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 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.

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.

scholarly journals Urban Trees and Human Health: A Scoping Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 4371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen L. Wolf ◽  
Sharon T. Lam ◽  
Jennifer K. McKeen ◽  
Gregory R.A. Richardson ◽  
Matilda van den Bosch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Urban Forestry ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Future Research

The urban forest is a green infrastructure system that delivers multiple environmental, economic, social and health services, and functions in cities. Environmental benefits of urban trees are well understood, but no review to date has examined how urban trees affect human health. This review provides a comprehensive summary of existing literature on the health impacts of urban trees that can inform future research, policy, and nature-based public health interventions. A systematic search used keywords representing human health, environmental health, and urban forestry. Following screening and appraisal of several thousand articles, 201 studies were conceptually sorted into a three-part framework. Reducing Harm, representing 41% of studies, includes topics such as air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, heat exposure, and pollen. Restoring Capacities, at 31%, includes attention restoration, mental health, stress reduction, and clinical outcomes. Building Capacities, at 28%, includes topics such as birth outcomes, active living, and weight status. The studies that were reviewed show substantial heterogeneity in purpose and method yet indicate important health outcomes associated with people’s exposure to trees. This review will help inform future research and practice, and demonstrates why urban forest planning and management should strategically promote trees as a social determinant of public health.

scholarly journals Sensitivity of oxygen dynamics in the water column of the Baltic Sea to external forcing

Ocean Science ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 461-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Miladinova ◽  
A. Stips
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Intermediate Water ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Oxygen Dynamics

Abstract. A 1-D biogeochemical/physical model of marine systems has been applied to study the oxygen cycle in four stations of different sub-basins of the Baltic Sea, namely, in the Gotland Deep, Bornholm, Arkona and Fladen. The model consists of the biogeochemical model of Neumann et al. (2002) coupled with the 1-D General Ocean Turbulence Model (GOTM). The model has been forced with meteorological data from the ECMWF reanalysis project for the period 1998–2003, producing a six year hindcast which is validated with datasets from the Baltic Environmental Database (BED) for the same period. The vertical profiles of temperature and salinity are relaxed towards both profiles provided by 3-D simulations of General Estuarine Transport Model (GETM) and observed profiles from BED. Modifications in the parameterisation of the air-sea oxygen fluxes have led to a significant improvement of the model results in the surface and intermediate water layers. The largest mismatch with observations is found in simulating the oxygen dynamics in the Baltic Sea bottom waters. The model results demonstrate the good capability of the model to predict the time-evolution of the physical and biogeochemical variables at all different stations. Comparative analysis of the modelled oxygen concentrations with respect to observation data is performed to distinguish the relative importance of several factors on the seasonal, interannual and long-term variations of oxygen. It is found that natural physical factors, like the magnitude of the vertical turbulent mixing, wind speed and the variation of temperature and salinity fields are the major factors controlling the oxygen dynamics in the Baltic Sea. The influence of limiting nutrients is less pronounced, at least under the nutrient flux parameterisation assumed in the model.

scholarly journals Explaining CO<sub>2</sub> fluctuations observed in snowpacks

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 847-859
Author(s):  
Laura Graham ◽  
David Risk
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Model ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Flux Measurement ◽  
Co2 Flux ◽  
Co2 Concentration ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Advective Transport ◽  
Soil Co2 ◽  
C Cycle

