COVID-19 pandemic underscores role of green space in urban carbon dynamics

Abstract

For Detroit Michigan the arrival of COVID-19 led to intensive measures to prevent further spread of the virus resulting in consequent changes in traffic and energy use. We take advantage of these different emission scenarios to explore CO2 dynamics in a postindustrial city with a declining population and increasing green space. We present atmospheric CO2 concentration and net urban ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NUE) from a typical eddy covariance system and canopy greenness from a field camera on the Wayne State University campus in midtown Detroit. We categorized our study period (January 18, 2020–July 31, 2020) into three subperiods associated with the state-wide shelter-in-place order. Our results support that the city was a net carbon source throughout the period, particularly during the shelter-in-place period, although reduced traffic lowered CO2 concentrations and NUE. However, during the post-order period when traffic was highest, atmospheric CO2 concentrations and NUE were lowest, suggesting that the greening of urban vegetation may have greater carbon mitigation potential than lowering anthropogenic carbon emissions through traffic reductions.