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Biogeochemistry of Urban Forests

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Forest Hydrology and Biogeochemistry

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 216))

Abstract

The biogeochemistry of urban forests is strongly influenced by the urban environment. Precipitation beneath the canopy of trees is enriched by dry deposition abundant in an urban atmosphere. The litterfall production depends on the soil fertility and available water of urban forests just like the rural forests. The rates of literfall decomposition are retarded by air pollution and high ratios of C/N but migration of earthworms from nearby gardens and high rates of N deposition can offset the retardation. The tree biomass cannot be calculated through known equations derived from rural forests. New equations have to be constructed. Urban forests have to be monitored in time and include various rates of disturbance common in urban lands.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest Research Institute of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Panagiotis Michopoulos

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  1. Panagiotis Michopoulos
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Correspondence to Panagiotis Michopoulos .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Geography, Center for Climate Research, University of Delaware, Newark, 19716-2541, Delaware, USA

    Delphis F. Levia

  2. , Department of Geography, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, V2C 5N3, British Columbia, Canada

    Darryl Carlyle-Moses

  3. , Department of International Affairs, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan

    Tadashi Tanaka

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Michopoulos, P. (2011). Biogeochemistry of Urban Forests. In: Levia, D., Carlyle-Moses, D., Tanaka, T. (eds) Forest Hydrology and Biogeochemistry. Ecological Studies, vol 216. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1363-5_16

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