Influence of vegetation cover in seoul forest on PM10 concentration in Seoul, South Korea

Abstract

In this paper, the influence of vegetation cover of urban forest on the change in particulate matter 10 (PM10) concentration was analyzed. The study site was Seoul Forest, a flat and open park in Seoul, Korea. PM sensors were set up in the Eco Forest and Family Park, as well as a neighboring residential area. The Eco Forest has a forest with multi-layered vegetation, the Family Park is an open lawn area, and the residential area is a developed area lacking vegetation. To investigate the difference in the mounting height of the PM sensors, PM10 data sets from the Family Park and Seongdong-gu Air Pollution Monitoring Station were compared, using data collected from September to October 2017. To examine the difference in vegetation cover, PM10 data sets from the Eco Forest, Family Park and residential area were compared, using data collected from November 2017 to January 2018. The results indicated that the PM10 concentration was not affected by height of the PM10 sensor. The Eco Forest, with its multi-layered and dense vegetation, showed the lowest PM10 concentration on the average, followed by the Family Park and the residential area. Sometimes, however, the PM10 concentrations of other sites were lower than those of the Eco Forest, and therefore, it is considered that further research is needed based on longterm monitoring. Additionally, future research on the effects of various meteorological factors is required to systematically analyze the actual function of urban forests in reducing PM10 concentration.