Biomass area and carbon dioxide sequestration by the main diverse tree species in the urban area of Pichanaqui, Peru

Abstract

Tree species in urban environments play a fundamental role in providing important ecological  services,  such  as  the  removal  of  air  pollutants  and  carbon  dioxide  (CO₂) sequestration.  The  objective  of  this  study  was  to  evaluate  the  CO₂  sequestration capacity  of  various  tree  and  shrub  species  in  the  urban  area  of  Pichanaki.  A  non- destructive, indirect method was used, applying an allometric model to estimate both the aboveground biomass and carbon content of the analyzed species. Data normality was  assessed,  and  the  non-parametric  Mann-Whitney  test  was  applied  with  a significance level of 5%. The study results revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in aboveground biomass and CO₂ capture among the four most abundant species:  Ficus  benjamina,  Delonix  regia,  Terminalia  catappa  and  Cedrela  odorata. Specifically, D. regia was notable for having the highest aboveground biomass (34.31 tons) and the greatest CO₂ capture (45.29 tons). These findings offer valuable insights for developing strategies in sustainable urban planning and for selecting plant species that  can  play  a  crucial  role  in  significantly  reducing  greenhouse  gas  emissions  in expanding urban areas.