The influence of vegetation on the horizontal and vertical distribution of pollutants in a street canyon

Abstract

Space constraints in cities mean that there are only limited opportunities for increasing tree density within existing urban fabric and it is unclear whether the net effect of increased vegetation in street canyons is beneficial or detrimental to urban air quality at local scales. This paper presents data from a field study undertaken in Auckland, New Zealand designed to determine the local impact of a deciduous tree canopy on the distribution of the oxides of nitrogen within a street canyon. The results showed that the presence of leaves on the trees had a marked impact on the transport of pollutants and led to a net accumulation of pollutants in the canyon below the tree tops. The incidence and magnitude of temporally localised spikes in pollutant concentration were reduced within the tree canopy itself. A significant difference in pollutant concentrations with height was not observed when leaves were absent. Analysis of the trends in concentration associated with different wind directions showed a smaller difference between windward and leeward sides when leaves were on the trees. A small relative increase in concentrations on the leeward side was observed during leaf-on relative to leaf-off conditions as predicted by previous modelling studies. However the expected reduction in concentrations on the windward side was not observed. The results suggest that the presence of leaves on the trees reduces the upwards transport of fresh vehicle emissions, increases the storage of pollutants within the canopy space and reduces the penetration of clean air downwards from aloft. Differences observed between NO and NO(2) concentrations could not be accounted for by dispersion processes alone, suggesting that there may also be some changes in the chemistry of the atmosphere associated with the presence of leaves on the trees.