Quantifying Street Tree Regulating Heat Effects Using a Generalized Linear Mixed Model Approach

  • V. A. Rosos Djikpo Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
  • Oscar Teka Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
  • Sandrine Abalo Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
  • Murielle Hozanhekpon Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
  • Ghislaine Noudehou Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
  • Brice Sinsin Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
Keywords: Climate change, GLMM, heat effects mitigation, meteorological parameters, street tree

Abstract

Climate change has emerged as a significant global environmental concern, prompting increased interest in utilizing trees as an alternative means to enhance human well-being and thermal comfort in urban settings. This study endeavors to assess the influence of street trees on the urban microclimate in tropical cities, employing a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) approach. The investigation was carried out in Cotonou, Porto-Novo, and Ouidah within Benin. Data collection was conducted along thoroughfares, where a systematic inventory was performed to measure various characteristics of each street tree, including crown shape, shade form on the ground, crown diameter, diameter at breast height, and tree height. Meteorological data, encompassing air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed, were recorded at three different heights, thrice an hour from 7 am to 7 pm. Subsequently, these datasets were analyzed using GLMMs. A total of 1127 street trees belonging to 20 species and 13 families were identified. The Shannon Diversity Index and Pielou Equitability values ranged from 2.33 to 2.92 bits and 0.17 to 0.64, respectively. The GLMM analysis revealed that the presence of trees, daytime, and height significantly influenced air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. The presence of street trees on both sides of roadways induced an air temperature decrease ranging from -0.6°C to -1.4°C and an increase in relative humidity ranging from +2.5% to +5.2% between 11 am and 5 pm, as compared to other layouts. Furthermore, closed canopy patterns exhibited the most favorable outcomes, resulting in an air temperature decrease ranging from -0.4°C to -1°C and an increase in relative humidity ranging from +2.4% to +5.5% between 11 am and 5 pm. These findings hold the potential to inform urban planners and policymakers in designing and implementing effective street tree planting strategies that optimize cooling effects and mitigate the impact of climate change on urban areas.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

