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The Role of Urban Vegetation and Forests in Climate Change Adaptation: Implications for Air Quality and Thermal Comfort in Cities

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A Special Issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907) belonging to the section "Urban Forestry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2026) | Viewed by 3726

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Editors

Dr. Beatriz Sanchez

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Guest Editor

Atmospheric Modelling Unit, Department of Environment, CIEMAT, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: meteorological micro and mesoscale modeling; CFD models; WRF model; urban climate; urban air quality; air pollution and heat mitigation strategies in cities
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Esther Rivas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Atmospheric Modelling Unit, Department of Environment, CIEMAT, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: CFD methodologies; numerical model evaluation and validation; pollutant dispersion and heat transfer phenomena; urban planning; air quality and energy efficiency
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Jose Luis Santiago

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Atmospheric Modelling Unit, Department of Environment, CIEMAT, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: urban air quality; microscale modeling; in particular with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models; urban vegetation (trees in streets, vegetation barriers, etc.) and its effects on pollutant concentrations and thermal comfort; pollutant mitigation strategies; urban climate and meteorology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban vegetation and forests significantly contribute to improving air quality, reducing urban heat, and enhancing thermal comfort, thereby supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation. Trees and green infrastructure filter pollutants through leaves, modulate the dispersion of pollutants through changes in street ventilation, and cool the environment through shading and evapotranspiration. However, some species may produce negative effects by, for instance, emitting biogenic volatile organic compounds or allergenic pollen, which can worsen air quality. Therefore, considering the effects of climate change in urban areas, selecting and managing suitable climate-resilient species is essential to maximize environmental benefits, minimize disservices, and ensure sustainable urban livability by improving air quality and thermal comfort in urban environments.

This Special Issue invites submissions of original research focused on the role of urban vegetation and forests in modifying urban air quality and thermal comfort in urban environments. We welcome studies based on field measurements or modelling approaches conducted across different spatial scales. Submissions that develop new parameterizations for representing urban vegetation processes in models are encouraged. We are particularly interested in research that evaluates the potential of nature-based solutions for improving air quality and thermal comfort within future climate scenarios.

Dr. Beatriz Sanchez
Dr. Esther Rivas
Dr. Jose Luis Santiago
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

urban air quality
thermal comfort
urban vegetation
future climate
climate change
nature-based solutions
urban overheating
urban climate

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 13856 KB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating Ficus and Fraxinus Species’ Cooling Effect on Urban Microclimate and Thermal Comfort Levels in Annaba City

by Bouthaina Sayad, Oumr Adnan Osra, Ebaa K. Khan, Hatem A. Nojoum, Mohanad A. Alfelali, Amina A. Alrehaili, Wajdy S. Qattan and Mohammad A. Almahdi

Forests 2026, 17(8), 928; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17080928 - 6 Aug 2026

Viewed by 397

Abstract

Urban areas face increasing challenges related to heat stress and urban heat islands, necessitating effective strategies for microclimate regulation and thermal comfort enhancement. This study investigates the cooling effect of three tree species, Ficus retusa, Ficus benjamina and Fraxinus spp. (Ash trees), on urban microclimates and thermal comfort in downtown Annaba, Algeria, during the summer. The methodology comprises two complementary methods. First, field measurements of air temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH), and wind speed (Ws) were recorded hourly from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Second, collected data was inputted into the ENVI-met microclimate model to simulate various urban canopy scenarios. Microclimate variations, including air temperature (Ta), mean radiant temperature (T_mrt), relative humidity, wind speed, and the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) index, were computed over a 13 h period, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., to examine the cooling effect of each species and their impact on outdoor thermal comfort. The results demonstrate the notable cooling effect of Ficus species and Fraxinus spp. with Ficus species generally exhibiting larger reductions in air temperature (0.9 °C to 2 °C) and PET index (7.3 °C to 7.7 °C), and higher increases in relative humidity (5.6% to 6.8%) compared to Ash trees. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Urban Vegetation and Forests in Climate Change Adaptation: Implications for Air Quality and Thermal Comfort in Cities)

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23 pages, 16381 KB

Open AccessArticle

Source-Context Differences in Particulate Matter Removal Dynamics of Urban Forests: Evidence from Two-Year Field Measurements

by Bobae Lee, Hong-Duck Sou, Seoncheol Park and Chan-Ryul Park

Forests 2026, 17(5), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17050588 - 12 May 2026

