Temperature trend analysis associated with land-cover changes using time-series data (1980–2019) from 38 weather stations in South Korea

We analyzed the relationship between changes in land cover and the time-series trend of temperature using 40 years’ worth of data (1980–2019) from 38 weather stations in South Korea to establish mitigation strategies for the rising temperature and heat island effect in urban areas. Changes in temperature were estimated by analyzing the time-series trend slope using daily mean temperature data. Stations with a high trend slope showed a mean temperature rise of 2 °C over the study period, and those with a low trend slope had a mean temperature rise of 0.5 °C. In land cover change, each study site was classified into three categories: areas with heavy urbanization, areas with few land-cover changes, and decreased rural and forest areas. A correlation analysis between the land-cover change and temperature trend slope revealed a positive correlation between urban areas and the trend slope and a negative correlation between forest areas and the trend slope. The expansion of urban areas resulting from the development of forest areas was identified as the cause of the long-term increase in the urban temperature. These results will serve as useful data in the urban and environmental planning phase for mitigating urban heat island effects.