1. Abdourhamane H., Morou B., Rabiou H. and Amhamane A. 2013. Caractéristiques floristiques, diversité et structure de la végétation ligneuse dans le Centre-Sud du Niger: cas du complexe des forêts classées de Dan kada Dodo-Dan Gado. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 7(3): 1048-1068.
2. Adam, K. S. & Boko, M. (1993). Le Bénin. Cotonou : Les Éditions du Flamboyant/EDICEF.
3. Akoègninou, A., Van der Burg, W. J. & Van der Maesen, L. J. G. (2006). Flore analytique du Bénin (No. 06.2). Backhuys Publishers.
4. Arnson, Y., Gringauz, I., Itzhaky, D., & Amital, H. (2012). Vitamin D deficiency is associated with poor outcomes and increased mortality in severely ill patients. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 105(7), 633-639.
5. Bowler, D.E., Buyung-Ali, L., Knight, T.M. and Pullin, A.S. (2010). Urban greening to cool towns and cities: A systematic review of the empirical evidence. Landscape and urban planning, 97(3) : 147-155.
6. Feyisa, G.L. Dons, K. and Meilby, H. (2014). Efficiency of parks in mitigating urban heat island effect: An example from Addis Ababa. Landscape and Urban Planning, 123 : 87-95.
7. Fischer, L. (2005). Phénomènes radiatifs et îlot de chaleur urbain dans l’agglomération de Strasbourg. Revue Géographique de l'Est, 45(2) : 99-112.
8. Georgescu, M., Chow, W.T.L., Wang, Z.H., Brazel, A., Trapido-Lurie, B., Roth, M. and Benson-Lira, V. (2015). Prioritizing urban sustainability solutions: coordinated approaches must incorporate scale-dependent built environment induced effects. Environmental Research Letters. 10(6): 061001.
9. Gnelé, J. 2010. Dynamiques de planification urbaine et perspectives de développement durable à Cotonou (République du Bénin) (Doctoral dissertation, Thèse de doctorat, FLASHUAC, Bénin, 339.
10. Gromke, C., Blocken, B., Janssen, W., Merema, B., van Hooff, T. and Timmermans, H. (2015). CFD analysis of transpirational cooling by vegetation: Case study for specific meteorological conditions during a heat wave in Arnhem, Netherlands. Building and environment, 83 : 11-26.
11. Guimbo I. D., Mahamane A., Ambouta K. J. M. (2010). Peuplement des parcs à Neocarya macrophylla (Sabine) Prance et à Vitellaria paradoxa (Gaertn. CF) dans le sud-ouest nigérien : diversité, structure et régénération. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 4(5) : 1706-1720.
12. Houinsou, A. (2009). Foresterie Urbaine à Cotonou: Diagnostic et Approches de solution pour une Gestion intégrée. Mémoire DEA FLASH/UAC, Bénin, 71.
13. IEA (2022), Playing my part, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/playing-my-part, License: CC BY 4.0
14. IPCC (2014). Climate Change 2014: Impacts. Adaptation. and Vulnerability. Part A: Global and Sectoral Aspects. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. UK and New York. NY. USA 1132.
15. Kenney, W.A., van Wasseanaer, P.J.E. & Satel, A. L. (2011). Criteria and Indicators for Strategic Urban Forest Planning and Management. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry. 37: 108–117.
16. Lafontaine-Messier, M. (2014). Potentiel de l'utilisation des arbres nourriciers à des fins de production alimentaire au sein de parcs publics urbains à Villa El Salvador, au Pérou (Doctoral dissertation, Université Laval).
17. Lankao, P.R. (2008). Urban areas and climate change: Review of current issues and trends issues paper for the 2011 global report on human settlements. National Center for Atmospheric Research.
18. INSAE (2013). Quatrième Recensement Général de la Population et de l’Habitation. Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Economique (septembre 2013). Cotonou. Bénin.
19. Litschke, T. and Kuttler, W. (2008). On the reduction of urban particle concentration by vegetation—a review. Meteorologische Zeitschrift. 17(3): 229-240.
20. Meyer, J.L., Paul, M.J. and Taulbee, W.K. (2005). Stream ecosystem function in urbanizing landscapes. Journal of the North American Benthological Society. 24(3): 602–612.
21. Osseni, A. A., Sinsin, B., Toko Imorou, I. 2014. Analyse des contraintes de viabilité de la végétation urbaine : cas des arbres d’alignement dans la ville de Porto-Novo au Benin. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 10(32) : 1-15.
22. Ouinsavi, C. (2000). In situ conservation of Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss: socioeconomic relevance. structure and dynamic of natural communities and Productivity of trial plantations in Benin. Engineer Agronomist Thesis. FSA/UAC. Abomey-Calavi. Benin. 120 p.
23. Potes, L. M. R., Hanrot, S., Dabat, M.A., Izard, J.L. (2012). Variation des paramètres de plantation des arbres d’alignement dans un milieu urbain et son influence sur la température de l’air - Cas d’Aix-en-Provence, France. Thibaud, Jean-Paul and Siret, Daniel. Ambiances in action / Ambiances en acte(s) - International Congress on Ambiances, Montreal 2012, Sep 2012, Montreal, Canada. International Ambiances Network, 261-266.
24. R Core Team. 2022. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. Vienna. Austria.
25. Revelli, R., & Porporato, A. (2018). Ecohydrological model for the quantification of ecosystem services provided by urban street trees. Urban Ecosystems, 21, 489-504.
26. Segura, R., Krayenhoff, E. S., Martilli, A., Badia, A., Estruch, C., Ventura, S., & Villalba, G. (2022). How do street trees affect urban temperatures and radiation exchange? Observations and numerical evaluation in a highly compact city. Urban Climate, 46, 101288.
27. Sénécal, G. 2007. Urban environment: mapping a concept. Introductory note. Environnement Urbain/Urban Environment, (Volume 1).
28. Sokpon, N. and Ouinsavi, C. (2004). Gestion des plantations de Khaya senegalensis au Bénin. Bois et Forêts des Tropiques. 279 (1) 37.
29. Stern, N. 2007. The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review. Cambridge University Press.
30. Stewart, I.D. and Oke, T. 2009. Classifying urban climate field sites by “local climate zones”: The case of Nagano, Japan. Seventh International Conference on Urban Climate (Vol. 29).
31. Teka, O., and Vogt, J. (2010). Social perception of natural risks by local residents in developing countries-The example of the coastal area of Benin. Social Science Journal. 47. 215–224.
32. Teka, O., Togbe, C. E., Djikpo, R., Chabi, R. and Djossa, B. (2017a). Effects of urban forestry on the local climate in Cotonou. Benin republic. Agriculture. Forestry and Fisheries. 6(4): 123–129. doi: 10.11648/j.aff.20170604.13. ISSN: 2328-563X (Print). ISSN: 2328–5648 (Online)
33. Teka, O., Togbe, E., Djossa, B., Djikpo, R., Oumorou, M., and Sinsin, B. (2017b). Plant diversity and carbon storage in roadside trees in Cotonou (Republic of Benin). Annales des Sciences Agronomiques, 21(2), 203-221.
34. Vailshery, L.S., Jaganmohan, M. and Nagendra, H. (2013). Effect of street trees on microclimate and air pollution in a tropical city. Urban forestry & urban greening, 12(3) : 408-415.
35. Zhang, X.M., Zhang, X.D., Gray, D. and Wang, H. (2013). The number of subtrees of trees with given degree sequence. Journal of Graph Theory, 73(3) : 280-295.
Published
2023-07-25
How to Cite
Rosos Djikpo, V. A., Teka, O., Abalo, S., Hozanhekpon, M., Noudehou, G., & Sinsin, B. (2023). Quantifying Street Tree Regulating Heat Effects Using a Generalized Linear Mixed Model Approach. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 19, 422. Retrieved from https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/view/17003
Section
ESI Preprints