Summary
The pilot study described in the text is an example of how the Internet of Things (IoT) technology can be applied to monitor and quantify the ecosystem services provided by urban green infrastructure. The study, set in Moscow, used a network of low-cost, wireless monitoring devices installed on individual trees to collect real-time data on their ecophysiological parameters, such as shading, cooling, water transpiration, carbon sequestration, and particulate matter removal, from 1 July to 31 November 2019 with a time resolution of 1.5 h. The results of the study showed that the urban green infrastructure in the study area provided important regulating ecosystem services, quantifying the reducing extreme heat, cooling the surrounding area, transpiring water, sequestering atmospheric carbon, and removing particulate matter. These services varied spatially and temporally depending on the tree species, local environmental conditions, and seasonal weather. Therefore, it is important to use real-time monitoring data to gain a deeper understanding of the processes of urban forests. The use of IoT technology in monitoring urban green infrastructure provides an opportunity to establish a smart urban green infrastructure operational system for management. This system can use real-time data to optimize the management of urban green infrastructure, such as identifying areas with higher levels of pollution or heat stress and prioritizing maintenance or restoration activities. Moreover, it can enable policymakers to make informed decisions based on quantitative data and to develop evidence-based policies for sustainable urban development. Overall, the use of IoT technology in monitoring and managing urban green infrastructure can contribute to more effective and sustainable urban planning, which is increasingly important in the context of rapid urbanization, climate change, and environmental degradation.
Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
The paper develops tools and technological solutions for monitoring the provisioning of regulating services by the urban green system. These solutions start from the consideration of the complexity and dynamicity of the urban vegetation. Using the Internet of Things technology, the paper shows the urban trees' overall role and the differentiated contribution for every tree in the mitigation of the urban heat island in a Moscow square. The sensors were installed on trees belonging to four species. The species are Acer platanoides (5 trees), Betula pendula (3), Larix sibirica (3), and Tilia cordata (5). The sensors measure the sap-flow density for every plant, the light transmission spectra through the canopy in 12 spectral bands, the diameter growth, and the oscillation. The evaluated parameters are carbon sequestration, cooling effect, run-off mitigation, LAI dynamics, and particulate adsorption. The authors report results differentiated by species.
