Mitigation strategies for regional heat island effects: integrated network construction of cold and heat islands

• Integrating cold and heat island networks to mitigate regional heat islands. • Identifying intersection zones and proposing coordinated optimization. • Integrating both networks boosts cooling and limits heat island expansion. The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect is a major environmental challenge in global urbanization. As urbanization progresses, the UHI effect in individual cities has expanded regionally, forming Regional Heat Islands (RHI). However, strategies for mitigating RHI and enhancing cold island effects remain underdeveloped. This study focuses on the Xi’an Metropolitan Area, proposing an integrated management framework for cold and heat island networks to alleviate RHI effects. By retrieving land surface temperature (LST) from remote sensing data and combining it with Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) and landscape connectivity analysis, the study constructs connectivity networks for cold and heat islands, optimizing key nodes and corridors using circuit theory. Results show that cold islands are concentrated in the Qinling Mountains and northern highlands, while heat islands are located in Xi’an’s main urban area and suburbs, displaying a pattern of “alternating peripheral cold islands and central heat islands.” The partial overlap between cold and heat island corridors and nodes suggests these areas should be prioritized for development. Network analysis identified nodes for protection, restoration, and degradation. The Qinling Mountains and northern highlands serve as core areas for urban cold island functions, suggesting the construction of a mountainous cold island network. Central river systems play dual roles in cooling and mitigating heat risks. The proposed integrated strategy offers a theoretical framework and practical approach for RHI management, enhancing urban cooling effects and providing a model for regional heat island management in similar cities, promoting sustainable development and optimized urban planning.