Analysis of CO<sub>2</sub> Emission by Urban Soils under the Conditions of the Kola North

Abstract

Dynamics in soil CO2 emission, temperature and moisture was observed during the vegetation season (from May to October) in 2021 and 2022 in the residential areas of Murmansk and Apatity cities (Murmansk region) in comparison with natural references. The average emissions from urban soils were 5–7 gC/(m2 day) in summer and 1–2 gC/(m2 day) in spring and autumn. Temperature was the main abiogenic factor that determined the seasonal dynamics of soil respiration (R2 from 0.4 to 0.7, p 0.05; temperature coefficient Q10 up to 2.5), while excess moisture had a limiting effect, especially in the natural areas. The heterogeneity of hydrothermal conditions and the content of biophilic elements determined the differences in the average CO2 emission between natural and urban soils. For the natural soils, the average temperature was lower and the humidity was higher than for urban areas, which determined the lowest emission values. Among urban sites, higher CO2 emissions have been shown for tree and shrub vegetation sites.