Urban growth and land use change are associated to land degradation and a greater susceptibility to natural hazards. Urbanization process increase soil sealing and compaction, increasing runoff, erosion and surface and groundwater contamination, reducing their ability to provide ecosystem services. Changes in hydrological processes driven by urbanization provide additional challenges on water resources, since they increase enhance flood hazard, decrease water quality, and the resilience of the communities that depend on this resources. Persistent pollutants, such as microplastics, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pharmaceuticals, have been found in urban environments and may have serious negative impacts on human health and ecosystems.
↧