth boundaries, baseline, and buffer zones in ZMA show a block–strip expansion pattern. This research findings enrich metropolitan land use simulation and UGB delineation, guiding spatial management and sustainable development in the ZMA.
Institution: Henan University
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,350
OpenAlex ID: W4416971578