Urban Land Cover and Ecosystem Service Changes based on Sentinel-2A MSI and Landsat TM Data

Sustainable development in metropolitan regions is challenging in the light of continuous urbanization. Remote sensing provides timely and reliable information on urban areas and their changing patterns. This study's objectives are to evaluate the contribution of Sentinel-2A (S-2A) data to urban ecosystem service mapping and to investigate spatial ecosystem service characteristics with landscape metrics through a novelmethod. Service pattern changes between 2005 and 2015 are mapped for Beijing, China. Landscape metrics are used to qualitatively evaluate urban ecosystem service provision bundle changes. S-2A and Landsat TM data are segmented and classified with SVM, distinguishing three artificial and four natural classes based on ecosystem function. Spatial characteristics influencing ecosystem services are quantified with seven landscape metrics. Beijing's urban development is characterized by reduction in agricultural areas in the urban fringe in favor of built-up areas, urban green space, and golf courses. A transformation of old suburban agglomerations into urban green space can be observed. The planar increase in urban areas is accompanied by the creation of managed urban green space. Service bundles based on land cover classes and spatial characteristics decreased more than 30% for bundles that represent food supply, noise reduction, waste treatment, and global climate regulation. Temperature regulation/moderation of climate extremes, recreation/place values/social cohesion, and aesthetic benefits/cognitive development are least affected. This new approach of extending the ecosystem service concept through integration of spatial characteristics of ecosystem service provisional patches through landscape metrics is believed to give a more realistic appraisal of ecosystem services in urban areas.