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Forests
Special Issues
Ecosystem Services of Urban Forest
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Ecosystem Services of Urban Forest

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Forestry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 July 2025) | Viewed by 7717

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Slaveya Petrova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Ecology and Environmental Conservation, Faculty of Biology, Plovdiv University “Paisii Hilendarski”, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2. Department of Microbiology and Ecological Biotechnologies, Faculty of Plant Protection and Agroecology, Agricultural University, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Interests: urban ecology; urban vegetation; biomonitoring; environmental pollution; oxidative stress; soil ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Bogdan Nikolov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Ecology and Environmental Conservation, Faculty of Biology, Plovdiv University “Paisii Hilendarski”, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Interests: environmental pollution; soils science; bioaccumulation and biomonitoring
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban forests and urban vegetation as a whole generally offer multiple resources and environmental benefits to society. Trees are regarded as the key elements of urban green infrastructure, as they have the largest effect on urban ecosystems. The functions and services they provide, such as air quality improvement, carbon sequestration, temperature reduction, etc., are directly influenced by the composition of species, the number and location of trees, their biological properties, their adaptive mechanisms, and so on. Therefore, the first step in improving the management of urban green spaces and to enhance their potential for ecosystem services is to evaluate the current structure and benefits of urban forests. This Special Issue plans to give an overview of the most recent advances in the field of ecosystem services assessment in urban areas, with a focus on urban trees and urban vegetation, as well as their valorization.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Air pollutants removal;
  • Carbon sequestration;
  • Microclimate regulation;
  • Temperature reduction;
  • Biodiversity support;
  • Pollinators support;
  • Disservices of urban trees (pollens, volatile compounds, etc.).

Dr. Slaveya Petrova
Dr. Bogdan Nikolov
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind 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 resilience
  • air pollution mitigation
  • precipitation runoff limitation
  • urban heat island mitigation
  • carbon sequestration
  • ecosystem services

