Green System and Air Quality in Sevlievo Town, Bulgaria
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ECOLOGIA BALKANICA 2019, Vol. 11, Issue 2 December 2019 pp. 87-97 Green System and Air Quality in Sevlievo Town, Bulgaria Simona P. Peteva*, Mariyana I. Luybenova Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, 8 Dragan Tzankov Bld., 1164 Sofia, BULGARIA *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract. Green system and urban dendroflora can affect air quality in the following ways: (i) converting carbon dioxide to oxygen through photosynthesis; (ii) intercepting particulate pollutants (PM10, dust, ash, pollen and smoke) and absorbing toxic gases such as ozone, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide, (iii) emitting various volatile organic compounds contributing to ozone formation in cities (iv) lowering local air temperatures (v) reducing building temperature extremes in both summer and winter and consequently reduce pollution emissions from power-generating facilities. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulating service of urban dendroflora as a depot of carbon and the role of the green system as a reducer of dangerous for people PM10. In 2017 of the territory of Sevlievo Town were investigated 2555 trees of 45 species taxonomically belonging to 16 families and 30 genera. In 2019 using Huber's simple formula the trees biomass, biomass energy, absorbed CO2 and accumulated carbon of trees biomass in the streets, quarters and parks were calculated. The total biomass of the dendroflora in Sevlievo Town was found to be equal to 2892.65 t. The total carbon dioxide (CO2) in urban trees was 1446.33 t; the separated oxygen (O2) was 542.37 t and the accumulated carbon (C) was 394.45 t. PM10 in Sevlievo Town have high daily concentrations above the LD50. Key words: urban dendroflora, CO2, climate change, PM10. Introduction education. Although urban areas still cover a According to the urban impacts, the relatively small proportion of the terrestrial planet becomes more and more an urban land surface of the planet (estimates range system - many cities and their inhabitants from 0.2% to 2.4% circa 2000, according to are facing heat stress, pollution and growing POTERE & SCHNEIDER, 2007), they have disconnection with the biosphere. Improving disproportionate environmental impacts sustainability in urban areas should be thus well beyond their borders, affecting a major goal on the local and global policy. ecosystems at the local, regional, and global However, the extent to which urban green scales (GRIMM et al., 2008; SETO et al., 2012). system can offer relevant solutions to these Many cities worldwide are vulnerable challenges is rarely considered in ecosystem to the environmental extremes such as service assessments, and therefore unknown droughts, (coastal and inland) flooding or to decisionmakers (BARO, 2016). Cities are heatwaves because their frequency and major hubs for economic and business magnitude is rising due to climate change opportunities and centralize many basic (REVI et al., 2014). Pollution and other human services such as healthcare and disturbances (e.g., noise) generated in cities © Ecologia Balkanica Union of Scientists in Bulgaria – Plovdiv http://eb.bio.uni-plovdiv.bg University of Plovdiv Publishing House Green System and Air Quality in Sevlievo Town, Bulgaria have also direct and sometimes dramatic pollution, noise, and unwanted health impacts on the urban population introductions of invasive alien species. (BRUNEKREEF & HOLGATE, 2002; WHO, 2014). (MAES et al., 2018). Air conditions are part of Many urban dwellers also suffer the manifold the regulating ecosystem services (HARMENS negative effects of sedentary lifestyles, social et al., 2014). The evaluation of climate and air exclusion and increasing disconnection with quality related ecosystem services of urban the biosphere’s ecological dynamics trees is an important task (KISS et al., 2015). (ANDERSSON et al., 2014). On the other hand, urban dendroflora stands Human impacts on ecosystems reflect modify the city’s air quality by sequestration on their functions and processes, as well as – of carbon dioxide and removal of various air on “their direct and indirect contributions to pollutants – PM10, and by reducing human well-being” (TEEB, 2010) or stormwater runoff (KIRNBAUER et al., 2013; providing ecosystem goods and services, NOWAK et al., 2013; JIM & CHEN, 2014). which were classified into four main Furthermore, trees in particular are categories: provisioning, regulating, cultural considered to have significant aesthetic and and supporting or habitat services (MEA, eco-psychological values (O’CAMPO et al., 2005; TEEB, 2010). 