Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Study on the ecosystem services of urban forests: implications for climate change mitigation in the case of Adama City of Oromiya Regional Sate, Ethiopia

  • Published:
Urban Ecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was conducted to explore the ecosystem services of urban forests in Adama city, central Ethiopia. Attempts were made to quantify the carbon storage and sequestration, air pollution removal and hydrological benefits of urban trees. The urban forest structure and composition of the city was surveyed and analyzed. The i-Tree Eco Model was employed to analyze the ecosystem services based on the current urban forests structure of the city. The result revealed that the urban trees of the Adama city stored a total of 116,000 tons of carbon. The tree species identified with higher CO2 sequestration per year were Melia azedarach (15%), Eucalyptusglobulus (8%), Carica papaya (7%), and Delonix regia (6%). In addition, 22%, 12%, 10% and 4% of carbon were stored by Eucalyptus globulus, Melia azedarach, Carica papaya and Delonix regia tree species respectively. Moreover, trees and shrubs species in the city removed about 188 thousand tons of air pollutants caused by O3, CO, NO2, PM2.5 and SO2 per year. In Adama, 35% of the urban trees’ volatile organic compaound emissions were from Eucalyptus cinerea and Eucalyptus globulus. The monetary value of Adama urban forest in terms of carbon storage, carbon sequestration, and pollution removal was estimated to 43,781, 3,121 yr−1 and 320,915,596 USD yr−1, respectively. It was concluded that significant quantity of CO2 and air pollutants were found being removed by the exotic tree and shrub species. However, every plant species found in the city does not mean ecologically important due their VOC emitting nature. Thus, the results of the study are valuable in increasing the awareness of the decision making bodies, the public and any stakeholders of the eco-benefits of urban trees in the mitigation of climate changes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of data and materials

The data set generated for the study area is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

SE:

Standard Error

USD:

US Dollar

yr:

Year

VOC:

Volatile Organic Carbon

kg:

Kilogram

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

m2 :

Meter squer

DBH:

Diameter at Breast Height

SO2 :

Sulfur dioxide

O3 :

Ozone

CO:

Carbon mono oxide

NO2 :

Nitrogen dioxide

PM2.5 :

Particulate Matter less than 2.5 microns

References

  • Ambedkar (2010) Sequestered standing carbon stock in selective tree species grown in University campus at Sequestered standing carbon stock in selective tree species grown in University campus at Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Int J Eng Sci Technol 2(July):3003–3007

    Google Scholar 

  • Amoatey and Sulaiman (2020) Quantifying carbon storage potential of urban plantations and landscapes in Muscat, Oman. Environ Dev Sustain 22(8):7969–7984

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banerjee et al. (2013) Ecological processes, functions and ecosystem services: Inextricable linkages between wetlands and agricultural systems. Ecosystem Services in Agricultural and Urban Landscapes, January 2018, 16–27

  • Bikila and Zebene (2019) Carbon sequestration in agroforestry practices with relation to other land uses around Dallo Mena Districts of Bale Zone, Southeastern Ethiopia. Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research 7(5):218–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Geron et al. (2006) Volatile organic compounds from vegetation in southern Yunnan Province, China: Emission rates and some potential regional implications. Atmos Environ 40(10):1759–1773

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Girma et al. (2019) Urban green spaces supply in rapidly urbanizing countries: The case of Sebeta Town, Ethiopia. Remote Sens Appl Soc Environ 13:138–149

    Google Scholar 

  • Güneralp et al. (2020) Trends in urban land expansion, density, and land transitions from 1970 to 2010: A global synthesis. Environ Res Lett 15(4)

  • Koricho et al (2020) Assessment of the structure, diversity, and composition of woody species of urban forests of Adama City, Central Ethiopia. Arboric J 00(00):1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lamlom and Savidg (2006) Carbon content variation in boles of mature sugar maple and giant sequoia. Tree Physiol 26(4):459–468

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mensah et al (2017) Ecosystem service importance and use vary with socio-environmental factors: A study from household-surveys in local communities of South Africa. Ecosyst Serv 23:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mpofu (2013) Environmental challenges of urbanization : A case study for open green space management. Research Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Management 2(4):105–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowak (1993) Compensatory value of an urban forest: An application of the tree-value formula. J Arboric 19(3):173–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowak and Dwyer (2007) Understanding the benefits and costs of urban forest ecosystems. In urban and community forestry in the Northeast. Springer Netherlands, pp 25–46

