ZAIN ZULFIQAR

2012-M.ARCH-07

SYNOPSIS:

HOW LAHORES ECOSYSTEM IS AFFECTED BY URBAN

PATTERN?
INTRODUCTION

Urban ecological systems are characterized by complex interactions among social,

economic, institutional, and environmental variables. Urbanization or Urban
development fragments, isolates, and degrades natural habitats; disrupts hydrological
systems; and modifies energy flow and nutrient cycling. The future of earth ecosystems
is increasingly dependent on the patterns of urban growth. Cities are growing rapidly
worldwide. The worlds urban population1 has multiplied more than tenfold during the
past century. Changes in ecological conditions that result from human actions in urban
areas ultimately affect human health and well-being. Urban development affects the
spatial heterogeneity of the landscape (i.e., pattern of variation in land cover) and
spread of disturbance (i.e., invasive species).
Lahore is the capital of the province Punjab and is the second largest city in terms of
population in the country. Since this City is historical one and has undergone a
remarkable expansion, growth and developmental activities such as buildings, road
construction, and loss of prime agricultural fields .This has, therefore, resulted in
increased land consumption, modification and alterations in the temporal status of
Citys land use and land cover. A research will be carried out to study the impacts of
change in urban pattern on the urban ecological system of Lahore.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of research is

To determine the Lahores urban pattern changes impact on ecology system.

To study how the land use have been changed in Lahore due to the urban
development.
To find out strategy to minimize urban impacts on ecosystem.
METHODOLOGY

This paper is an attempt to study the changes in ecological system caused by the urban
development. In recent times a number of infrastructure developments gives an entirely
to the environment and urban landscape of Lahore. The old Lahore data is collected
from books and other resource and a new one is collected by actually visiting sites and
recent documents. Then a comparative study will conduct through which we came to
know the change in the environment and the surroundings of Lahore.

CONCLUSION

Urban ecology provides an opportunity to study its relationship with the changing
urban patterns. In the end a detailed analysis of their relationship and effect will be
given. Then preventive measures to minimize negative impact on ecosystem will also be
discussed