Viewed by 405

Abstract

Urban forests (UFs) are increasingly promoted as a nature-based solution for mitigating particulate matter (PM) pollution, yet their removal performance can vary depending on surrounding emission sources and environmental conditions. Here, we quantified the particulate matter reduction efficiency (PMRE) of UFs located near roads, industrial complexes, and urban areas, together with background forests in South Korea, based on field observations during the late autumn–spring period across two consecutive years (November–May in 2021–2022 and 2022–2023). We applied vector autoregression (VAR) to examine the dynamic relationships between PMRE and meteorological and air pollutant variables across eight representative sites. The results revealed that PM mitigation dynamics were strongly particle-size-dependent and context-specific. Across all sites, ΔPM₁₀ RE was predominantly self-driven, explaining over 90% of its own variance, whereas fine-particle dynamics showed stronger interdependence. In particular, ΔPM_2.5 RE consistently acted as a key mediator, accounting for up to 70%–80% of the variation in ΔPM_1.0 RE depending on source context. Industrial-complex-adjacent UFs exhibited the strongest cross-variable interactions, while urban-core UFs were largely governed by intrinsic mitigation processes. Roadside UFs showed site-specific responses associated with CO and temperature variability. Notably, PMRE responses exhibited damped oscillation patterns across all source contexts, converging toward equilibrium over time, indicating stabilization of mitigation performance following disturbance events. These findings demonstrate that urban forest air-quality benefits are highly context dependent and governed by particle-size-specific dynamics. Our results provide evidence-based guidance for designing and managing urban forests, emphasizing the need for source-specific strategies and prioritization of PM_2.5-oriented mitigation, particularly in industrial and roadside environments where fine-particle interactions are strongest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Urban Vegetation and Forests in Climate Change Adaptation: Implications for Air Quality and Thermal Comfort in Cities)

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24 pages, 16629 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Dust Retention Capacity in Typical Plant Communities Along Roadside Green Belts in Southern Xinjiang During Spring and Summer

by Fei Wang, Ruiheng Lv and Fengzhen Chang

Forests 2026, 17(3), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17030375 - 17 Mar 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1174

Abstract

Roadside green spaces function as critical ecological barriers in urban environments, and their plant communities play a key role in improving regional air quality. This study investigates typical roadside plant communities in southern Xinjiang, a region characterized by extreme aridity and frequent dust storms. By quantifying indicators such as dust retention capacity at both individual and community levels, together with leaf surface microstructural characteristics, we evaluate the comprehensive dust retention performance of different community configuration patterns. The results show that: (1) Among the studied species, Juniperus chinensis ‘Kaizuca’ exhibited the highest dust retention capacity per unit leaf area, followed by Juniperus chinensis L. and Rosa rugosa Thunb. Among trees, Platanus acerifolia (Aiton) Willd showed the greatest dust retention capacity per individual plant; among shrubs, Rosa rugosa Thunb. performed strongly, and among herbaceous species, Lolium perenne L. exhibited relatively high dust retention capacity. (2) Leaf dust retention is governed by the synergistic effects of multiple traits, including leaf aspect ratio, stomatal aspect ratio, stomatal protrusion, stomatal density, wax layer characteristics, and surface roughness. Leaf aspect ratio exerts a significant positive direct effect on dust retention, whereas stomatal aspect ratio shows a significant negative direct effect. (3) At the community level, the multi-layered tree–shrub–herbaceous configuration dominated by Platanus acerifolia (Aiton) Willd exhibited the strongest dust retention capacity, making it the most effective configuration for roadside green spaces. Overall, this study provides a robust theoretical framework and empirical evidence for the scientific selection and optimized configuration of roadside vegetation in arid regions, thereby supporting the sustainable improvement of urban roadside air quality in southern Xinjiang. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Urban Vegetation and Forests in Climate Change Adaptation: Implications for Air Quality and Thermal Comfort in Cities)

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20 pages, 5738 KB

Open AccessArticle

Regulatory Effects of Urban Vegetation and Urban Forests on the Thermal Environment of Megacities: A Comparative Study Based on Explainable Machine Learning

by Tianyin Li, Zhengru Li and Yang Yu

Forests 2026, 17(3), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17030296 - 26 Feb 2026

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1134

Abstract

Under the dual pressures of climate change and intensive urban expansion, which jointly exacerbate urban heat risks, optimizing the urban thermal environment through vegetation has become a core pathway for climate adaptation. However, accurately quantifying the nonlinear cooling responses of vegetation under complex urban morphologies and diverse geomorphic conditions remains a major scientific challenge in achieving efficient heat-resilient urban planning. This study takes three representative megacities in China—Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen—as case studies. By integrating multi-source datasets, an urban spatial morphology indicator system was constructed that encompasses key dimensions of the natural environment, urban morphology, and socioeconomic factors. Eleven machine learning models were applied to model and compare urban land surface temperature (LST). The results demonstrate that the CatBoost model exhibited superior performance in simulating complex urban thermal environments (R² = 0.683–0.873), effectively capturing the interactive effects among multidimensional factors. The findings reveal a dual differentiation pattern of “topographic constraint–morphological dominance” in urban thermal environments: in mountainous cities, elevation and mountain forests act as rigid cooling barriers that restrict the spread of heat islands; whereas in plain cities, thermal conditions are primarily governed by the synergistic warming effects of impervious surface expansion and intensive human–economic activities. More importantly, the study identifies a significant nonlinear threshold effect of vegetation cover (NDVI) on LST reduction—only when vegetation coverage exceeds a critical threshold can large-scale cooling benefits be activated to effectively offset the thermal accumulation associated with high GDP intensity. Based on these insights, the study proposes differentiated climate-adaptive spatial planning strategies: mountainous cities should strictly maintain ecological redlines at mountain fronts to safeguard macro-scale cooling sources, while high-density plain cities should focus on integrating green space patches to surpass the “cooling threshold” and enhance vertical greening systems. These findings provide a quantitative scientific basis for improving urban thermal resilience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Urban Vegetation and Forests in Climate Change Adaptation: Implications for Air Quality and Thermal Comfort in Cities)

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