Zhang, B.J., Zhou, Y., Pawełkowicz, M., Sadłos, A., Żurkowski, M., Małecka-Przybysz, M., Wójcik-Gront, E., Zhu, C.Y., Przybysz, A., 2025. Autumn and winter air phytofiltration – Are plants able to biofilter air during peak pollutant emissions? Journal of Environmental Management 373, 124027.
Abstrakt
Air pollution is highest in winter. The high concentration of particulate matter (PM) and trace elements (TE) after the growing season is influenced by increased pollutant emissions, unfavorable meteorological conditions, and the low efficiency of air phytofiltration. Plants that can remove pollutants from the air during the growing season are leafless in autumn/winter, and therefore unable to capture PM/TE effectively. This study investigated the ability of nine species of leafy evergreen plants to accumulate PM (surface and in-wax PM; PM2.5 and PM10) and TE in autumn and winter. Plant material was harvested in November and December from the park in Wuhan, China. The amount of accumulated pollutants depended on the species. The shrubs (Loropetalum chinense, Pittosporum tobira, Rhododendron simsii) and grass (Ophiopogon japonicus), were more effective at phytofiltration of PM and TE per leaf area unit than the trees. However, to better understand the potential of plants to accumulate PM in relation to a unit of land area, the leaf area index (LAI) has to be considered. Ligustrum lucidum and P. tobira characterized by low LAI, despite having PM deposition comparable to other trees and shrubs, exhibited a markedly reduced efficacy of pollutants accumulation in relation to square metre of land they occupy. In contrast to the TE concentration in winter, PM deposition on plants did not always increase after the autumn, probably due to the park’s low density of vegetation, PM resuspension by wind, and a decrease in the plants’ physiological activity. Seasonal variations in pollutants accumulation among species were recorded during the autumn/winter. This study reinforces the need for biodiversity and higher-density urban greening to optimize post-growth air phytofiltration. A holistic, year-round air pollution mitigation strategy should be provided by incorporating more diverse evergreen plant species with complementary phytofiltering properties.
Łowicki, D., Fornal-Pieniak, B., Schwerk, A., 2025. Urban greenery services for noise attenuation, pollutant filtration, and temperature lowering: Supply potential, demand, and budgets in Poznań, Poland. Ecosystem Services 73, 101713.
Abstrakt
This study aims to assess the spatial distribution of various types of urban greenery on the example of Poznań city (Poland), considering their potential to supply ecosystem services (ESs) and the demand for these services. Three ESs were assessed: noise attenuation, pollutant filtration, and temperature lowering. By determining both individual services and a bundle of them and considering biophysical and social demand, this study facilitates the integration of ESs in landscape planning and management. This study calculates a budget—the ratio of the supply potential and demand—to identify areas with the greatest need for ESs and gives clear advice to decision-makers. As expected, the results show that the analysis of individual ES generates different results, which suggests that they should be analysed in bundles. Although significant overlap was found between the potential to supply different services, the biophysical and social demands were much more diverse. The final budget showed a correlation between the need to create urban greenery and population and location relative to the city centre. The highest relationship was observed for noise attenuation, while the smallest was in the case of pollutant filtration. Although many studies show the effectiveness of urban greenery in increasing the level of ES and avoiding environmental problems in cities, only a few studies show how to select locations for activities, considering the present state as well as human and ecological needs. The clue of the presented approach is the mapping of structure–process relationships, which may easily translate into planning practice.
Łaszkiewicz, E., Sikorski, P., Archiciński, P., Sikorska, D., Dobrosz, K., Kronenberg, J., 2025. Would you walk here? Urban wildscapes as visual settings for utility and recreational walks. Cities 158, 105704.
Abstrakt
Walking is a primary physical activity that connects city inhabitants with nature, contributing to the development of healthy and sustainable cities. While green walking environments are typically associated with manicured urban parks and street greenery, other potential settings include urban wildscapes. These areas are shaped primarily by nature and offer a sense of being in nature or even the wild. This study explores whether city inhabitants are willing to walk through urban wildscapes and the factors influencing this willingness. We surveyed 524 residents of Warsaw, Poland, assessing their willingness to walk through eighteen urban wildscapes for both utility and recreational purposes. Random effects models indicated a higher willingness to walk through urban wildscapes for recreational walks compared to utility walks. City inhabitants preferred scattered greenery and grasslands for utility walks, while dense greenery and forests were favoured for recreational walks. A broader acceptance of walking through urban wildscapes could reduce the costs of maintaining urban green spaces and provide ecological benefits by preserving these areas in their ‘wild’ state. These findings contribute to discussions on social-ecological connectivity and the need to consider ‘nature of the fourth kind’ when planning green corridors that address societal and environmental needs.
Stachowicz, M., Lyngstad, A., Osuch, P., Grygoruk, M., 2025. Hydrological Response to Rewetting of Drained Peatlands—A Case Study of Three Raised Bogs in Norway. Land 14, 142.
Abstrakt
The proper functioning of peatlands depends on maintaining an adequate groundwater table, which is essential for ecosystem services beyond water retention. Most degraded peatlands have been drained for agriculture or forestry primarily through ditch construction. Rewetting through ditch blocking is the most common initial step in peatland restoration. This study analyzed the hydrological response to ditch blocking in three drained raised bogs in Norway (Aurstadmåsan, Midtfjellmåsan and Kaldvassmyra) using a Before–After–Control–Impact (BACI) design. Following rewetting, all sites demonstrated an average increase in groundwater levels of 6 cm across all piezometers affected by ditch blocking. The spatial influence of ditch blocking extended 12.7–24.8 m from the ditch with an average of 17.2 m. Additionally, rewetting increased the duration of favorable groundwater levels for peatland functioning by 27.7%. These findings highlight the effectiveness of ditch blocking in restoring hydrological conditions, although its impact is spatially limited. Future assessments should also address vegetation recovery and greenhouse gas emission reductions to ensure comprehensive restoration success.→ PDF