FMUL News
Relationship between conservation of Urban Forest resources, Science and Public Health
Despite life expectancy having substantially increased over the last century, there is still a great occurrence of diseases related to environmental problems associated to urban development. These problems are above all due to the releasing of atmospheric pollutants coming from road traffic. Despite the European Union being strict in matters of management and control of emissions coming from road vehicles, its positive effect on the quality of urban air is now threatened by the increasing number of vehicles.
Environmental pollution is today one of the greatest factors in the degrading of air quality and, in general, of the quality of life in the cities. Most people live or work in areas where the concentration of pollutants reaches levels that affect health. Exposure to pollutants, such as particles and ozone, has been associated to higher mortality rates and a higher number of hospital admissions due to respiratory and cardiovascular problems (1).
The World Health Organization includes, in its definition of “environment and health”, “both the direct pathogenic effects of the chemical substances, of the radiations and of some biological agents, and the effects on health and on the well-being of the environment in the wider physical, psychological, social and aesthetic sense, which covers housing, urban development, land use and transports” (2). Although it is a problem that affects the whole population, children are particularly vulnerable to these effects because, in general, they are more immediate.
There is a set of affections, namely respiratory diseases, asthma and allergies that may be associated to atmospheric pollution inside and outside buildings; disturbances in neurological development may be provoked by heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides; child cancer may be related to a multiplicity of chemical and biological physical agents. Besides this, it has been proven that child health indicators such as low weight at birth and development problems, in particular in the first year of life, may be associated to environmental effects.
On the 11th of June 2003 the European Commission presented, through a Communication to the Council, to the European Parliament and to the European Social Economic Committee “A European Environment and Health Strategy”. The aim of this strategy is to reduce the incidence of illnesses caused by environmental factors and the deepening of the gaps between environmental factors and their effects on health.
The risks associated to the two components of air pollution (exterior and interior) and the different ways they are perceived by citizens may have an enormous influence in terms of the consequent attitudes and actions, carrying out a decisive role in reducing or increasing the potential consequences that the risk situations may lead to. And, consequently, on the re-designing of cities.
Green urban areas, such as parks and public or private gardens, provide areas for leisure, for practicing sports and for study. However, besides their aspect of leisure, urban vegetation can directly or indirectly influence air quality and alter the local atmospheric environment. Urban forests provide many ecological benefits and services, such as: reduction of water flow; reduction of the effect of the “heat island” in cities; capturing of CO2; reduction in atmospheric pollution; sound barriers; diluting of temperature in the surrounding air masses. The city of Lisbon, particularly the downtown area and the area of the Avenida da Liberdade, has extremely frequently gone beyond the legal limits of depositing pollutants, particularly of particles (PM10).
Vegetation reduces pollutants in two ways: (i) directly – as trees absorb gaseous pollutants such as SO2, NOX and O3 through stomas, and can dissolve the soluble pollutants in water on the surface of their wet leaves. The treetops may also intercept particles, functioning as a filter; (ii) indirectly, in avoiding the emissions of pollutants by reducing the temperature, reducing the activity of chemical reactions, which produce secondary compounds in the urban areas through the evapotranspiration of the leaves in the hot seasons, increasing air humidity and consequently the dissolving of soluble pollutants.
The Botanical gardens of the National Natural History Museum of the University of Lisbon (JB-UL) is one of the largest gardens in the city of Lisbon, both in area and in volume of treetops, as well as in forest and functional diversity. Set right in the heart of Lisbon and in great contrast with the hubbub, the smells and sounds of the JB-UL are welcoming and enjoyable. This is four hectares going from the seventh hill – that of Príncipe Real – to the Avenida da Liberdade, following the capricious winding of paths, flower-beds and terraces, where plants brought from all over the world prosper, occupying the whole space and forming veritable ecological niches with particular microclimates.
It is in this garden that one can find a forest wealth of mosses, hepaticae and lichens, which bear witness to a pure atmosphere even overlooking one of the most polluted zones of the city. The strategy recently put forward by the European Union states that several different actions should be taken, including studying indicators and systems of bio-monitorisation, as well as the starting of concrete pilot actions for priority pollutants. The use of bio-monitors and bio-indicators, such as mosses and lichens, is a promising, simple and innovating methodology, often used by the researchers at the Environmental Biology Centre of the University of Lisbon, and which have made it possible to draw up strategies for reducing and/or minimising negative impacts of pollution on a national level (3).
