Does urban land use decrease carbon sequestration? —A case study in Taizhou, China

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.06.004

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Urban land use has dramatically changed ecosystem functions especially carbon sequestration and storage in the built-up area. Our objective was to assess carbon sequestration and storage by estimating the biomass and net primary productivity (NPP) of urban vegetation including trees, shrubs and lawns with consideration of the effects of garden management (pruning and mowing).

Methods Biomass and NPP from all trees, shrubs and lawns were estimated from 346 random quadrats. Allometric equations were used to calculate tree biomass from diameter at breast height and total height. An increment borer was used to measure trunk increment. Biomass and NPP from shrubs and lawns were estimated by destructive sampling. Management activities were recorded through actual measurements and the records of gardeners.

Important findings Trunk growth rate of individual urban trees is two times that in native forest. Pruning accounts for 30% of tree NPP. Carbon sequestration per unit of Taizhou built-up area is estimated to be 2.1 × 10³ kg C·hm^-2·a^-1(with trees, shrubs and lawns contributing 64%, 9% and 27%, respectively), which is lower than native forest. We infer that the carbon sequestration ability of Taizhou built-up area could meet the level of native evergreen broad-leaved forest if vegetation coverage is increased from 23% to 46%.

Key words: biomass, compensation, net primary productivity, pruning, urban vegetation, vegetation coverage

WEN Jia-Shi, GE Ying, JIAO Li, DENG Zhi-Ping, PENG Chang-Hui, CHANG Jie. Does urban land use decrease carbon sequestration? —A case study in Taizhou, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2010, 34(6): 651-660.

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https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2010/V34/I6/651

Figures/Tables 7

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管理措施 Management regime	乔木 Tree	灌木 Shrub	草坪 Lawn
遮阴 Sun shielding	抵挡太阳暴晒 When sun is drying	抵挡太阳暴晒 When sun is drying	-
排水 Drainage	暴雨之后及时排水 After heavy rain	暴雨之后及时排水 After heavy rain	暴雨之后及时排水 After heavy rain
施肥 Fertilization	仅对新植小树施肥 When newly transplanted	仅对新植灌丛施肥 When newly transplanted	每年2-4次, 主要在春天施撒 2-4 times mainly in spring
固定 Fixation	台风来临前 Before typhoon	-	-
浇水 Irrigation	仅有少量几次, 主要在夏季 Few times a year and mainly in summer	比树木浇水频繁, 主要在夏季 More frequence than trees and mainly in summer	最为频繁, 主要在夏季 The most frequence and mainly in summer
修剪(割草) Pruning (mowing)	每年2-4次, 主要在秋冬季 2-4 times a year and mainly in spring and autumn	每年4-8次, 主要在生长季 4-8 times a year and mainly in spring and autumn	每年2-12次, 主要在生长季 2-12 times a year and mainly in spring and autumn
除虫 Anti-pest	在早春或夏季 In early spring and occasionally in summer	在早春或夏季 In early spring and occasionally in summer	在早春或夏季 In early spring and occasionally in summer

管理措施 Management regime	乔木 Tree	灌木 Shrub	草坪 Lawn
遮阴 Sun shielding	抵挡太阳暴晒 When sun is drying	抵挡太阳暴晒 When sun is drying	-
排水 Drainage	暴雨之后及时排水 After heavy rain	暴雨之后及时排水 After heavy rain	暴雨之后及时排水 After heavy rain
施肥 Fertilization	仅对新植小树施肥 When newly transplanted	仅对新植灌丛施肥 When newly transplanted	每年2-4次, 主要在春天施撒 2-4 times mainly in spring
固定 Fixation	台风来临前 Before typhoon	-	-
浇水 Irrigation	仅有少量几次, 主要在夏季 Few times a year and mainly in summer	比树木浇水频繁, 主要在夏季 More frequence than trees and mainly in summer	最为频繁, 主要在夏季 The most frequence and mainly in summer
修剪(割草) Pruning (mowing)	每年2-4次, 主要在秋冬季 2-4 times a year and mainly in spring and autumn	每年4-8次, 主要在生长季 4-8 times a year and mainly in spring and autumn	每年2-12次, 主要在生长季 2-12 times a year and mainly in spring and autumn
除虫 Anti-pest	在早春或夏季 In early spring and occasionally in summer	在早春或夏季 In early spring and occasionally in summer	在早春或夏季 In early spring and occasionally in summer

城市 City	年平均降水量 Annual average precipitation (mm)	年平均气温 Annual average temperature (oC)	地上生物量 Aboveground biomass (× 10³ kg C·hm^-² )	地上生产力 Aboveground NPP (× 10³ kg C·hm^-²·a^-¹)	来源 Source
中国台州 Taizhou, China	1 525	17	1.3 ± 0.3	1.8 ± 0.5	This study
美国沃纳德克里克 Walnut creek, USA	510	8	0.5	1.0	Falk, 1976
美国柯林堡 Fort Collin, USA	385	9	-	1.75	Kaye et al., 2005
美国芝加哥 Chicago, USA	965	15	0.81	0.4	Jo & McPherson, 1995
美国弗朗特里戈 Front range, USA	350	9	1.3 ± 0.1	2.2 ± 0.2	Golubiewski, 2006

城市 City	年平均降水量 Annual average precipitation (mm)	年平均气温 Annual average temperature (oC)	地上生物量 Aboveground biomass (× 10³ kg C·hm^-² )	地上生产力 Aboveground NPP (× 10³ kg C·hm^-²·a^-¹)	来源 Source
中国台州 Taizhou, China	1 525	17	1.3 ± 0.3	1.8 ± 0.5	This study
美国沃纳德克里克 Walnut creek, USA	510	8	0.5	1.0	Falk, 1976
美国柯林堡 Fort Collin, USA	385	9	-	1.75	Kaye et al., 2005
美国芝加哥 Chicago, USA	965	15	0.81	0.4	Jo & McPherson, 1995
美国弗朗特里戈 Front range, USA	350	9	1.3 ± 0.1	2.2 ± 0.2	Golubiewski, 2006

生态系统 Ecosystem	碳储存 Carbon storage (× 10³ kg C·hm^-2)	碳吸收 Carbon sequestration (× 10³ kgC·hm^-2·a^-1)	补偿覆盖率 Compensated coverage (%)
台州建成区 Taizhou built-up area	7.8^*	2.1^*	23
常绿阔叶林 Evergreen broad-leaved forest	44.6^a	4.2^a	46
针阔混交林 Coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest	35.0^a	3.3^a	36
马尾松林 Pinus massoniana forest	12.5^b	2.2^b	24
马尾松林 Pinus massoniana forest	25.6^a	2.5^a	27
杉木林 Cunninghamia lanceolata forest	20.0^b	2.2^b	24
杉木林 Cunninghamia lanceolata forest	26.8^a	2.3^a	25