scholarly journals Spatial variability of urban forest topsoil properties: towards representative and robust sampling design

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Nadina Galle ◽  
William Brinton ◽  
Robin Vos ◽  
Fábio Duarte ◽  
Marcus Collier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Sampling Design ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Street Trees ◽  
Baseline Measure ◽  
Basal Soil Respiration ◽  
Agricultural Literature

Background: Soil spatial variability is a major concern when deciding how to collect a representative topsoil sample for laboratory analysis. Sampling design to capture site-specific variability is documented in the agricultural literature, but poorly understood for urban forest soils where soils may be characterized by strong horizontal and vertical variability and large temporal anthropogenic disturbances. Methods: This paper evaluates the spatial variability of selected topsoil properties under urban trees to define a statistically robust sampling design that optimizes the number of samples to reliably characterize basal soil respiration (BSR), a property associated with soil health. To provide a reference on variability, two additional soil properties were measured, unrelated to BSR: electrical conductivity (EC) and bulk density (BD). Thirteen sampling sites comprising both park and street trees (Acer rubrum) were selected in Cambridge, MA, USA. Results: Results indicate street tree topsoil had approximately twice as much variation, requiring more intensive sampling, as did park tree topsoil, even though street trees had smaller soil sampling zones, constricted by tree pits. The variability of BSR was nearly identical to that of EC, and BD results varied least. A large number of samples would be required for acceptable levels of statistical reliability (90% CI - 10% ER) of 44.4, 41.7, and 6.4 for BSR, EC, and BD, respectively, whereas by accepting a lower level of certainty (80% CI - 20% ER) the number of required soil samples was calculated as 6.8, 6.4, and 0.4 for BSR, EC, and BD, respectively. Conclusions: The use of EC testing as a baseline measure to determine spatial variation in the topsoil is proposed, to alleviate the financial implications of more expensive BSR testing. Factors of topsoil disturbance and soil access restrictions at sites with severe root-sidewalk conflicts and the overall generalizability of the results are also discussed.

scholarly journals Estimation of Ecosystem Services Provided by Street Trees in Kyoto, Japan

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 311
Author(s):  
Xiaoyang Tan ◽  
Satoshi Hirabayashi ◽  
Shozo Shibata
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Street Trees ◽  
Flowering Dogwood ◽  
Runoff Reduction ◽  
Kyoto City ◽  
Salix Babylonica

Street trees are integral components of urban green infrastructure. The importance of benefits provided by street trees has motivated the development of various tools to quantify the value of ecosystem services. The i-Tree Eco is a widely applied method for quantifying urban forest structure, ecosystem services, and values. Since its first release in 2006, i-Tree Eco has been successfully utilized in over 100 countries around the world. This study described one of the first applications of the i-Tree Eco international project in Kyoto, Japan, by customizing the models and parameters to enhance the accuracy of analysis results. Kyoto’s street trees are prominently dominated by Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.), Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum Miq.), Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata (Thunb.) Makino.), Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera L.), Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida L.), London Planetree (Platanus × acerifolia), Plum/cherry (Prunus spp.), and Weeping willow (Salix babylonica), which account for 92% of the 1230 sample trees and deliver ecosystem service benefits at US$71,434.21 annually or US$58.07/tree/year. The annual value of each function was estimated at US$41.34/tree for carbon storage and sequestration, US$3.26/tree for stormwater runoff reduction, US$11.80/tree for adverse health mitigation effects, and US$1.67/tree for energy savings. The street tree species of Kyoto city that produce the highest average annual benefits are among the largest trees currently in the population, including P. × yedoensis (US$225.32/tree), Z. serrata (US$123.21/tree), S. babylonica (US$80.10/tree), and P. × acerifolia (US$65.88/tree). Our results demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of street trees benefits for Kyoto city, providing baseline information for decision-makers and managers to make effective urban trees management decisions, developing policy, and setting priorities.

scholarly journals CARACTERÍSTICAS FITOSSOCIOLÓGICAS DA ARBORIZAÇÃO VIÁRIA DE BONITO-MS

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Kendra Zamproni ◽  
Daniela Biondi ◽  
Tamara Ribeiro Botelho de Carvalho Maria ◽  
Rogério Bobrowski
Keyword(s):  
Forest Inventory ◽  
Traditional Method ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Absolute Frequency ◽  
Street Trees ◽  
Importance Value ◽  
Crown Area ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Species Performance

