EGU21-7125, updated on 10 Jan 2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-7125
EGU General Assembly 2021
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Capacity of Quercus robur L. and Tilia cordata Mill. trees in providing urban ecosystem services in boreal climate

Sofia Sushko1,2, Alexey Yaroslavtsev2,3, Nina Tsuvareva4, and Riccardo Valentini5
Sofia Sushko et al.
  • 1Agrophysical Research Institute, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation (rogovaja7@mail.ru)
  • 2Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russian Federation
  • 3Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Moscow, Russian Federation
  • 4Saint-Petersburg State Forest Technical University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
  • 5Tuscia University, Viterbo, Italy

Trees play an important role in urban ecosystem functioning and providing many ecosystem services, in particular, water and energy balance regulation. Consequently, trees can be a tool to mitigate to run-off and heat island effect in urban areas. We quantified the possibility of urban trees to provide these ecosystem services in the northernmost city with a million population – St. Petersburg (59°57′ N / 30°19′ E; Russia). Two diffuse-porous tree species – Quercus robur L. (n=2) and Tilia cordata Mill. (n=4) – were chosen for the research. These tree species are the most common in the green infrastructure of the city despite they are not typical for this biome, i.e. south taiga. During two growing season (July-Oct. 2019, April-Oct. 2020), tree sap flux was measured by thermal dissipation method using TreeTalker device (Nature 4.0 Corp., Italy). Sap flux density (Js) was calculated with modified Granier’s empirical calibration equation. Energy loss through tree transpiration was estimated from sap flux per tree (Js × sap wood area) and latent heat of vaporization. For the entire observed period, average daily Js (24 h) of Q. robur trees were almost two times higher than T. cordata trees (3.46 vs. 1.91 g cm-2 h-1). Importantly, for Q. robur Js significantly decreased with increasing tree age (from 3.75 to 1.99 g cm-2 h-1 with age alteration from 145 to 350 yrs.), while for T. cordata it did not change (1.74 and 1.69 g cm-2 h-1 for 60-80 and 100-115 yrs.). Q. robur showed a significant higher daily energy loss through tree transpiration compared to T. cordata (618 and 396 W tree-1 with 100-108 diameter at breast high) for the studying period. Thus, Q. robur compared to T. cordata was more effective in providing water regulation services, especially in shallow groundwater table typical for St. Petersburg. Moreover, this tree species also has a higher capacity in mitigate to urban heat island effect.

Current research was financially supported by Russian Science Foundation, No 19-77-30012.

How to cite: Sushko, S., Yaroslavtsev, A., Tsuvareva, N., and Valentini, R.: Capacity of Quercus robur L. and Tilia cordata Mill. trees in providing urban ecosystem services in boreal climate, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-7125, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-7125, 2021.