Back to Search Start Over

Impacts of urban roadside forest patches on NO2 concentrations.

Impacts of urban roadside forest patches on NO2 concentrations.

Authors :
Yli-Pelkonen, Vesa
Viippola, Viljami
Kotze, D. Johan
Setälä, Heikki
Source :
Atmospheric Environment. Jul2020, Vol. 232, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Publication Year :
2020

Abstract

Although it is commonly believed that trees can improve air quality, recent studies have shown that such pollution mitigation can be negligible – or that tree canopies can even increase pollutant concentrations near their sources compared to adjacent treeless areas. We explored the impacts of urban roadside forest patches on the concentrations of nitrogen dioxide in summer and winter in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland, and especially investigated if canopy cover can result in increased concentrations of NO 2 below the canopy. Our results, however, did not show significantly higher – or lower – NO 2 concentrations underneath tree canopies compared to levels above canopies. Neither did NO 2 levels at the below-canopy sampling height differ significantly between forest patches and adjacent open, treeless areas. The lack of a canopy effect may derive from the rather small size of the forest patches, and – compared to previous studies with similar design – divergent tree species composition forming a dense canopy structure. Our results corroborate previous studies that the potential ecosystem services offered by urban near-road forests are more likely due to benefits other than those related to the removal of air pollutants. • We studied if tree canopy cover can increase NO 2 levels below the canopy. • Tree canopies did not cause higher or lower NO 2 levels underneath canopies. • NO 2 levels at the below-canopy height did not differ from adjacent treeless areas. • This may be due to the tree species and the small forest patch size in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
13522310
Volume :
232
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Atmospheric Environment
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
143551668
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117584