Assessing the impact of urban development on net primary productivity during 2000–2010 in Taihu Basin

Urbanization causes ecological problems around the world. Sustainable urban development requires a better understanding of impacts of urban pattern on an ecosystem. Taihu Basin as a representative region has experienced rapid development process over the past decade, while ecological effects of different development patterns were rarely examined. Taking net primary production (NPP) as an indicator of vegetation functions, NPP loss caused by urban development was investigated at 1-km grid level from 2000 to 2010. Our main finding is that urban development has encroached approximately 7499.50 km2, about 34.54 % of the total cropland, and incomplete development activities in rural areas have reduced more NPP than surrounding urban areas. The results revealed that urban development intensity has increased in most of the northern and eastern regions, which is far beyond the original urban boundary. Urban development patterns have varied effect on the ecosystem. Low levels of urban development and land utilization can affect a broader area than a highly developed urban area, while the latter has greater effects on average. In the context of rapid urbanization, reasonable city planning, effective land use policies and regulations must be implemented to realize sustainable development.