Abstract
The implementation of energy conservation and emissions reduction in Beijing prompted yearly increases in the area of urban green space, leading to direct increases in urban water consumption. This aggravated an already tense situation of water shortage. Considering the low irrigation water utilization effectives of the urban green space system, the typical urban greening shrub (Ligustrum vicaryi) was selected as the research object of this study. In a pot experiment, three mulch materials were selected: gravel (CH1), pine needles + gravel (CH2), and bark + gravel (CH3). These materials were set to a uniform thickness of 3 cm, and soil water was maintained between 75% and 85% of the field capacity. Using the analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy mathematics model, the physiological and ecological response characteristics of Ligustrum vicaryi were investigated under different combinations of mulch material. The results for various processing, regarding plant growth, showed CH3 > CH2 > CH1 > CK (Control Check). The leaf area, total leaf area, and leaf area index of CH3 were, respectively, 21.4%, 21.9%, and 62.5% larger than those of the control check (CK). Regarding physiological characteristics, photosynthetic rate, evaporation rate, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency of CH3 were better than for the other treatments. Regarding ecological services, carbon fixation, oxygen release, cooling, and quantity of humidification of CH3 were optimal. Considered comprehensively for the landscape function, physical characteristics, and ecological services of Ligustrum vicaryi, the preliminary thought is that bark and gravel dual-element mulch, with a layer thickness of 3 cm, was the optimal soil cover treatment for the typical city greening shrub Ligustrum vicaryi. Using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the fuzzy mathematical model for the evaluation of the effects of different soil cover treatments on the landscape function, ecological service function, and physiological characteristics of Ligustrum vicaryi was reliable and feasible. The model evaluation results match the actual ones.
Highlights
Green plants can beautify the environment and purify air, and can fix greenhouse gases, especially CO2 gas in the air, release O2 through photosynthesis [1,2]
By measuring landscape parameters (LA, total leaf area (TLA), leaf area index (LAI)), physical characteristics (Pn, transpiration rate (Tr), water use efficiency (WUE)), and ecological service function parameters at different times and leaf growing positions, the data was analyzed to determine the influence of the different soil covered mode on landscape function, physiological characteristics, and ecological service function of Ligustrum vicaryi
This illustrated that the implementation of the soil covered mode was beneficial to the growth of Ligustrum vicaryi, suppressed excessive consumption of soil moisture because of evaporation, and saved water that was absorbed by plant roots to supply plant growth
Summary
Green plants can beautify the environment and purify air, and can fix greenhouse gases, especially CO2 gas in the air, release O2 through photosynthesis [1,2]. Green plants could lower ambient temperature in the surrounding environment and increase air humidity by leaf transpiration water loss, which provides balance between the urban landscape and ecological environment [3,4,5]. Global activities for energy conservation and emissions reduction have promoted rapid development of urban green space area and led to increasing water consumption, which has accelerated the already. The water use efficiency has been low, causing the waste of water resources during the processes of green space construction and irrigation management. The proper soil cover could conserve soil moisture, reduce water loss from soil surface evaporation, stabilize the soil temperature, and increase the efficiency of plants water use [8,9]. The soil cover has played a role in the beautification of urban landscape
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