Exploring how the heterogeneous urban landscape influences CO2 concentrations: The case study of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona

Abstract

Monitoring CO2 concentrations in urban areas is crucial for determining the efficacy of climate change mitigation policies. However, highly heterogeneous land use, local geography, and local convection patterns, which vary throughout the urban landscape, complicate this task. To establish continuous monitoring programs, it is important to first determine the heterogeneity of urban landscapes on the ground. To understand the role these factors play in the distribution of CO2 over an urban area, we conducted a CO2 measurement campaign over the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) over four urban land uses: impervious, green, forest, and agricultural. There is a clear tendency for CO2 mixing ratios to decrease as the degree of urban vegetation increases, even in the midst of a developed boundary layer. For example, CO2 concentrations were 429 and 427 ppm at forest and agricultural sites, respectively, while 485 ppm was reported at urban sites. A decrease in atmospheric CO2 was observed from 458 to 428 ppm in the gradient from urban to suburban areas, in which the biosphere component increased. The biosphere component of the CO2 signal was significant and was observed in the gradient from urban to suburban areas, which averaged a reduction from 458 to 428 ppm. Our findings show that the large spatial variability in CO2 concentrations (ranging from 410 to 495 ppm) is best explained by anthropogenic activity. We propose increasing the spatiotemporal resolution of CO2 monitoring in the AMB to determine these trends more precisely over longer periods of time.