Diagnosis through the street trees’ assessment is fundamental to the planning and maintenance of this asset, in order to maximize the benefits provided by the urban trees. Phytosociological studies allow an improvement of the data analysis obtained from the inventory, however they are still not used often in research on this subject. Within this context, the objective of this study was to analyze the phytosociological characteristics of the street trees of Bonito-MS, from the data obtained through a previous urban forest inventory. For this, the following factors were analyzed: frequency, density, dominance (expressed by the crown area in replace of the DBH) and importance value, calculated by the traditional method and by the Species Performance Index (IPE). Within the results, it is possible to verify that the importance value highlighted species which presented larger crown area even to the detriment of those that presented higher absolute frequency. The species with the highest frequency, density and dominance values was Licania tomentosa, and, despite the homogeneity of its planting in the municipality, this species presented high IPE value. The use of these phytosociological parameters allows a better evaluation of the adaptation and performance of the species in the municipality and assists in the decision-making of new plantings.

scholarly journals Transpiration rates of red maple (Acer rubrum L.) differ between management contexts in urban forests of Maryland, USA

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Ponte ◽  
Nancy F. Sonti ◽  
Tuana H. Phillips ◽  
Mitchell A. Pavao-Zuckerman
Keyword(s):  
Urban Forest ◽  
Stormwater Runoff ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Urban Forests ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Sap Flux ◽  
Red Maple ◽  
Canopy Trees ◽  
Closed Canopy

AbstractThe hydrological functioning of urban trees can reduce stormwater runoff, mitigate the risk of flood, and improve water quality in developed areas. Tree canopies intercept rainfall and return water to the atmosphere through transpiration, while roots increase infiltration and storage in the soil. Despite this, the amount of stormwater that trees remove through these functions in urban settings is not well characterized, limiting the use of urban forests as practical stormwater management strategies. To address this gap, we use ecohydrological approaches to assess the transpiration rates of urban trees in different management settings. Our research questions are: Do transpiration rates of trees of the same species vary among different management contexts? Do relationships between environmental drivers and transpiration change among management contexts? These management settings included single trees over turfgrass and a cluster of trees over turfgrass in Montgomery County, MD, and closed canopy forest with a leaf litter layer in Baltimore, MD. We used sap flux sensors installed in 18 mature red maple (Acer rubrum L.) trees to characterize transpiration rates during the growing season. We also measured soil volumetric water content, air temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation at each site. In agreement with our initial hypothesis, we found that single trees had nearly three times the daily sum of sap flux density (JS) of closed canopy trees. When averaged over the entire measurement period, JS was approximately 260, 195, and 91 g H2O cm−2 day−1 for single trees, cluster trees and closed canopy trees, respectively. Additionally, single trees were more responsive to VPD than closed canopy and cluster trees. These results provide a better understanding of the influence of management context on urban tree transpiration and can help to identify targets to better manage urban forest settings to reduce urban stormwater runoff.

scholarly journals Forecasting the Effects of Heat and Pests on Urban Trees: Impervious Surface Thresholds and the ‘Pace-to-Plant’ Technique

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Dale ◽  
Elsa Youngsteadt ◽  
Steven Frank
Keyword(s):  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Impervious Surface ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Red Maple ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Street Trees ◽  
Surface Cover ◽  
Impervious Surface Cover ◽  
Urban Sites ◽  
Tree Condition

Trees provide ecosystem services that benefit humans and the environment. Unfortunately, urban trees often do not provide maximum services due to abiotic stress and arthropod herbivores and borers. These problems often originate from trees being planted in unsuitable conditions. Cities are warmer than natural areas because impervious surfaces absorb and reradiate heat. Higher temperatures can increase pest insect abundance and water stress, and reduce street tree condition relative to natural forests. For example, the gloomy scale insect [Melanaspsis tenebricosa Comstock (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)], a pest of red maple (Acer rubrum) street trees, is more abundant in warmer than cooler urban sites. Acer rubrum, at warmer urban sites with more M. tenebricosa, are typically in poor condition. Here, researchers demonstrate these relationships and illustrate how impervious surface cover can be used to predict the condition of A. rubrum street trees. impervious surface thresholds were then developed to define suitable planting sites that can be used by individuals with access to GIS software. Researchers present the pace-to-plant technique, which can be used by landscape professionals to quickly estimate impervious surface cover around a planting site. These thresholds predict future tree condition based on planting site impervious surface cover. The hope is that more informed planting will minimize pest infestations and maximize the future vigor and performance of street trees.

