Ecosystem services in urban areas: the influence of trees on urban climate regulation

Abstract

The present research proposal "Ecosystem Services in urban Areas: The role of trees on climate regulation" seeks to advance on the knowledge of ecosystem services performed by trees within urban areas and to explore their possibilities of application in the process of planning, design and management of urban green areas. Initially we intend to review national and international researches and publications about physiology and plant ecology applied to the Green Urban Infrastructure, specifically on road trees evapotranspiration process; the consumption of water from trees, its carbon storage and the relationship of these variables with microclimatic data, specially the cooling capacity of the surrounding air. Next, with a case study in the city of São Paulo, in two sectors, to be chosen, we intend to quantify ecosystem services performed by tree individuals of the same species, such as water absorption, cooling potential in different microclimatic situations and carbon sequestration, Such information could support the choice of tree species for plans and green infrastructure projects for the city of São Paulo, in order to collaborate with guidelines for the planning of green areas and urban forests for municipalities, as well as of master plans. (AU)