Abstract. Winter soil carbon dioxide (CO2) respiration is a significant and understudied component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Winter soil CO2 fluxes can be surprisingly variable, owing to physical factors such as snowpack properties and wind. This study aimed to quantify the effects of advective transport of CO2 in soil–snow systems on the subdiurnal to diurnal (hours to days) timescale, use an enhanced diffusion model to replicate the effects of CO2 concentration depletions from persistent winds, and use a model–measure pairing to effectively explore what is happening in the field. We took continuous measurements of CO2 concentration gradients and meteorological data at a site in the Cape Breton Highlands of Nova Scotia, Canada, to determine the relationship between wind speeds and CO2 levels in snowpacks. We adapted a soil CO2 diffusion model for the soil–snow system and simulated stepwise changes in transport rate over a broad range of plausible synthetic cases. The goal was to mimic the changes we observed in CO2 snowpack concentration to help elucidate the mechanisms (diffusion, advection) responsible for observed variations. On subdiurnal to diurnal timescales with varying winds and constant snow levels, a strong negative relationship between wind speed and CO2 concentration within the snowpack was often identified. Modelling clearly demonstrated that diffusion alone was unable to replicate the high-frequency CO2 fluctuations, but simulations using above-atmospheric snowpack diffusivities (simulating advective transport within the snowpack) reproduced snow CO2 changes of the observed magnitude and speed. This confirmed that wind-induced ventilation contributed to episodic pulsed emissions from the snow surface and to suppressed snowpack concentrations. This study improves our understanding of winter CO2 dynamics to aid in continued quantification of the annual global C cycle and demonstrates a preference for continuous wintertime CO2 flux measurement systems.

The micrometeorology of the urban forest

1989 ◽  
Vol 324 (1223) ◽  
pp. 335-349 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Forest ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Environmental Design ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Single Specimen ◽  
Air Filtration ◽  
Forest Stands ◽  
Planted Forest

Urban trees occupy a wide variety of habitats, from a single specimen competing in the urban jungle to extensive remnant or planted forest stands. Each is shown to produce distinct micro- to local scale climates contributing to the larger urban climate mosaic. These effects are discussed in relation to the radiative, aerodynamic, thermal and moisture properties of trees that so clearly set them apart from other urban materials and surfaces in terms of their exchanges of heat, mass and momentum with the atmosphere. Their resulting ability to produce shade, coolness, shelter, moisture and air filtration makes them flexible tools for environmental design.

Assessing the vulnerability of urban forests to climate change

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Ordóñez ◽  
P.N. Duinker
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Urban Forests ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Species Selection ◽  
General Notion ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Vulnerability Assessments ◽  
Climate Vulnerability

Climate adaptation is being embraced by many municipalities worldwide. An element of this is the planting and protection of urban trees. However, the fact that climate change will also have an impact on urban trees has been largely overlooked. We argue that climate vulnerability assessments are necessary for addressing climate adaptation in urban forests and contribute to successful climate adaptation in cities. We review and integrate the literature on climate vulnerability and urban forests to explore how the general notion of urban forest vulnerability to climate change can be developed into an operational framework for undertaking a vulnerability assessment. The framework characterizes climate exposure, impact, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity, as well as nonclimatic drivers and factors, in urban forests. The most important themes in this discussion include urban tree species selection and diversity, naturalization, resource access, social awareness and engagement, budget and economic valuation, liability issues, and governance structures. Climate change vulnerability assessments help us understand how and why urban forests are vulnerable to climate change, identify future areas for research, and determine what adaptation measures could be included in urban forest management. These assessments help bring climate change to the forefront of the decision-making process and contribute to successful urban adaptation to climate change.

scholarly journals ASSESSING URBAN FOREST CANOPY COVER IN GREAT PLAIN CONSERVATION AREA (DÜZCE CITY, TURKEY) BETWEEN 1984 AND 2015

2021 ◽  
Vol XLVI-4/W5-2021 ◽  
pp. 539-544
Author(s):  
Z. Uçar ◽  
R. Eker ◽  
A. Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Urban Tree ◽  
Tree Canopy Cover ◽  
Urban Tree Canopy

