Description

With this KPI the main aim is to calculate the pollutions removed by vegetation (in stem, leaves and roots) (kg ha-1 year-1) using formulas and equations in order to assess the impact of the NBS.

The air pollutant removal capacity of trees is estimated based on dry deposition that is considered as the rate of air pollutants removed from the atmosphere (Lovett, 1994; McPherson et al., 1998; Scott et al., 1998). Pollutants are removed on leaf surfaces primarily through leaf stomata uptake of gaseous pollutants and leaf interception of particulate matter (Nowak et al., 2006). The first process leads to the diffusion of pollutant into the inner part of leaves. Gases may also be absorbed or react with plant surfaces, whereas removal through the latter process may be reduced by the suspension of intercepted particles from the leaf surfaces through wind action (Selmi et al., 2016). Air pollutant deposition on vegetation cover other than trees (such as shrubs, grass) and land cover types (like water bodies, and buildings) are not included in the calculation presented herein.

Scale as linked to D2.2 framework

• Street
• Household
• Object

Data source [ link to data framework]

• monitoring stations
• (municipal) maps and models.

Data needs

• Atmospheric pollutant concentration data
• tree cover data 

Expected Outputs

• Annual

Calculation methods

Links and references

• URBAN GreenUP Deliverable D2.4 - Monitoring program to Valladolid. https://www.urbangreenup.eu/insights/deliverables/d2-4-- -monitoring-program-to-valladolid.kl
• URBAN GreenUP Deliverable D3.4 - Monitoring program to Liverpool https://www.urbangreenup.eu/insights/deliverables/d3-4-- -monitoring-program-to-liverpool.kl
• URBAN GreenUP Deliverable D4.4 – Monitoring program to Izmir https://www.urbangreenup.eu/insights/deliverables/d4-4-- monitoring-program-to-izmir.kl
• URBAN GreenUP Deliverable D5.3: City Diagnosis and Monitoring Procedures https://www.urbangreenup.eu/insights/deliverables/d5-3- city-diagnosis-and-monitoring-procedures.kl
• Air Pollution in the UK 2015. https://uk air.defra.gov.uk/library/annualreport/index
• Bottalico, F., Chirici, G., Giannetti, F., De Marco, A., Nocentini, S., Paoletti, E., Salbitano, F., Sanesi, G., Serenelli, C., Travaglini, D., 2016. Air pollution removal by green infrastructures and urban forests in the city of Florence. Agric. Agric. Sci. Procedia 8, 243–251. doi:10.1016/j.aaspro.2016.02.099.
• Mullaney, J., Lucke, T., Trueman, S.J., 2015. A review of benefits and challenges in growing street trees in paved urban environments. Landscape Urban Plan. 134, 157–166. doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.10.013.
• Baró, F., Haase, D., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Frantzeskaki, N., 2015. Mismatches between ecosystem services supply and demand in urban areas: A quantitative assessment in five European cities. Ecol. Indic. 55, 146–158. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.03.013.
• SDG indicator 3.9.1 https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/files/Metadata-03- 09-01.pdf
• SDG indicator 11.6.2. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/files/Metadata-11- 06-02.pd