Scientists at the Woods Hole Research Center in Maine say they've created a satellite map to show the Chesapeake Bay area's urban development.
The researchers say the manner in which buildings, roads, parking lots and other components of a built environment are integrated into communities impact a wide range of biogeochemical and hydrological processes.
The high resolution maps of the 64,000-square-mile Chesapeake Bay watershed show the region has been highly altered by human land use.
"The information captured in these maps can be used to help mitigate impacts associated with the impervious nature of built environments, including reduced water quality, impoverished stream biota, and increased flood risk," said Scott Goetz, a senior scientist at the center and lead author of the research.
"These maps provide a unique view of the extent and intensity of the built environment, and the urbanization process which continues to rapidly evolve as exurban development expands into traditionally more rural areas," he added.
The project is detailed in the current edition of the journal Eos.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
