Evaluation of the Importance of Some East Asian Tree Species for Refinement of Air Quality by Estimating Air Pollution Tolerance Index, Anticipated Performance Index, and Air Pollutant Uptake

Myeong Ja Kwak, Jong Kyu Lee, Sanghee Park, Yea Ji Lim, Handong Kim, Kyeong Nam Kim, Sun Mi Je, Chan Ryul Park and Su Young Woo
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Myeong Ja Kwak: Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea
Jong Kyu Lee: Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea
Sanghee Park: Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea
Yea Ji Lim: Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea
Handong Kim: Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea
Kyeong Nam Kim: Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea
Sun Mi Je: Urban Forests Research Center, National Institute of Forest Science, Seoul 02455, Korea
Chan Ryul Park: Urban Forests Research Center, National Institute of Forest Science, Seoul 02455, Korea
Su Young Woo: Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 7, 1-18

Abstract: Potentials of tree species as biofilters depend on appropriate selection based on their tolerance to air pollution, which is usually evaluated by the air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and anticipated performance index (API). Thus, these index values need as a means of scientific understanding to assess the role of urban trees for better greenspace planning/management to mitigate impacts of gaseous air pollution such as ozone (O 3 ) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). O 3 exposure to Chionanthus retusus , Pinus densiflora , and Ginkgo biloba showed higher stomatal O 3 flux than the others, finally resulting in both favoring stomatal movement and maintaining carbon fixation. In contrast, despite the whole tree enhanced SO 2 uptake under excess SO 2 exposure, the carbon assimilation capacity was only found in Taxus cuspidata and Zelkova serrata as a consequence of no stomatal sluggishness. On the basis of API, P. densiflora and Prunus × yedoensis were good performers for developing greenspace, while Z. serrata and G. biloba were moderate performers; however, C. retusus and T. cuspidata were estimated to be poor and very poor performers, respectively, for reducing the air quality injury caused by air pollutants. The present study suggests that an integration of both APTI and API based on stomatal absorption flux is needed for selecting sound tree-species in greenspace planning/construction to control gaseous air pollutions.

Keywords: air pollution tolerance index (APTI); anticipated performance index (API); gaseous air pollutants; stomatal uptake; urban trees (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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