In the particular case of the Botanical Gardens, they have helped to show that this four-hectare spread is a purifying zone for the atmosphere. Zones like this one, bastions of conservation of the biodiversity, are, from the urban point of view, refuges of atmospheric purity which are generally unknown. Instead they should be privileged places for the Lisbon population to enjoy and relax, particularly on hot days, thus benefiting from more amenable temperatures, less exposure to the sun and better air quality. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to scientifically validate how these green spaces can influence the sustainability of the urban fabric and benefit the quality of life and, subsequently, public health.
maloucao@reitoria.ul.pt; mjpinto@fc.ul.pt; cmbranquinho@fc.ul.pt
Maria Amélia Martins-Loução (1,2), Manuel João Pinto (1), Cristina Branquinho (2)
(1) University of Lisbon. Botanical Gardens. National Natural History Museum. Rua da Escola Politécnica, 58, 1250-102 Lisbon
(2) University of Lisbon. Centre for Environmental Biology. Faculty of Sciences. Campo Grande. C2. Piso 5. 1749-016 Lisbon.
__________________________________
(1) Brunekreef B and Holgate ST. 2002. Air pollution and health. The Lancet, 360:1233-1242
(2) Environment and health. The European Charter and Commentary. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe, 1990 (WHO Regional Publications, European Series, nº 35)
(3) Pinho P., Branquinho C., Cruz C., Tang S., Dias T., Rosa, A.P., Máguas C., Martins-Loução M.A., Sutton M. 2009 Assessment Of Critical Levels Of Atmospherically Ammonia For Lichen Diversity In Cork-Oak Woodland, Portugal. Chapter: Critical Loads. In "Atmospheric Ammonia - Detecting Emission Changes And Environmental Impacts - Results Of An Expert Workshop Under The Convention On Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution", Mark Sutton, Stefan Reis and Samantha Baker (Eds), Springer pp: 109-119.
Augusto S., Máguas C., Branquinho C. 2009. Understanding the Performance of Different Lichen Species as Biomonitors of Atmospheric Dioxins and Furans: Potential for Intercalibration. Ecotoxicology (in press).
Vieira A.R., Gonzalez C., Martins-Loução M.A., Branquinho C. 2009. Intracellular and Extracellular Ammonium Uptake and its Toxic Effects on the Aquatic Biomonitor Fontinalis Antipyretica. Ecotoxicology (in press).
Sérgio C., Figueira R. & Menezes R. 2009. Modeling The Distribution Of Sematophyllum Substrumulosum (Hampe) E. Britton As A Signal Of Climatic Changes In Europe. In Slack N & Tuba Z. Edts. Bryophyte Ecology And Climate Change Cambridge University Press. (In Press)
Figueira R., Tavares P.C., Palma L., Beja P. & Sérgio C. 2009. Application Of Indicator Kriging To The Complementary Use Of Bioindicators At Three Trophic Levels. Environmental Pollution (In Press)
Environmental pollution is today one of the greatest factors in the degrading of air quality and, in general, of the quality of life in the cities. Most people live or work in areas where the concentration of pollutants reaches levels that affect health. Exposure to pollutants, such as particles and ozone, has been associated to higher mortality rates and a higher number of hospital admissions due to respiratory and cardiovascular problems (1).
The World Health Organization includes, in its definition of “environment and health”, “both the direct pathogenic effects of the chemical substances, of the radiations and of some biological agents, and the effects on health and on the well-being of the environment in the wider physical, psychological, social and aesthetic sense, which covers housing, urban development, land use and transports” (2). Although it is a problem that affects the whole population, children are particularly vulnerable to these effects because, in general, they are more immediate.
There is a set of affections, namely respiratory diseases, asthma and allergies that may be associated to atmospheric pollution inside and outside buildings; disturbances in neurological development may be provoked by heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides; child cancer may be related to a multiplicity of chemical and biological physical agents. Besides this, it has been proven that child health indicators such as low weight at birth and development problems, in particular in the first year of life, may be associated to environmental effects.
On the 11th of June 2003 the European Commission presented, through a Communication to the Council, to the European Parliament and to the European Social Economic Committee “A European Environment and Health Strategy”. The aim of this strategy is to reduce the incidence of illnesses caused by environmental factors and the deepening of the gaps between environmental factors and their effects on health.
The risks associated to the two components of air pollution (exterior and interior) and the different ways they are perceived by citizens may have an enormous influence in terms of the consequent attitudes and actions, carrying out a decisive role in reducing or increasing the potential consequences that the risk situations may lead to. And, consequently, on the re-designing of cities.
Green urban areas, such as parks and public or private gardens, provide areas for leisure, for practicing sports and for study. However, besides their aspect of leisure, urban vegetation can directly or indirectly influence air quality and alter the local atmospheric environment. Urban forests provide many ecological benefits and services, such as: reduction of water flow; reduction of the effect of the “heat island” in cities; capturing of CO2; reduction in atmospheric pollution; sound barriers; diluting of temperature in the surrounding air masses. The city of Lisbon, particularly the downtown area and the area of the Avenida da Liberdade, has extremely frequently gone beyond the legal limits of depositing pollutants, particularly of particles (PM10).
