Globally water transfer in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) returns about 2/3 precipitation on land to the atmosphere, in conjunction with a large amount of latent heat transfer which cools land surface. In urban environment, this process is greatly diminished due to reduced green space, dominant impermeable surface, and quick storm runoff. This situation partly contributes to the urban heat island effect, which exacerbates negative impacts of global warming in warm-climate cities. On the other hand, urban runoff carries nutrients and pollutants contaminating downstream environments (e.g., coastal waters). Increasing efforts are being made to integrate urban water and greenery management to restore SPAC amelioration of microclimate in urban environment, while reduce storm runoff volume and pollutant load. To support such integrated management for climate resilience, this session aims to solicit recent advances in monitoring, modelling, and remote sensing of urban SPAC, its water supply, and its microclimatic effect.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
Papers presented in this session are welcome for a special issue in the newly launched Frontiers in Climate (Climate, Ecology, and People).
Key topics: Urban heat island, Urban forest, Storm water harvesting, Evaporative cooling