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 5183 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Ecological Contributions of Tree Assemblages in Urban Expressway Interchange Landscapes: A Case Study from Nanjing, China
by Mingxing Xu and Lu Ding
Forests 2025, 16(8), 1355; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081355 - 20 Aug 2025
Viewed by 98
Abstract
Urban expressway interchanges, though primarily engineered for traffic efficiency, also serve as crucial ecological nodes within urban landscapes. This study evaluates the ecological functions of arborous vegetation across four typical interchange configurations—cloverleaf, single trumpet, double trumpet, and irregular—along the Nanjing Ring Expressway. Using [...] Read more.
Urban expressway interchanges, though primarily engineered for traffic efficiency, also serve as crucial ecological nodes within urban landscapes. This study evaluates the ecological functions of arborous vegetation across four typical interchange configurations—cloverleaf, single trumpet, double trumpet, and irregular—along the Nanjing Ring Expressway. Using the i-Tree Eco model, we quantified key ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration and storage, air pollutant removal, and stormwater mitigation. Field surveys documented 7985 trees from 45 species, with the 10 most abundant accounting for over two-thirds of total individuals. Results revealed that the trees sequester around 115 tons of carbon annually and store nearly 1850 tons in total, equivalent to an estimated economic benefit of ¥5.8 million. Trees also removed more than 1.5 tons of air pollutants and intercepted nearly 2400 cubic meters of stormwater each year. Species such as Sophora japonica, Phoebe zhennan, and Cinnamomum camphora emerged as key contributors to ecological performance. Among interchange types, double trumpet configurations yielded the highest overall service value, while single trumpet interchanges demonstrated superior efficiency per unit area. These findings highlight the underutilized ecological potential of transport-adjacent green spaces and underscore the importance of species selection and spatial design in maximizing multifunctional benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services of Urban Forest)
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20 pages, 2546 KiB  
Article
Positive Relationships Between Soil Organic Carbon and Tree Physical Structure Highlights Significant Carbon Co-Benefits of Beijing’s Urban Forests
by Rentian Xie, Syed M. H. Shah, Chengyang Xu, Xianwen Li, Suyan Li and Bingqian Ma
Forests 2025, 16(8), 1206; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081206 - 22 Jul 2025
Viewed by 416
Abstract
Increasing soil carbon storage is an important strategy for achieving sustainable development. Enhancing soil carbon sequestration capacity can effectively reduce the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which not only contributes to the carbon neutrality goal but also helps maintain ecosystem stability. Based on [...] Read more.
Increasing soil carbon storage is an important strategy for achieving sustainable development. Enhancing soil carbon sequestration capacity can effectively reduce the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which not only contributes to the carbon neutrality goal but also helps maintain ecosystem stability. Based on 146 soil samples collected at plot locations selected across Beijing, we examined relationships between soil organic carbon (SOC) and key characteristics of urban forests, including their spatial structure and species complexity. The results showed that SOC in the topsoil with a depth of 20 cm was highest over forested plots (6.384 g/kg–20.349 g/kg) and lowest in soils without any vegetation cover (5.586 g/kg–6.783 g/kg). The plots with herbaceous/shrub vegetation but no tree cover had SOC values in between (5.586 g/kg–15.162 g/kg). The plot data revealed that SOC was better correlated with the physical structure than the species diversity of Beijing’s urban trees. The correlation coefficients (r) between SOC and five physical structure indicators, including average diameter at breast height (DBH), average tree height, basal area density, and the diversity of DBH and tree height, ranged from 0.32 to 0.52, whereas the r values for four species diversity indicators ranged from 0.10 to 0.25, two of which were not statistically different from 0. Stepwise linear regression analyses revealed that the species diversity indicators were not very sensitive to SOC variations among a large portion of the plots and were about half as effective as the physical structure indicators for explaining the total variance of SOC. These results suggest that urban planning and greenspace management policies could be tailored to maximize the carbon co-benefits of urban land. Specifically, trees should be planted in urban areas wherever possible, preferably as densely as what can be allowed given other urban planning considerations. Protection of large, old trees should be encouraged, as these trees will continue to sequester and store large quantities of carbon in above- and belowground biomass as well as in soil. Such policies will enhance the contribution of urban land, especially urban forests and other greenspaces, to nature-based solutions (NBS) to climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services of Urban Forest)
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16 pages, 2220 KiB  
Article
Monetizing Cultural Ecosystem Services in Gyeonggi-do: Recreation and Welfare Benefits
by Yunwon Choi and Hansoo Kim
Forests 2025, 16(4), 613; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16040613 - 31 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1096
Abstract
Forest edges, which serve as transition zones between forests and adjacent land cover types, are essential for providing wildlife habitats and delivering a range of ecosystem services, including cultural benefits such as recreation and welfare for people. This study evaluates the economic value [...] Read more.
Forest edges, which serve as transition zones between forests and adjacent land cover types, are essential for providing wildlife habitats and delivering a range of ecosystem services, including cultural benefits such as recreation and welfare for people. This study evaluates the economic value of these cultural ecosystem services (CESs) in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Despite increasing development pressures driven by urban expansion, the social and ecological significance of forest edges remains underexplored. By applying travel cost and medical expense substitution methods, this study estimates the economic value of cultural ecosystem services, specifically forest recreation, at approximately KRW 65 billion, and the forest healing function at around KRW 896.5 billion across Gyeonggi-do. These results highlight the need for balanced planning and development regulations to safeguard forest edges and sustain their contributions to public health and well-being. By revealing the hidden social value of these cultural ecosystem services, this study aims to guide policies that promote sustainable land use and improve the quality of life for residents in rapidly urbanizing areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services of Urban Forest)
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24 pages, 4442 KiB  
Article
Identifying the Response of Ecological Well–Being to Ecosystem Services of Urban Green Space Using the Coupling Coordination Degree Model: A Case Study of Beijing, China, 2015–2023
by Huimin Gan, Ji Feng, Zheng Zhao, Li Ma, Shuyi Di and Yali Wen
Forests 2024, 15(9), 1494; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091494 - 26 Aug 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1516
Abstract
Understanding the response of the ecological well–being to ecosystem services of urban green space is imperative for urban ecosystem conservation and management. However, few studies have focused on the response process and spatial relationship of ecological well–being to ecosystem services of urban green [...] Read more.
Understanding the response of the ecological well–being to ecosystem services of urban green space is imperative for urban ecosystem conservation and management. However, few studies have focused on the response process and spatial relationship of ecological well–being to ecosystem services of urban green space in mega cities, while residents’ demand and evaluation of ecological well–being have not been fully considered. In this study, the ecological well–being evaluation index system was developed through integrating subjective and objective indicators. Using the main urban area of Beijing as an example, our results indicate that from 2015 to 2023, the ecological well–being has been continuously increasing. Moreover, this study indicated that the coupling and coordination degree between ecological well–being and ecosystem services of urban green space still need to be improved. In addition, three modes of spatial relationship were identified in this study: high coordination area, moderate coordination area, and low coordination area. The finding extracted from these spatial relationship models should provide references for urban green space planning to maintain sustainable urban ecosystem conservation and management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services of Urban Forest)
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19 pages, 1587 KiB  
Article
Quantifying Regulating Ecosystem Services of Urban Trees: A Case Study of a Green Space at Chungnam National University Using i-Tree Eco
by Wencelito Palis Hintural, Hee Jeong Jeon, Seo Young Kim, San Go and Byung Bae Park
Forests 2024, 15(8), 1446; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081446 - 16 Aug 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3642
Abstract
Urban green spaces (UGSs) provide numerous ecosystem services (ESs) that are essential to the well-being of the residents. However, these services are often neglected in regional urban development and spatial planning. This study quantified the ESs of a 10.25 ha UGS at Chungnam [...] Read more.
Urban green spaces (UGSs) provide numerous ecosystem services (ESs) that are essential to the well-being of the residents. However, these services are often neglected in regional urban development and spatial planning. This study quantified the ESs of a 10.25 ha UGS at Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, comprising 27 species with 287 tree individuals, using i-Tree Eco. Key regulating ESs investigated included air pollution removal, carbon storage and sequestration, oxygen production, energy use reduction, avoidance of surface runoff, and replacement and functional values. Results revealed significant annual environmental benefits: 131 kg air pollutants removed (USD 3739.01 or ₩5.16 M), 1.76 Mg carbon sequestered, which is equivalent to 0.18 Mg CO2 ha−1 yr−1 (USD 289.85 or ₩0.40 M), 2.42 Mg oxygen produced, energy savings (including carbon offset) valued at USD 391.29 (₩0.54 M), and 203 m3 reduction in surface runoff (USD 413.09 or ₩0.57 M). The annual total benefits of these urban trees amounted to USD 4833.86 (₩6.67 M), USD 16.83/tree, or USD 0.089/capita. Additionally, these trees had replacement and functional values estimated at USD 311,115.17 (₩429.3 M). The study underscores that species selection and abundance of urban trees are fundamental for maximizing the ES delivery in urban areas, highlighting the role of UGSs in ecological and economical sustainability in cities. These insights are valuable for urban planners and policymakers to optimize benefits of UGSs in cities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services of Urban Forest)
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