Abstract. Urban trees and forests are essential components of the urban environment. They can provide numerous ecosystem services and goods, including but not limited to recreational opportunities and aesthetic values, removal of air pollutants, improving air and water quality, providing shade and cooling effect, reducing energy use, and storage of atmospheric CO2. However, urban trees and forests have been in danger of being lost by dense housing resulting from population growth in the cities since the 1950s, leading to increased local temperature, pollution level, and flooding risk. Thus, determining the status of urban trees and forests is necessary for comprehensive understanding and quantifying the ecosystem services and goods. Tree canopy cover is a relatively quick, easy to obtain, and cost-effective urban forestry metric broadly used to estimate ecosystem services and goods of the urban forest. This study aimed to determine urban forest canopy cover areas and monitor the changes between 1984–2015 for the Great Plain Conservation area (GPCA) that has been declared as a conservation Area (GPCA) in 2017, located on the border of Düzce City (Western Black Sea Region of Turkey). Although GPCA is a conservation area for agricultural purposes, it consists of the city center with 250,000 population and most settlement areas. A random point sampling approach, the most common sampling approach, was applied to estimate urban tree canopy cover and their changes over time from historical aerial imageries. Tree canopy cover ranged from 16.0% to 27.4% within the study period. The changes in urban canopy cover between 1984–1999 and 1999–2015 were statistically significant, while there was no statistical difference compared to the changes in tree canopy cover between 1984–2015. The result of the study suggested that an accurate estimate of urban tree canopy cover and monitoring long-term canopy cover changes are essential to determine the current situation and the trends for the future. It will help city planners and policymakers in decision-making processes for the future of urban areas.

scholarly journals Spectral effect of streetlamps on urban trees: A simulated study on tissue water, nitrogen, and carbohydrate contents in maple and oak

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0248463
Author(s):  
Ping Liu ◽  
Baohui Cao ◽  
Yutao Wang ◽  
Zhongping Wei ◽  
Jingfeng Ye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
N Deposition ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Photon Flux ◽  
Light Spectrum ◽  
Strong Response ◽  
Tissue Water ◽  
Mineral N

Streetlamps enforce night lighting on urban forest trees, but scarce information is available concerning the ecophysiological performance of street trees under these conditions. In this study, maple (Acer truncatum Bunge) and oak (Quercus mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb.) seedlings were cultured with simulated exposure to streetlamp spectra in white (red/green/blue, 7.7:1.0:2.2) and red plus blue (RB; red/green/blue, 4.6:0.0:1.0) lights with photosynthetic photon flux rate of 80 μmol m-2 s-1 in a 18-h photoperiod. Nitrogen (N) was loaded through 15 weekly applications to an amount of 80 mg N plant-1 to mimic the mineral N deposition to landscape trees. Variables of biomass, carbohydrate accumulation, N and water contents were rarely found difference between the two LED-spectra treatments for both species. Compared to the un-lighted control, the RB spectrum lowered N concentration in oak seedlings and water content in maple seedlings. The white light spectrum resulted in an increase of starch concentration. Carbohydrate concentration had a positive relationship with biomass and N content across two species but a negative relationship with water content in maple seedlings. Overall, streetlamp-lights imposed effects on tree growth by a prolonged photoperiod instead of specific spectrum. Maple had a strong response of water uptake to streetlamp lighting at the cost of carbohydrate consumption, but oak had scarce demand of water-use for growth.

scholarly journals Provenance Experiments with Baldcypress, Live Oak, and Sycamore Illustrate the Potential for Selecting More Sustainable Urban Trees

2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 205-213
Author(s):  
Michael Arnold ◽  
Donita Bryan ◽  
Raul Cabrera ◽  
Geoffrey Denny ◽  
Jason Griffin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Forest ◽  
Environmental Stresses ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Alkaline Soil ◽  
Family Selection ◽  
Seed Sources ◽  
Root Regeneration ◽  
Live Oak ◽  
Managed Landscapes

Ecotypic, clonal, and racial variation present in tree species across their native ranges represent a largely untapped opportunity to select superior seed sources or clonal materials to withstand a variety of unique environmental stresses imposed in built environments and managed landscapes. This paper focuses on three important woody plant genera (Quercus L., Platanus L., and Taxodium Rich.) and researchers’ efforts to discover superior genotypes with tolerances to environmental stresses, including alkaline soil conditions, moisture deficits, and temperature extremes. The study authors are also interested in exploiting geographic provenances and open-pollinated family selection to identify unique genotypes or populations having desirable ornamental attributes, rapid root regeneration potential, and/or desirable plant architecture. A discussion of current results, potential impacts on selection of urban forest trees for managed landscapes, and plans for future development and research are presented.

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