Abstract
To evaluate the characteristics of atmospheric particle retention by plant leaves during the tourism season in Buddhism-based scenic areas, plants distributed in the core area of the Mount Wutai scenic area were selected for study: Populus davidiana (Po. davidiana), Rosa hugonis Hemsl. (R. hugonis), Betula platyphylla Suk. (B. platyphylla), Rosa xanthina Lindl. (R. xanthina), Periploca sepium Bunge (Pe. sepium), Spiraea salicifolia L. (S. salicifolia), Vitex negundo var. Heterophylla (V. negundo var. heterophylla) and Pinus tabuliformis Carrière (Pi. tabuliformis). Before rain, the atmospheric suspended particle-retaining weight of the plant leaves varied in the range of 6.95 ± 1.55 (Pi. tabuliformis) to 38.60 ± 18.32 mg/cm2 (Po. davidiana); the light shaded areas caused by particles on leaves were in the range of 7.25 ± 0.04 (Pi. tabuliformis) to 126.50 ± 6.66 cm2/leaf (Po. davidiana); and the atmospheric particle-retaining horizontal density of leaves varied in the range of 110 ± 2 (Pi. tabuliformis) to 255 ± 11 per cm2 (Po. davidiana). After rain, the atmospheric suspended particle-retaining quality of plant leaves varied in the range of 0.65 ± 0.23 (Pi. tabuliformis) to 3.50 ± 1.83 mg/cm2 (Po. davidiana); the light shaded areas by particles on leaves were in the range of 4.26 ± 0.02 (Pi. tabuliformis) to 45.96 ± 2.42 cm2/leaf (Po. davidiana); and the atmospheric particle-retaining horizontal density of leaves was in the range of 97 ± 2 (Pi. tabuliformis) to 147 ± 7 per cm2 (Po. davidiana). The broad-leaved plants, particularly Po. davidiana, R. hugonis and B. platyphylla, were appropriate species for purification of atmospheric particles. Plants with lower dust-retention abilities than the above three species (e.g., R. xanthina, Pe. sepium, S. salicifolia and V. negundo var. heterophylla) could be alternative plants for purification. However, the needle-leaved plant Pi. tabuliformis was not recommended as a tree species for purification of atmospheric particles in the core area of the Mount Wutai scenic area.
Highlights
With the highlighting of atmospheric environmental problems in cities and the increase in resident work pressure, relaxation and travel in natural scenic areas has been one way for people to pursue a healthy life
The retention of suspended matter or the removal of particulate matter after rain for the broad-leaved species including R. xanthina, Pe. sepium, S. salicifolia and V. negundo var. heterophylla fell between the results for Pi. tabuliformis and Po. davidiana, B. platyphylla and R. hugonis
It is suggested that tree species selection for purification of atmospheric particulate pollutants in the core area of the Mount Wutai scenic area should be based on Po. davidiana, R. hugonis and B. platyphylla
Summary
With the highlighting of atmospheric environmental problems in cities and the increase in resident work pressure, relaxation and travel in natural scenic areas has been one way for people to pursue a healthy life. The first choice for travel by most tourists is forest parks with better air quality and perfect green vegetation. Nearly 10,000 Buddhist temples are distributed in China’s forest parks [1,2,3]. In these regions, long-term extensive burning of incense as well as the combustion of fossil fuel and biomass products with increased rates of pilgrimage have year-by-year aggravated the atmospheric particulate pollution in Buddhism scenic areas. Through research on the atmospheric environment of two temples in Hong Kong, Wang et al [4] found that during the peak of incense burning, the average concentration of benzene in the environment was more than eight times the air quality standard value for rooms, office buildings and public places
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