Abstract
This paper studies the relevance between carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption rates of common trees in Chulalongkorn University (Thailand), and environmental factors -- light intensity, air temperature, leaf temperature, and CO2 concentration in air -- by forming non-linear models. The common tree species are Pterocarpus indicus, Samanea saman, Peltophorum pterocarpum, and Terminalia catappa. Measuring CO2 absorption was done by chamber analysis approach. The experiment was carried out by gauging 10 leaves, 7 hours per day, and 2 days per species. According to the models, it is obvious that light intensity is the most influential factor to CO2 absorption for all studied species. Peltophorum pterocarpum and Samanea saman reach their maximum CO2 uptake rates of 24.5 and 20.9 CO2 µmol m-2s-1, when photosynthetically active radiation is 1100 and 1500 µmol m-2s-1 respectively. The other two do not reach their maximum rate within model data range. The regressions were best fitted with Gaussian function and Sigmoidal function. It is also suggested that Peltophorum pterocarpum and Samanea saman are good carbon sink and they should be planted more in the city for optimal CO2 absorption.
Highlights
Environmental problems are such a threat that people all over the world should have concerned
Light intensity (PAR) fluctuated dramatically that were not the same shape as in the research of Sunakorn and Kasemsap (2010), or of Dou, Zhang, Feng, and Liu (2005). It shows that Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was very low from 8 to 10 a.m. on the day that Pterocarpus indicus and Terminalia catappa were collected, whereas there were much lighter on the day of Peltophorum pterocarpum and Samanea saman
It is suggested that comparing CO2 absorption capacity among species needs many more observations with wider range of data from various trees
Summary
Environmental problems are such a threat that people all over the world should have concerned. Environmental scientists have classified carbon dioxide (CO2) as the most significant anthropogenic greenhouse gases (Stangeland, 2007; Smith et al, 2003). It has been risen by 39 percent (from 280 parts per million: ppm, to 388 ppm) since the beginning of Industrial Revolution (Wright & Boorse, 2011). There is a possibility of CO2 effecting on human health if inhaling air with carbon dioxide 426 ppm or more for a long term; and the body may immediately effects from 600 ppm (Robertson, 2006). Carbon dioxide concentration in urban area is likely to be more than 426 ppm because of dense population and human activities (Janagkakan, Chavalparit, & Kanchanapiya, 2012). It is necessary to do research in many tree species to find suitable ones for absorbing CO2 in standardized and reliable way
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