Affiliation:
1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Ecological Function Assessment and Regulation Technology of Green Space, Beijing the First National Level Scientific Observation and Research Station for the Urban Green Space Ecosystem, Beijing Academy of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Beijing 100102, China
2. College of Landscape, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
Abstract
As major carbon (C) pools in cities, urban green spaces play a crucial role in reducing atmospheric carbon. To determine the importance of litterfall C storage in urban green spaces, we selected the leaf area index (LAI) as a proxy indicator for litterfall C density (LCD), and established a log-linear regression model between LCD and LAI to predict the annual litterfall C pool in large-scale urban green spaces using Sentinel-2 satellite remote sensing data. Forty-five sample units were randomly selected in typical urban green spaces in Beijing, China. A high-temperature combustion method was used to measure the LCD of the sampling units, and stepwise linear regression was used to filter the proxy indicator for LCD. The annual litterfall C pool in regions within the Fifth Ring Road was also estimated with inversion using remote sensing data. From 2015 to 2021, the estimated annual litterfall C pool was in the range of 4.5–5.8 × 1010 g, i.e., approximately 18.9% of the total C storage recorded for the urban green space, which was far greater than that observed in forest ecosystems. We concluded that the litterfall C pool in urban green spaces is seriously underestimated, and that urban tree litterfall has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions if used as a carbon-neutral resource.
Funder
Study on Comprehensive Carbon Stocking Capability of Urban Green Space Plant Community and Its Influencing Factors
Study on Optimization of Ecological Benefit Evaluation System of Urban Green Space in Beijing and Its Influence Mechanism on Residents’ Well-being