Analyzing the relationship between the leaf anatomical traits and PM adsorption capacity of 150 major landscape tree species in Korea

Abstract

The literature extensively discusses the potential of trees to enhance urban air quality by removing particulate matter (PM), highlighting it as one of the numerous advantages of trees in urban settings. To optimize the layout of green spaces in urban and peri-urban areas with restricted open space, it is crucial to choose appropriate tree species capable of maximizing PM removal. Regarding the PM absorption capacity in leaves, recent findings have primarily focused on establishing connections with complex leaf shapes, large surface areas, trichome shapes or other associations. Depending on which tree species were tested, factors that had a major influence on the adsorption capacity of PM used to show differently. So, we evaluated the relationship between leaf anatomical traits (microstructural properties) and PM adsorption capacity in 150 species in Korea. As a result of our study, a weak relationship was observed between microstructures (trichome density located in the main vein, lateral vein, lamina, stomatal density, roughness, leaf length, leaf area) and the PM adsorption capacity in 150 tree species. We suggest that the microstructures associated with PM adsorption capacity are likely a combination of complex factors rather than a single major factor. To gain clearer insights, we plan to conduct analyses on the same genus with similar microstructure characteristics but varying morphological differences, such as density and length. Additionally, we intend to analyze two to three composite characteristics of microstructure.