  • Nowak et al (2014) Tree and forest effects on air quality and human health in the United States. Environ Pollut 193(October):119–129

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nowak et al (2007) Oxygen production by urban trees in the United States. Arboricult Urban for 33(3):220–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nowak et al (2008) A Ground-Based Method of Assessing Urban Forest Structure and Ecosystem Services. In Aboriculture & Urban Forestry. 34(6):347–358. (Vol. 34, Issue 6)

  • Russo et al (2014) Assessing urban tree carbon storage and sequestration in Bolzano, Italy. Int J Biodivers Sci Ecosyst Serv Manag 10(1):54–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rydin et al (2012) Shaping cities for health: Complexity and the planning of urban environments in the 21st century. Lancet 379(9831):2079–2108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siraj (2019) Forest carbon stocks in woody plants of Chilimo-Gaji Forest, Ethiopia: Implications of managing forests for climate change mitigation. S Afr J Bot 127:213–219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soares et al (2011) Benefits and costs of street trees in Lisbon, Portugal. Urban for Urban Green 10(2):69–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song et al (2020) Hydrological effects of urban green space on stormwater runoff reduction in Luohe, China. Sustainability (Switzerland) 12(16):1–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Steenberg et al (2016) Forecasting urban forest ecosystem structure, function, and vulnerability forecasting urban forest ecosystem structure, function, and vulnerability. Environ Manag June 2018

  • Stoffberg et al (2010) Carbon sequestration estimates of indigenous street trees in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. Urban for Urban Green 9(1):9–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Terfa et al (2020) Urbanization in small cities and their significant implications on landscape structures: The case in Ethiopia. Sustainability (Switzerland) 12(3):1–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Woldegerima et al (2017) Ecosystem services assessment of the urban forests of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Urban Ecosyst 20(3):683–699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao Q, McPherson EG (2016) Surface water storage capacity of twenty tree species in Davis, California. J Environ Qual 45(1):188–198

  • Yang and Endreny (2013) Watershed hydrograph model based on surface flow diffusion. Water Resour Res 49(1):507–516

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the experts of Adama city urban greening and beautification department (Mr. Abu Regasa, Mr. Adugna Muleta, Mr. Girma Godana, and Mr. Yadesa Kacha) for their assistance in facilitating the fieldwork. Also the authors are grateful to Dr. Mesfin Asefa a Mayor of Adama city administration and as well as Wuhan University of Technology, China for financial and other necessary support during our study.

Funding

This work was supported by the Adama city administration [$1500]; Wuhan University of Technology [$1000] are greatly acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China

    Hingabu Hordofa Koricho

  2. Department of General Forestry, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hawassa University, Shashemene, Ethiopia

    Ararsa Derese Seboka

  3. Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty, Jimma Institute of Technology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia

    Fekadu Fufa

  4. Department of Urban Forestry and Greening, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hawassa University, Shashemene, Ethiopia

    Tikabo Gebreyesus

  5. Hubei Key Laboratories of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China

    Shaoxian Song

Authors
  1. Hingabu Hordofa Koricho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ararsa Derese Seboka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fekadu Fufa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tikabo Gebreyesus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Shaoxian Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Mr. Hingabu Hordofa: Contributed in designing the research idea, data collection, report writing and data analysis and guiding the overall paper work. Mr. Ararsa Derese: Participated in data analysis, interpretation and report writing. Dr. Fekadu Fufa: Participated in designing method and structuring report. Mr. Tikabo Gebreyesus: Participated in edited language. Professor Shaoxian Song: Participated in designing method, structuring report and guiding the overall paper work.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hingabu Hordofa Koricho.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The subject has no ethical risk.

Consent for publication

The subject matter has no ethical risk.

Computing interest

The authors declares that they have no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Koricho, H.H., Seboka, A.D., Fufa, F. et al. Study on the ecosystem services of urban forests: implications for climate change mitigation in the case of Adama City of Oromiya Regional Sate, Ethiopia. Urban Ecosyst 25, 575–584 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-021-01152-0

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-021-01152-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation