Effects of tree species and the number of planted trees on carbon storage of urban park trees

Abstract

Toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, as declared by the Japanese government, expectations for urban trees as carbon sinks have been growing. However, few studies have quantitatively assessed the carbon storage of urban trees in Japan. Therefore, this study conducted field surveys at 164 city block parks ― a designated category of urban parks in Japan — in the Saijo, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, to estimate the carbon storage of urban trees and calculate the carbon storage per park. The results revealed that mean carbon storage per park was 691.5 kg-C (SD = 795.9, N = 37). Furthermore, multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the number of planted trees was the primary factor explaining variation in carbon storage among parks, while tree species, DBH, and park area also contributed significantly, though to a comparatively limited extent.