Yadav et al. (2026) Cooling Effects of Wetlands in a Tropical Megacity: Evidence from the East Kolkata Wetlands, India

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Identification

• Journal: Water
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-03-13
• Authors: Pawan Kumar Yadav, Priyanka Jha, Md Saharik Joy, Taruna Bansal, Wafa Saleh Alkhuraiji, Mohamed Zhran
• DOI: 10.3390/w18060672

Research Groups

Not specified in the provided text.

Short Summary

This study assesses the complex cooling role of peri-urban wetlands in tropical megacities using a geospatial framework and Landsat imagery, revealing that wetlands create significant thermal gradients with waterbodies as the coolest surfaces and dumping grounds as hotspots. The cooling effect exhibits non-linear distance-decay and directional asymmetry, governed by hydrological connectivity and landscape permeability.

Objective

• To assess the complex cooling role of peri-urban wetlands, moving beyond oversimplified views, using a geospatial framework with Landsat imagery.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW), extending several kilometres within a tropical megacity context.
• Temporal Scale: Analysis of land surface temperature variability, particularly during summer conditions.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Geospatial framework for analysis.
• Data sources: Landsat imagery.

Main Results

• A sharp thermal gradient exists across the East Kolkata Wetlands.
• Waterbodies are the coolest surfaces with a mean temperature of 25.4 °C.
• Dumping grounds are intense hotspots with a mean temperature of 35.75 °C.
• Built-up areas adjacent to waterbodies are significantly cooler than urban cores.
• Wetland cooling exhibits non-linear distance-decay and directional asymmetry, extending several kilometres but attenuated by dense western urban development.
• Internal thermal disruptions from dumping grounds create localised heat plumes.
• Wetland cooling is primarily governed by hydrological connectivity and landscape permeability.

Contributions

• Provides a more nuanced understanding of peri-urban wetland cooling effects, moving beyond oversimplified models.
• Demonstrates the critical role of hydrological connectivity and landscape permeability in governing wetland cooling.
• Positions peri-urban wetlands as dynamic climate-regulating infrastructure and a nature-based solution for urban heat adaptation, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals.
• Highlights the importance of conserving waterbody networks and mitigating thermally disruptive land uses for effective urban heat management.

Funding

Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Yadav2026Cooling,
  author = {Yadav, Pawan Kumar and Jha, Priyanka and Joy, Md Saharik and Bansal, Taruna and Alkhuraiji, Wafa Saleh and Zhran, Mohamed},
  title = {Cooling Effects of Wetlands in a Tropical Megacity: Evidence from the East Kolkata Wetlands, India},
  journal = {Water},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.3390/w18060672},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/w18060672}
}