Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Simulating Temperature in a Soil Incubation Experiment
Published on: October 28, 2022
Biophysical impacts of urbanization on climate change and vegetation in Borneo Island
Danbi Lee1, Ji-Hoon Oh2, Jonghun Kam3
1Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, South Korea; School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Abstract:
Urbanization causes compounding adverse impacts with climate change on regional ecology and society through biophysical processes. Borneo Island in Indonesia has been undergoing rapid urbanization, but the compounding impacts of urbanization under climate change remain unknown. Here, we investigate how idealized urbanization affects regional climate and vegetation using Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2) simulations with two land cover scenarios for Borneo: an urbanization scenario and a control scenario with no urbanization for the 2025-2034 period. Results show that urbanization in Borneo alters surface biophysical properties, imbalances the regional surface water budget, and thus leads to a warmer (+0.25 °C) and drier (-0.17 mm/day) climate across the island, with particularly pronounced effects on the dry period climate. Furthermore, these urbanization-induced climate responses contribute to additional vegetation loss. Moreover, vegetation in Kalimantan, the site of Indonesia's new capital, is also sensitive to the combined impacts of urbanization and climate change. This study highlights the importance of considering biophysical climate effects when assessing the compounding impacts of urbanization. This approach can help guide policymakers in updating current climate adaptation plans for sustainable urban development.
More Related Videos
10:14Author Spotlight: Leaf Trait Analysis for Climate and Ecology Reconstruction in Modern and Ancient Plant Communities
Published on: October 25, 2024
05:58Author Spotlight: Advancing Coral Culture - Creating a Semi-Quantitatively Controlled Microenvironment System to Counter Current Limitations
Published on: July 21, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Threats to Biodiversity
Global Climate Change
What is Climate?
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
What is Conservation Biology?
Habitat Fragmentation