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<p>The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted public health and economies worldwide, yet it also offered a rare opportunity to examine how ecosystems respond to reduced human activity. This study investigates New York City’s urban ecosystem across pre-pandemic (2015–2019), lockdown (2020), and post-pandemic (2021–2024) periods using satellite imagery and ground-based air quality data. During the 2020 lockdown, PM<sub>2.5</sub> declined by nearly 50% (from 6.4 to 3.3&#xa0;μg/m<sup>3</sup> in May), NO<sub>2</sub> dropped by one-third, and land surfaces cooled by more than 5&#xa0;°C. Vegetation responses were heterogeneous, with forest normalized difference vegetation index rising significantly (from 0.71 to 0.75, <i>t</i> test <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), whereas maintenance-dependent areas, such as golf courses and cemeteries declined, then recovered after the city reopened. Freshkills Park, a former landfill, showed reduced greenness during suspended maintenance but exhibited a notable overshoot above baseline once restoration resumed, underscoring the role of longer-term ecological investment. In the post-pandemic years, land surface temperature (LST) remained 0.5–1.3&#xa0;°C below pre-pandemic levels, likely due to reduced commuting, expanded remote work, and lower energy demand. Statistical and machine learning analyses revealed that, compared to short-term declines, longer-term LST changes were better explained by vegetation and albedo dynamics. These findings suggest that while air quality improvements from reduced mobility were temporary, sustained investments like solar energy adoption, green roofs, and ecological restoration offer greater potential for lasting benefits. By integrating multi-year, multisource data, this study identifies key mechanisms and resilience strategies to support adaptive urban ecosystem design in the face of future disruptions.</p>

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Urban Ecosystem Responses to Human Activity Shifts: Multi-Year Evidence from New York City Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月26日

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  • Yuemeng Gao,
  • Xiaojun Yang

摘要

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted public health and economies worldwide, yet it also offered a rare opportunity to examine how ecosystems respond to reduced human activity. This study investigates New York City’s urban ecosystem across pre-pandemic (2015–2019), lockdown (2020), and post-pandemic (2021–2024) periods using satellite imagery and ground-based air quality data. During the 2020 lockdown, PM2.5 declined by nearly 50% (from 6.4 to 3.3 μg/m3 in May), NO2 dropped by one-third, and land surfaces cooled by more than 5 °C. Vegetation responses were heterogeneous, with forest normalized difference vegetation index rising significantly (from 0.71 to 0.75, t test p < 0.001), whereas maintenance-dependent areas, such as golf courses and cemeteries declined, then recovered after the city reopened. Freshkills Park, a former landfill, showed reduced greenness during suspended maintenance but exhibited a notable overshoot above baseline once restoration resumed, underscoring the role of longer-term ecological investment. In the post-pandemic years, land surface temperature (LST) remained 0.5–1.3 °C below pre-pandemic levels, likely due to reduced commuting, expanded remote work, and lower energy demand. Statistical and machine learning analyses revealed that, compared to short-term declines, longer-term LST changes were better explained by vegetation and albedo dynamics. These findings suggest that while air quality improvements from reduced mobility were temporary, sustained investments like solar energy adoption, green roofs, and ecological restoration offer greater potential for lasting benefits. By integrating multi-year, multisource data, this study identifies key mechanisms and resilience strategies to support adaptive urban ecosystem design in the face of future disruptions.