Abstract
Vegetation is a basic component of urban-suburban environments with significant area coverage. As a major vegetation type in US cities, urban turfgrass provides a range of important ecological services. This study examined the biological carbon fixation of turfgrass in a typical residential neighborhood by linking ground-based measurements, high resolution satellite remote sensing, and ecological modeling. The spatial distribution of turfgrass and its vegetative conditions were mapped with QuickBird satellite imagery. The significant amount of shadows existing in the imagery were detected and removed by taking advantage of the high radiometric resolution of the data. A remote sensing-driven production efficiency model was developed and parameterized with field biophysical measurements to estimate annual net primary production of turfgrass. The results indicated that turfgrass accounted for 38% of land cover in the study area. Turfgrass assimilated 0–1,301 g∙C∙m−2∙yr−1 depending on vegetative conditions and management intensity. The average annual net primary production per unit turfgrass cover by golf course grass (1,100.5 g∙C∙m−2) was much higher than that by regular lawn grass (771.2 g∙C∙m−2). However, lawn grass contributed more to the total net primary production than golf course grass due to its larger area coverage, although with higher spatial variability.
Highlights
Half of the global population lives in urban areas and the world urban population is expected to double by 2050 [1]
We examined the quantities and spatial patterns of the annual net primary production (NPP) of turfgrass in a typical residential neighborhood in the US with a remote sensing-driven production efficiency models (PEM) approach
Shadows in the remote sensing images, which accounted for about 7% of total land cover in the study area, were detected and removed by taking advantage of the high radiometric resolution of QuickBird data
Summary
Half of the global population lives in urban areas and the world urban population is expected to double by 2050 [1]. As a major component of land transformation processes, urbanization driven by population growth is apparent in many parts of the world. The consequences of urban and suburban development for human health and ecosystem functions remain largely elusive [4]. Vegetation is a basic component of urban-suburban environments with significant area coverage. Urban trees and grass provide a full range of ecosystem services that are vital to human health [7] and environmental quality [8]. Urban vegetation has the potential to affect local climate [9], reduce air pollution [10], mitigate storm-water runoff and improve ground water quality [11], as well as provide habitat for wildlife [12]
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