URBAN EXPANSION AND THE DYNAMICS OF GREEN SPACES IN SAMARKAND BASED ON SENTINEL-2 NDVI ANALYSIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55640/Keywords:
urban green spaces, vegetation, urbanization, urban heat island, green infrastructure.Abstract
The article analyzes the impact of urbanization and built-up expansion on urban green spaces (UGS) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, using Sentinel-2A satellite imagery and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The study focuses on assessing spatial and temporal changes in the extent and distribution of vegetation cover between 2020 and 2025. Based on Sentinel-2 multispectral data, NDVI values were calculated to evaluate the dynamics of green areas and their availability per capita. The results show that the total green space area decreased from 1,359.84 hectares in 2020 to 1,233.41 hectares in 2025, representing a reduction of about 11.8%. The amount of green area per capita declined from 23.49 m²/person to 20.72 m²/person, remaining above the UN-Habitat recommendation of 10–15 m²/person. A comparative analysis of different city districts revealed an uneven distribution of greenery: historical areas preserved higher vegetation density, while high-density residential zones experienced notable decreases. Additionally, the conversion of public parks into commercial areas further reduced urban greenery. Temperature analysis for July 2020 and July 2025 indicates an increase in maximum daily temperatures by approximately 4 °C, demonstrating the intensification of the urban heat island effect caused by the reduction of green cover and continued urban development. The study concludes that integrating green infrastructure into urban planning is crucial for maintaining ecological balance, mitigating heat accumulation, and ensuring sustainable urban growth in Samarkand.
Downloads
References
1.Aram, F., Higueras García, E., Solgi, E., & Mansournia, S. (2019). Urban green space cooling effect in cities. Heliyon, 5(4), e01339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01339
2.Beckschäfer, P., Schnell, S., & Kleinn, C. (2017). Monitoring and Assessment of Trees Outside Forests (TOF). In Agroforestry (pp. 137–161). Springer Singapore.
3.Guo, A., Yang, J., Xiao, X., Xiao, J., Jin, C., & Li, X. (2020). Influences of urban spatial form on urban heat island effects at the community level in China. Sustainable Cities and Society, 53, 101972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2019.101972
4.Kopecka, M., Szatmári, D., & Rosina, K. (2017). Analysis of Urban Green Spaces Based on Sentinel-2A: Case Studies from Slovakia. Land, 6(2), 25. https://doi.org/10.3390/land6020025
5.Lin, H., & Li, X. (2025). The Role of Urban Green Spaces in Mitigating the Urban Heat Island Effect: A Systematic Review from the Perspective of Types and Mechanisms. Sustainability, 17(13), 6132. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17136132
6.Maheng, D., Pathirana, A., & Zevenbergen, C. (2021). A preliminary study on the impact of landscape pattern changes due to urbanization: Case study of Jakarta, Indonesia. Land, 10, 218–227. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10020218
7.Roba, Z. R., & Tabor, K. W. (2025). Geospatial analysis of vegetation and land surface temperature for urban heat island mitigation in Hawassa City, Ethiopia. Scientific Reports, 15, 31786. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-17014-0
8.SanPiN RUz No. 0339-16. (2016). Sanitary Rules and Standards for the Planning and Development of Settlements. Republic of Uzbekistan.
9.Schwaab, J., et al. (2021). The role of urban trees in reducing land surface temperatures in European cities. Nature Communications, 12, 6763. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27012-1
10.Xu, C., Huang, Q., Haase, D., Dong, Q., Teng, Y., Su, M., & Yang, Z. (2024). Cooling Effect of Green Spaces on Urban Heat Island in a Chinese Megacity: Increasing Coverage versus Optimizing Spatial Distribution. Environmental Science & Technology, 58(13), 5811–5820. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c11048
11.11. Egamova, M., & Matyokubov, B. (2023). Improving the energy efficiency of the external walls of residential buildings being built on the basis of a new model project. Евразийский журнал академических исследований, 3(3), 150-155.
12.12. Bolikulovich, K. M., & Pulatovich, M. B. (2022). HEAT-SHIELDING QUALITIES AND METHODS FOR ASSESSING THE HEAT-SHIELDING QUALITIES OF WINDOW BLOCKS AND THEIR JUNCTION NODE WITH WALLS. Web of Scientist: International Scientific Research Journal, 3(11), 829-840.
13.13. Pulatovich, M. B., & Shodiyev, K. (2021). Thermal Insulation of Basement Walls of Low-Rise Residential Buildings and Calculation of its Thickness. International Journal of Culture and Modernity, 9, 19-27.
14.14. Salomovich, T. E., Samariddinovich, S. U., & Pulatovich, M. B. (2023). Improving the Heat Preservation Properties of the Exterior Walls of Brick Buildings. International Journal of Culture and Modernity, 28, 15-20.
15.15. Tulakov, E., Sirojiddinov, S., Khaydarov, S., & Matyokubov, B. (2025). METHODS OF WALL PROTECTION FROM MOISTURE INFLUENCE IN THE PROCESS OF PERFECT REPAIR OF USED BUILDINGS. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 1(2), 1429-1434.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain the copyright of their manuscripts, and all Open Access articles are disseminated under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC-BY), which licenses unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is appropriately cited. The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, and so forth in this publication, even if not specifically identified, does not imply that these names are not protected by the relevant laws and regulations.
Germany
United States of America
Italy
United Kingdom
France
Canada
Uzbekistan
Japan
Republic of Korea
Australia
Spain
Switzerland
Sweden
Netherlands
China
India