Vegetation reduces pollutants in two ways: (i) directly – as trees absorb gaseous pollutants such as SO2, NOX and O3 through stomas, and can dissolve the soluble pollutants in water on the surface of their wet leaves. The treetops may also intercept particles, functioning as a filter; (ii) indirectly, in avoiding the emissions of pollutants by reducing the temperature, reducing the activity of chemical reactions, which produce secondary compounds in the urban areas through the evapotranspiration of the leaves in the hot seasons, increasing air humidity and consequently the dissolving of soluble pollutants.
The Botanical gardens of the National Natural History Museum of the University of Lisbon (JB-UL) is one of the largest gardens in the city of Lisbon, both in area and in volume of treetops, as well as in forest and functional diversity. Set right in the heart of Lisbon and in great contrast with the hubbub, the smells and sounds of the JB-UL are welcoming and enjoyable. This is four hectares going from the seventh hill – that of Príncipe Real – to the Avenida da Liberdade, following the capricious winding of paths, flower-beds and terraces, where plants brought from all over the world prosper, occupying the whole space and forming veritable ecological niches with particular microclimates.
It is in this garden that one can find a forest wealth of mosses, hepaticae and lichens, which bear witness to a pure atmosphere even overlooking one of the most polluted zones of the city. The strategy recently put forward by the European Union states that several different actions should be taken, including studying indicators and systems of bio-monitorisation, as well as the starting of concrete pilot actions for priority pollutants. The use of bio-monitors and bio-indicators, such as mosses and lichens, is a promising, simple and innovating methodology, often used by the researchers at the Environmental Biology Centre of the University of Lisbon, and which have made it possible to draw up strategies for reducing and/or minimising negative impacts of pollution on a national level (3).
In the particular case of the Botanical Gardens, they have helped to show that this four-hectare spread is a purifying zone for the atmosphere. Zones like this one, bastions of conservation of the biodiversity, are, from the urban point of view, refuges of atmospheric purity which are generally unknown. Instead they should be privileged places for the Lisbon population to enjoy and relax, particularly on hot days, thus benefiting from more amenable temperatures, less exposure to the sun and better air quality. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to scientifically validate how these green spaces can influence the sustainability of the urban fabric and benefit the quality of life and, subsequently, public health.
maloucao@reitoria.ul.pt; mjpinto@fc.ul.pt; cmbranquinho@fc.ul.pt
Maria Amélia Martins-Loução (1,2), Manuel João Pinto (1), Cristina Branquinho (2)
(1) University of Lisbon. Botanical Gardens. National Natural History Museum. Rua da Escola Politécnica, 58, 1250-102 Lisbon
(2) University of Lisbon. Centre for Environmental Biology. Faculty of Sciences. Campo Grande. C2. Piso 5. 1749-016 Lisbon.
__________________________________
(1) Brunekreef B and Holgate ST. 2002. Air pollution and health. The Lancet, 360:1233-1242
(2) Environment and health. The European Charter and Commentary. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe, 1990 (WHO Regional Publications, European Series, nº 35)
(3) Pinho P., Branquinho C., Cruz C., Tang S., Dias T., Rosa, A.P., Máguas C., Martins-Loução M.A., Sutton M. 2009 Assessment Of Critical Levels Of Atmospherically Ammonia For Lichen Diversity In Cork-Oak Woodland, Portugal. Chapter: Critical Loads. In "Atmospheric Ammonia - Detecting Emission Changes And Environmental Impacts - Results Of An Expert Workshop Under The Convention On Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution", Mark Sutton, Stefan Reis and Samantha Baker (Eds), Springer pp: 109-119.
Augusto S., Máguas C., Branquinho C. 2009. Understanding the Performance of Different Lichen Species as Biomonitors of Atmospheric Dioxins and Furans: Potential for Intercalibration. Ecotoxicology (in press).
Vieira A.R., Gonzalez C., Martins-Loução M.A., Branquinho C. 2009. Intracellular and Extracellular Ammonium Uptake and its Toxic Effects on the Aquatic Biomonitor Fontinalis Antipyretica. Ecotoxicology (in press).
Sérgio C., Figueira R. & Menezes R. 2009. Modeling The Distribution Of Sematophyllum Substrumulosum (Hampe) E. Britton As A Signal Of Climatic Changes In Europe. In Slack N & Tuba Z. Edts. Bryophyte Ecology And Climate Change Cambridge University Press. (In Press)
Figueira R., Tavares P.C., Palma L., Beja P. & Sérgio C. 2009. Application Of Indicator Kriging To The Complementary Use Of Bioindicators At Three Trophic Levels. Environmental Pollution (In Press)
