Impacts of urbanization on urban lakes: a review for understanding retrospectives and prospects

Rapid urbanization has emerged as a defining global trend of the 21st century, reshaping landscapes, ecosystems, and human societies. Among the most affected ecosystems are urban lakes, which, despite their relatively small size, provide critical ecological, social, and cultural services that support urban resilience and sustainability. This scoping review synthesizes existing literature to examine the retrospective impacts and future prospects of urbanization on urban lake ecosystems. Findings highlight that urban expansion, land-use change, and intensified human activities disrupt hydrological cycles, increase pollutant loads, and accelerate processes such as eutrophication, sedimentation, and contamination, thereby threatening ecological integrity and human well-being. Urban lakes, however, continue to play vital roles in climate regulation, flood control, biodiversity preservation, and the provision of recreational and cultural values. Despite growing recognition of these functions, research on urban lakes remains fragmented across disciplines, often focusing narrowly on water quality or urban planning dimensions. By mapping current knowledge and identifying key themes, this review underscores the need for interdisciplinary approaches to urban lake management and calls for integrative strategies that balance ecological protection with urban development. The insights generated aim to inform sustainable urban planning, policy design, and ecological stewardship in the context of accelerating urbanization.