PLANT ADAPTATION TO ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS - 2017

5. FUNCTIONS OF GREEN SPACES IN ANTHROPOGENICALLY TRANSFORMED ENVIRONMENTS

5.1. The role of plants in anthropogenically transformed regions

The Role of green spaces in an industrial city cannot be overstated. First and foremost, they influence the composition, purity, and ionization of the air, contribute to environmental remediation, and improve the microclimate of territories. They significantly mitigate the Adverse effects of strong winds, serve as an effective tool against industrial noise, and participate in the engineering improvement and land reclamation of areas. Furthermore, they act as an efficient defense against wind and Water soil erosion, facilitate the architectural, planning, and Spatial Organization of industrial zones, and enhance the visual appeal of industrial developments, imparting uniqueness and expressiveness to populated areas. By studying the properties and characteristics of green spaces, architects are able to maximize The Use of plant material in shaping an optimal environment for human labor (Fig. 17).

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Fig. 17 - Functions of plants in an anthropogenically transformed environment

The cosmic impact of green spaces on air composition is primarily mediated by chlorophyll—the green pigment in leaves that absorbs solar light energy and utilizes it to drive Photosynthesis. This process generates food resources for animals and humans and ultimately led to the appearance of oxygen in the atmosphere, the levels of which rose from 0 to 21%.

In addition, through autotrophic Nutrition, plants absorb large amounts of pollutants alongside carbon dioxide, acting as a powerful natural filter that captures dust and other suspended particles from the air. Another essential factor is that vegetation cover (including grass lawns) prevents The formation of exposed soil surfaces, which are primary sources of airborne dust. Studies show that green spaces trap between 21 and 86% of airborne dust, while in their leafless state, tree and shrub plantations still reduce dust levels beneath their canopies by up to 40%.

The individual absorption capacities of plants are well-documented and depend largely on leaf surface texture: tree species with rough, wrinkled, and pubescent leaves are more effective at trapping suspended particulate matter. Particularly efficient dust-intercepting species include downy birch (*Betula pubescens*), broad-leaved elm (*Ulmus laevis*), wych elm (*Ulmus glabra*), downy oak (*Quercus pubescens*), silver linden (*Tilia tomentosa*), wayfaring tree (*Viburnum lantana*), southern catalpa (*Catalpa bignonioides*), Russian olive (*Elaeagnus angustifolia*), osage orange (*Maclura pomifera*), white mulberry (*Morus alba*), among others.

Light negative ions exert the most positive influence on the functional state of The Human Body, supporting The activity of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Conversely, positively charged heavy ions have adverse effects on humans. Research indicates that air ionization is significantly higher in green areas—such as forests and parks—than in non-greened zones. Moreover, vegetation increases the concentration of light negative ions while decreasing the number of heavy positive ions. The degree of this impact depends on the species composition, canopy density, and age of the stands. Studies have established that the most effective species for increasing light air ions include black locust (*Robinia pseudoacacia*), Karelian birch (*Betula pendula* var. *carelica*), poplar-leaved and Japanese birches, red oak (*Quercus rubra*), pedunculate oak (*Quercus robur*), Norway spruce (*Picea abies*), white willow (*Salix alba*), Babylonian willow (*Salix babylonica*), silver maple (*Acer saccharinum*), red maple (*Acer rubrum*), Siberian larch (*Larix sibirica*), silver fir (*Abies alba*), rowan (*Sorbus aucuparia*), Scots pine (*Pinus sylvestris*), lilacs (*Syringa*), black poplar (*Populus nigra*), western arborvitae (*Thuja occidentalis*), and others. Mixed stands combining coniferous and deciduous species exert the most favorable effect on air ionization.

In the absence of adequate green spaces, the air in industrial zones contains tens of times more pathogenic Bacteria than the air over fields and forests. It has been established that bacterial air pollution within green zones—such as forest parks, parks, and gardens—is substantially lower than in non-greened streets and squares. This is because many plants emit specific volatile Organic compounds known as phytoncides, which destroy pathogenic microorganisms and contribute to a healthier human living environment. Numerous trees and shrubs possess bactericidal properties, including: black locust (*Robinia pseudoacacia*), silk tree (*Albizia julibrissin*), various barberry species (*Berberis*), Amur cork tree (*Phellodendron amurense*), silver and paper birches, pear species (*Pyrus*), honey locust (*Gleditsia triacanthos*), European hornbeam (*Carpinus betulus*), red and pedunculate oaks, blue and Norway spruces, mock orange (*Philadelphus coronarius*), glossy abelia (*Abelia radiata*), weeping white willow (*Salix alba* var. *tristis*), Guelder rose (*Viburnum opulus*), horse chestnut (*Aesculus hippocastanum*), silver, red, Norway, and box elder maples, Siberian larch, large-leaved and small-leaved lindens, Cossack juniper (*Juniperus sabina*), Persian, grey, and black walnuts, silver fir (*Abies alba*), Oriental plane (*Platanus orientalis*), common lilac (*Syringa vulgaris*), Crimean and Scots pines, Canadian, silver, and Turkestan poplars, bird cherry (*Prunus padus*), white mulberry, and apple species (*Malus*). Herbaceous plants—such as lawn grasses, flowers, and vines—also exhibit phytoncidal activity.

