Survival is not enough: The effects of microclimate on the growth and health of three common urban tree species in San Francisco,California |
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Affiliation: | 1. Vytautas Magnus University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, Vileikos Street 8, LT-44404 Kaunas, Lithuania;2. Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University, Ž. E. Žilibero Street 6, LT-46324 Kaunas, Lithuania;1. Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Philadelphia, PA, USA;2. ISGlobal, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain;3. Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain;4. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain;5. Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Baltimore, MD, USA;6. Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA;7. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA;1. Key Laboratory for Forest Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Forest Ecosystem Research in arid- and semi-arid region of State Forestry Administration, Research center for Urban Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China;2. College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, Yue yang, 414006, China;3. College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Wisconsin, 54481, United States;1. Forest Growth and Yield Science, School of Life Sciences, Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany;2. Strategic Landscape Planning and Management, School of Life Sciences, Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Emil-Ramann-Str. 6, 85354 Freising, Germany;1. College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 800 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, United States;2. University of Florida, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, 14625 CR 672, Wimauma, FL 33598, United States;3. City of Milwaukee, 841 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202, United States;1. School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University, 360 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511 USA;2. USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, New York City Urban Field Station, 431 Walter Reed Rd., Bayside, NY 11359, USA |
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Abstract: | Urban forest managers must balance social, economic, and ecological goals through tree species selection and planting location. Ornamental trees are often popular in tree planting programs for their aesthetic benefits, but studies find that they have lower survivability and growth compared to larger shade trees. To maximize ecosystem services within these aesthetic preferences, it is important to select species carefully based on their ability to grow in each particular climate. However, little locality-specific and species-specific data exist on urban trees in many regions. This study examines the growth, survival, and vigor of three common ornamental street trees in San Francisco’s three different microclimate zones after over 16 years since planting. While we found over 70% survival for all three species throughout the city, there were significant differences in health and vigor among microclimates for each species, likely due to differences in drought-tolerance. While Arbutus had the greatest proportion of healthy trees in the Fog Belt and Sun Belt zones, Prunus cerasifera had the greatest proportion in the Sun Belt, and Prunus serrulata had the greatest proportions in the Transition and the Sun Belt zones. This species-specific and climate-specific information will better equip urban foresters to target both planting and tree-care of these popular species appropriately to maximize the benefits provided by these street trees while still maintaining a diverse canopy. Finally, we argue that simple survival calculations can mask more complex differences in the health and ability of different urban tree species to provide ecosystem services. |
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Keywords: | Microclimate Ornamental trees Tree growth Tree mortality Urban ecosystem Urban forest |
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