2009; TYRVÄINEN et al., 2003). Urban Provisioning ecosystems services dendroflora provides environmental, health, include all the material goods obtained from and economic benefits to cities. Urban ecosystems, such as food, fiber, fresh water dendroflora mitigate the effects of urban or medicinal resources. These services of heat island through evapotranspiration and forest ecosystems only contribute directly to the shading of streets and buildings. This the world economy, estimated at 1% of the improves human comfort, reduces the risk of world's gross product and 3% of world heat stroke and decreases costs to cool trade. Regulating ones include all the ways buildings (PEARLMUTTER, 2018). Green in which ecosystems can mediate or system improves air quality by absorbing moderate the ambient environment, pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, including climate regulation, moderation of ammonia, and particulate matter (PM10) as extreme events, erosion prevention or well as performing carbon sequestration biological control. Cultural ones are the non- (KONIJNENDIJK, 2018). Urban trees are material outputs of ecosystems that affect important to stormwater management. Trees physical and mental states of people, for absorb and store rainwater through the example through spiritual experience, canopy, and slow down and filter runoff recreation, aesthetic appreciation or sense of with their roots (United States place. Finally, supporting or habitat Environmental Protection Agency, 2015). ecosystem services are defined as the Urban green system also encourage more ecological processes and functions that are active lifestyles by providing space for necessary for the production of the previous, exercise and are associated with reduced including habitat for species and stress and overall emotional well-being. maintenance of genetic diversity. Global climate change is already a fact, Urban ecosystems are considered in a and the question of how to deal with this good condition if the living conditions for change and how to manage the humans and urban biodiversity are good consequences stays in front of humanity. It is (MAES et al., 2016). This means, among clear to all today that cities are one of the others, a good quality of air and water, a most serious heat nuclei and generators of sustainable supply of ecosystem services and harmful emissions that engage the climate in a high level of urban species diversity. a vicious circle. One way to catch up or slow Important pressures on urban ecosystems down these processes is to increase the are unsustainable land take, air and water quantity and improve the quality of green 88 Simona P. Peteva, Mariyana I. Luybenova areas in urban environments (RANGELOV et absorption, diversion, reflection and al., 2016; RANGELOV, 2019). It is fact that the refraction of sound, which reduce the city does not usually offer trees ideal living reverberation caused by the noise of cars on conditions. The growth of a tree planted on the facades (Barcelona City Council, 2011). the street displays important differences as The recognition of this hierarchical linkage compared to a tree of the same species and among healthy urban forests and the age planted in natural conditions, or even effectiveness of broader ecosystem planted in a green space in a city. Many protection goals (e.g., maintaining constraints that the typical urban biodiversity and wildlife corridors), environment places on trees limits the highlights the need for scientists and average lifespan of a city tree to only 32 policymakers to gain a better understanding years – 13 years if planted in a downtown of the socio-spatial dynamics that are area – which is far short of the 150-year associated with tree canopy health at average life span of trees in rural settings different scales (WU, 2008). (HERWITZ, 2001). Soil conditions directly Two of the ecosystem services provided affect the growth of street trees. When soil is "free of charge" to humanity also from urban too compact, due to the weight of asphalt, green system are its ability to retain / pavements, vehicles and so on, this results in accumulate carbon and PM10. Cycling of a reduction in oxygen levels and the ensuing carbon (C) is essential to processes that asphyxiation of the roots and the provide food, fiber, and fuel for all of the mycorrhizae responsible for nutrition. The Earth’s inhabitants. Carbon dioxide is the same thing happens, when the soil is flooded second most abundant greenhouse gas after for a long period of time. Furthermore, as water vapor in the Earth’s atmosphere the years go by, the soil in tree pits (CHURKINA, 2016). According to the deteriorates in quality, mainly due to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change absence of fallen leaves and dead wood. (IPCC) the anthropogenic impact leads to an Therefore, the soil becomes impoverished; it increase in greenhouse gases concentration