Phytoncides emitted by plants not only kill bacteria but also influence various biological processes occurring in animal and human organisms. These properties of green spaces, alongside their ability to increase the concentration of light ions in the air, should be maximally utilized when greening industrial areas.

The presence of green spaces creates a thermal regime favorable to humans. This occurs because the leaves of trees and shrubs, as well as herbaceous plants, reflect significantly more solar energy than soil, pavement, or building walls. Furthermore, leaves and stems allow a portion of energy to pass through due to a certain degree of transparency, while plants absorb another fraction and emit only negligible amounts. The albedo of green leaves across various tree and shrub species ranges from 8 to 46%, depending on their density, size, and shape. The albedo of meadows and forests ranges from 2 to 50% across different Regions of the visible spectrum. Notably, in the infrared spectrum, the albedo of vegetation cover is generally high, reaching up to 90%.

The degree of reflection, transmission, and absorption of light energy varies among tree and shrub species, changing depending on the shape, size, structural features, and coloration of the leaves, as well as the shape and density of the canopy. For instance, Norway maple (*Acer platanoides*), pedunculate oak (*Quercus robur*), horse chestnut (*Aesculus hippocastanum*), Siberian apple (*Malus baccata*), and aspen (*Populus tremula*), whose leaves reflect 50% or more of light energy, are the most effective in regulating the thermal regime. Trees, shrubs, lawns, and other herbaceous plants moderate soil temperatures, preventing overheating during the summer. For example, studies have shown that in summer, the difference between extreme mean daily soil temperatures in green spaces is 3.7 °C, compared to 13.7 °C on un-vegetated soil.

METABOLISM/18.html">The Influence of green spaces on air humidity and mobility is well-established. The positive impact of vegetation on air humidity manifests as follows: when moisture is deficient in the air, plants intensify Transpiration; conversely, during high humidity, water vapor condenses from the air onto the cooler surfaces of the leaves. This explains why, in summer, the relative air humidity in a forest is 29–30% higher than in urban built-up areas, while in a planted boulevard or square it is 16% higher than in a courtyard devoid of vegetation. The radius of plant influence on air humidity is limited: plantations noticeably increase air humidity within a distance equal to 10–12 times their height. This circumstance must be taken into account when addressing urban planning tasks, particularly when greening residential areas, recreation zones, and the grounds of childcare facilities and schools located in regions with insufficient air humidity.

By affecting air mobility, green spaces mitigate the adverse effects of strong winds while also establishing conditions for local air Circulation. For cities located in hot, warm, and temperate climates, vertical and horizontal air currents are of great importance, as they promote the ventilation of urban areas, cleanse the atmosphere of pollutants, and create more comfortable conditions for residents. Green spaces facilitate the formation of such currents in the ground-level air layer. Un-greened industrial plots heat up more intensely during the day than adjacent greened areas, generating rising gravitational air currents over them and drawing cooler, cleaner air from green masses into the un-greened zones. Because green spaces cool down more slowly than bare soil, road surfaces, and building walls, a reverse process occurs at night, assisting in the ventilation of the vegetation zones themselves.

Consequently, rationally designed greening systems within industrial zones create conditions for natural site ventilation, a healthier atmospheric environment, and an improved microclimate. Green masses contribute to air purification from dust, cooling, humidification, and the enrichment of human Lungs with essential negatively charged ions.

Noise control is one of the most critical hygienic challenges on industrial enterprise sites. Noise reduces labor productivity and contributes to The Development of severe disorders in the Central Nervous system, cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, and other bodily systems and Organs. Prolonged, systematic exposure to noise induces not only functional alterations in sound-perceiving Nerve Cells but also a general shift in the functional state of the central nervous system with all its undesirable consequences. Noise is among the most adverse environmental factors. Specialist research has established that the state of The Cardiovascular system does not change significantly under noise levels up to 40–55 dB; however, any further increase in noise intensity exerts negative effects. Therefore, noise levels should not exceed 50 dB. Green spaces serve as one of the most effective tools for noise abatement: deciduous tree canopies absorb up to 26% of sound energy, while reflecting and scattering approximately 74%. Studies have shown that noise intensity on greened sidewalks is 10 times lower than on un-greened ones.