Document: HYU-3-7-2

Carbon flows and the role of greenspace in urban ecosystem for Chuncheon, Korea

JO, H.*

Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea ¹

Abstract:
Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas causing climate change. This study estimated carbon uptake by urban greenspace and carbon emissions from fossil fuel use, and quantified the role of urban greenspace in atmospheric carbon reduction for Chuncheon, Korea. Carbon storage by woody plants averaged 26.0 t (metric tons)/ha for wild lands and 4.7 t/ha for urban lands (all land uses except wild and agricultural lands). Annual direct carbon uptake (uptake through photosynthesis) by woody plants averaged 1.7 t/ha/yr for wild lands and 0.6 t/ha/yr for urban lands. Annual indirect carbon uptake (emissions avoided through building energy savings) by trees in urban lands was 1.4 t/ha/yr, which is approximately 2.5 times greater than the direct uptake. Annual carbon release from tree maintenance in urban lands accounted for 5.5% of the direct and indirect uptake. Annual carbon release from grass maintenance was about 1.2 times greater than annual direct uptake by grass. Carbon storage in soils averaged 31.6 t/ha for wild lands and 24.8 t/ha for urban lands. Annual carbon input by litterfall into and carbon output by decomposition from soils in wild lands were estimated at 3.2 t/ha/yr and 1.9 t/ha/yr, respectively. Annual per capita carbon emissions from fossil fuel consumption were 1.3 t/yr. Urban greenspace (woody plants, grass, and soils) played a significant role through offsetting total carbon release from vegetation maintenance, soil decomposition, and fossil fuel use by 6% annually in the study city.

Keywords: climate change, carbon dioxide, vegetation and soils, uptake and emissions

This abstract is being presented at: 3:55 PM in session:
Symposium # 11: Urban Ecology: The Eastern and Western Perspectives.