Urban Trees and Water Use in Arid Climates: Insights from an Integrated Bioeconomic-Health Model

2018 ◽  
Vol 04 (04) ◽  
pp. 1850022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin A. Jones ◽  
John Fleck
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Tree Cover ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Value Of Water ◽  
Health Model

Managing outdoor water use while maintaining urban tree cover is a key challenge for water managers in arid climates. Urban trees generate flows of ecosystem services in arid areas, but also require significant amounts of irrigation. In this paper, a bioeconomic-health model of trees and water use is developed to investigate management of an urban forest canopy when irrigation is costly, water has economic value, and trees provide ecosystem services. The optimal tree irrigation decision is illustrated for Albuquerque, New Mexico, an arid Southwest US city. Using a range of monetary values for water, we find that the tree irrigation decision is sensitive to the value selected. Urban deforestation is optimal when the value of water is sufficiently high, or alternatively starts low, but grows to cross a specific threshold. If, however, the value of water is sufficiently low or if the value of tree cover rises over time, then deforestation is not optimal. The threshold value of water where the switch is made between zero and partial deforestation is well within previously identified ranges on actual water values. This model can be applied generally to study the tradeoffs between urban trees and water use in arid environments.

Spatial dynamics of soil moisture and temperature in a black spruce boreal chronosequence

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 2794-2802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Bond-Lamberty ◽  
Karen M Brown ◽  
Carol Goranson ◽  
Stith T Gower
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Sampling Design ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Spatial Dynamics ◽  
Spherical Model ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Spatial Dependencies ◽  
The Mean

This study analyzed the spatial dependencies of soil moisture and temperature in a six-stand chronosequence of boreal black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) stands. Spatial variability of soil temperature (TSOIL) was evaluated twice during the growing season using four transects in each stand, employing a cyclic sampling design with measurements spaced 2–92 m apart. Soil moisture (θg) was measured on one occasion. A spherical model was used to analyze the geostatistical correlation structure; θg and TSOIL at the 7- and 21-year-old stands did not exhibit stable ranges or sills. The fits with stable ranges and sills modeled the spatial patterns in the older stands reasonably well, although unexplained variability was high. Calculated ranges varied from 3 to 150 m for these stands, lengths probably related to structural characteristics influential in local-scale energy transfer. Transect-to-transect variability was significant and typically 5%–15% of the mean for TSOIL and 10%–70% for θg. TSOIL and θg were negatively correlated for most stands and depths, with TSOIL dropping 0.5–0.9 °C for every 1% rise in θg. The results reported here provide initial data to assess the spatial variability of TSOIL and θg in a variety of boreal forest stand ages.

scholarly journals Strategic Mulching of Trees in Forested Urban Parkland for Rooting Medium Amendment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Magditsch
Keyword(s):  
Urban Forest ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Wood Chips ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Moisture Loss ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Organic Mulch ◽  
Rooting Medium ◽  
Root Health

Trees planted along city streets and in urban parks are subject to many adversities that affect growth and can often result in mortality. The application of organic mulch to the rooting medium of newly planted urban trees has the potential to improve the soil chemical and physical properties necessary for tree root health. This study examined the difference in soil nutrient supply rates (μg/10cm2/28 days) between three areal treatments of wood chips (0.75 m, 1.0m and 1.5 m radii) and before mulch application versus after mulch application using Analysis of Covariance. PRSTM-Probes were inserted into the soil over six 28-day periods to measure the supply rate of bioavailable nutrients (NO3-, NH4+, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, and Cu). Meteorological data and other soil chemical and physical factors were measured and included as covariates in the statistical model. Results indicate that mulching had a significant effect (p<0.05) on P supply rates; supply rates were lower in the reference plots compared to the treatment plots post-mulching. S, Ca, Mg, and Cu supply rates decreased after mulch application; however, the decrease was observed in all plots, which is likely due to temporal variations in plant demand rather than mulching. The wood chips also had a significant impact on buffering fluctuating soil temperatures and reducing soil moisture loss compared to non-mulched plots. The knowledge obtained from this research can be used to improve urban forest management strategies by providing a more in-depth understanding of the prescriptive use of organic mulch.

scholarly journals Can Field Crews Telecommute? Varied Data Quality from Citizen Science Tree Inventories Conducted Using Street-Level Imagery

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Berland ◽  
Lara A. Roman ◽  
Jess Vogt
Keyword(s):  
Data Quality ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Street Trees ◽  
Diameter Class ◽  
Tree Diameter ◽  
Street Level ◽  
Street Tree ◽  
High Level

