Assessing impacts of environmental perturbations on urban biogenic
carbon exchange in the Chicago region
Abstract
Carbon dioxide (CO2) quantification is critical for assessing city-level
carbon emissions and sustainable urban development. While urban
vegetation has the potential to provide environmental benefits, such as
heat and carbon mitigation, the CO2 exchange from biogenic sectors and
its impact from the environmental perturbations are often overlooked. It
is also challenging to simulate the plant functions in the complex urban
terrain. This study presents a processed-based modeling approach to
assess the biogenic carbon fluxes from the vegetated areas over the
Chicago Metropolitan Area (CMA) using the Weather Research and Forecast
- Urban Biogenic Carbon exchange (WRF-UBC) model. We investigate the
change of CO2 sink power in CMA under heatwaves and irrigation. The
results indicate that the vegetation plays a significant role in the
city’s carbon portfolio and the landscaping management has the potential
to reduce carbon emissions significantly. Furthermore, based on the
competing mechanisms in the biogenic carbon balance identified in this
study, we develop a novel Environmental Benefit Score metrics framework
to identify the vulnerability and mitigation measures associated with
nature-based solutions (NbS) within CMA. By using the generalized
portable framework and our science-policy confluence analysis presented
in this study, global cities can maximize the effectiveness of NbS and
accelerate carbon neutrality.