The Impact of Anthropopressure on the Health Condition of Ancient Roadside Trees for a Sustainable City: Example of the Silver Maples ( Acer saccharinum L.) Alley in Łódź (Central Poland)

Andrzej Długoński (), Jan Łukaszkiewicz (), Beata Fortuna-Antoszkiewicz, Jacek Krych, Przemysław Bernat, Katarzyna Paraszkiewicz, Aleksandra Walaszczyk and Justyna Marchewka
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Andrzej Długoński: Department of Landscape Architecture, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland
Jan Łukaszkiewicz: Department of Landscape Architecture, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland
Beata Fortuna-Antoszkiewicz: Department of Landscape Architecture, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland
Jacek Krych: Faculty of Architecture, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Przemysław Bernat: Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-136 Łódź, Poland
Katarzyna Paraszkiewicz: Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-136 Łódź, Poland
Aleksandra Walaszczyk: Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-136 Łódź, Poland
Justyna Marchewka: Department of Human Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, 01-938 Warszawa, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-22

Abstract: This pilot study aims to evaluate the state of the natural environment in the Silver Maples Alley (SMA) in Łódź, Poland, by using interdisciplinary research methods combining landscape architecture and environmental microbiology. The research focuses on the ecological condition of the trees in SMA, a historical monument consisting of about 100 century-old silver maples ( Acer saccharinum L.). As part of the analysis, the study examines the area’s soil properties, microbiological composition, and air quality, providing a comprehensive approach to assessing environmental quality. Microbial analyses were conducted to determine soil pH, the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the activity of Bacillus bacteria that produce biosurfactants for pollutant degradation. The results were compared with control sites with different Air Quality Index (AQI) values, including a park, a rural area, and a revitalized urban space. The findings support the hypothesis that environmental cleanliness correlates with the presence of pollutant-degrading microorganisms, particularly in areas with better air quality. This research contributes to understanding the role of green infrastructure, particularly old tree alleys, in urban ecosystems and public health. It also provides valuable insights into future management practices for historical green spaces. It highlights the need for interdisciplinary collaboration between landscape architecture, microbiology, and environmental sciences to address pressing sustainable development challenges.

Keywords: Acer saccharinum; Silver Maples Alley (SMA); urban green infrastructure; environmental microbiology; Bacillus bacteria; roadside veteran trees (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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