Street tree inventories are a critical component of urban forest management. However, inventories conducted in the field by trained professionals are expensive and time-consuming. Inventories relying on citizen scientists or virtual surveys conducted remotely using street-level photographs may greatly reduce the costs of street tree inventories, but there are fundamental uncertainties regarding the level of data quality that can be expected from these emerging approaches to data collection. We asked 16 volunteers to inventory street trees in suburban Chicago using Google Street ViewTM imagery, and we assessed data quality by comparing their virtual survey data to field data from the same locations. We also compared virtual survey data quality according to self-rated expertise by measuring agreement within expert, intermediate, and novice analyst groups. Analyst agreement was very good for the number of trees on each street segment, and agreement was markedly lower for tree diameter class and tree identification at the genus and species levels, respectively. Interrater agreement varied by expertise, such that experts agreed with one another more often than novices for all four variables assessed. Compared to the field data, we observed substantial variability in analyst performance for diameter class estimation and tree identification, and some intermediate analysts performed as well as experts. Our findings suggest that virtual surveys may be useful for documenting the locations of street trees within a city more efficiently than field crews and with a high level of accuracy. However, tree diameter and species identification data were less reliable across all expertise groups, and especially novice analysts. Based on this analysis, virtual street tree inventories are best suited to collecting very basic information such as tree locations, or updating existing inventories to determine where trees have been planted or removed. We conclude with evidence-based recommendations for effective implementation of this type of approach.

scholarly journals The economic benefits of reductions in nitrogen loads from stormwater runoff by street trees

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana D. Baptista ◽  
Marco Amati ◽  
Tim D. Fletcher ◽  
Matthew J. Burns
Keyword(s):  
Stormwater Runoff ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Annual Runoff ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Deciduous Trees ◽  
Street Trees ◽  
Runoff Volume ◽  
Nitrogen Loads ◽  
Tree Canopy Cover ◽  
The Impact

Abstract It is increasingly recognised that urban trees can contribute to reducing stormwater runoff by intercepting and retaining a fraction of rainfall received. What is less studied is the translation of this to reduced pollutant loads being transferred to receiving streams, rivers, and water bodies. In this paper, we assess interception of two tree species (Eucalyptus microcorys and Ulmus procera) in an urban park. This data is used in simple water balance modelling to predict the environmental and economic benefit of reducing nitrogen loads to receiving waterways as a function of reduced runoff volume resulting from rainfall interception by urban trees on public land (21% of the catchment area). We use a highly urbanized catchment in Melbourne, Australia to demonstrate the impact of an urban forest dominated by deciduous trees, evergreen trees or a mixed tree canopy cover. We found that doubling the urban canopy cover in the catchment, while keeping the current mix ratio of deciduous and evergreen trees, could reduce annual runoff volume by 30 mm (92 MLyr−1). Using the prescribed values that developers must pay the local water authority for nitrogen treatment as a condition of new development, we calculate that this would deliver a nitrogen load removal benefit of AUD$ 200/tree. If only deciduous trees are planted the annual runoff reduction would decrease to 24 mm (73 MLyr−1) and increases to 37 mm (112 MLyr−1) if only evergreen trees are planted. This study highlights both the additional benefits of public street trees and the differences in deciduous and evergreen trees which should be accounted for by policy makers.

scholarly journals Long-Term Validation and Governance Role in Contemporary Urban Tree Monitoring: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 5589
Author(s):  
Blaz Klobucar ◽  
Johan Östberg ◽  
Märit Jansson ◽  
Thomas Barfoed Randrup
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Sampling Design ◽  
Lateral Approach ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Governance Arrangement ◽  
Urban Tree ◽  
Primary Focus ◽  
Longitudinal Sampling

Urban trees provide important ecosystem services, across ownership and governance structures, and tree inventories are an important tool enabling urban foresters and green space managers to monitor and perform the sustainable management of urban trees. For optimal management of urban trees, a better understanding is needed concerning how urban tree inventories can provide long-term monitoring overviews across administrative borders, and how inventory protocols should be adapted to address specific practitioner issues. In this review, 98 articles on urban tree inventories were examined, the primary focus being sampling design. A governance arrangement approach was applied to identify the policy-making arrangements behind the inventories. Stratification is commonly used in the sampling design, despite being problematic for long-term representativeness. Only 10% of the stratification sampling designs identified were considered as having long-term validity. The studies frequently relied on an individual sampling design aimed at a particular issue, as opposed to using an existing longitudinal sampling network. Although private trees can constitute over 50% of the urban tree population, 41% of the studies reviewed did not include private trees at all. Urban tree inventories focused primarily on tree data on a local scale. Users or private tree owners are commonly not included in these studies, and limited attention is paid to economic, cultural or social factors. A long-term validation of sampling methods in urban areas, and a multi-lateral approach to tree inventories, are needed to maintain long-term operational value for local managers in securing ecosystem service provisions for entire urban forests.

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