Rocco Pace | National Research Council (original) (raw)

Papers by Rocco Pace

Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 2020

According to projects and practices that the Italian botanists and ecologists are carrying out fo... more According to projects and practices that the Italian botanists and ecologists are carrying out for bringing "more nature in the city", new insights for a factual integration between ecological perspectives and more consolidated aesthetic and agronomic approaches to the sustainable planning and management of urban green areas are provided. Keywords Ecosystem services, Human well-being, Green infrastructure, Urban green areas, Urban biodiversity.

Earth, 2022

We developed a novel approach in the field of spatiotemporal modeling, based on the spatialisatio... more We developed a novel approach in the field of spatiotemporal modeling, based on the spatialisation of time, the Timescape algorithm. It is especially aimed at sparsely distributed datasets in ecological research, whose spatial and temporal variability is strongly entangled. The algorithm is based on the definition of a spatiotemporal distance that incorporates a causality constraint and that is capable of accommodating the seasonal behavior of the modeled variable as well. The actual modeling is conducted exploiting any established spatial interpolation technique, substituting the ordinary spatial distance with our Timescape distance, thus sorting, from the same input set of observations, those causally related to each estimated value at a given site and time. The notion of causality is expressed topologically and it has to be tuned for each particular case. The Timescape algorithm originates from the field of stable isotopes spatial modeling (isoscapes), but in principle it can be ...

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 2020

With increasing realization that particles in the air are a major health risk in urban areas, str... more With increasing realization that particles in the air are a major health risk in urban areas, strengthening particle deposition is discussed as a means to air-pollution mitigation. Particles are deposited physically on leaves and thus the process depends on leaf area and surface properties, which change throughout the year. Current state-of-the-art modeling accounts for these changes only by altering leaf longevity, which may be selected by vegetation type and geographic location. Particle removal also depends on weather conditions, which determine deposition and resuspension but generally do not consider properties that are specific to species or plant type. In this study, we modeled < 2.5 µm-diameter particulate-matter (PM 2.5) deposition, resuspension, and removal from urban trees along a latitudinal gradient (Berlin, Munich, Rome) while comparing coniferous with broadleaf (deciduous and evergreen) tree types. Accordingly, we re-implemented the removal functionality from the i-Tree Eco model, investigated the uncertainty connected with parameterizations, and evaluated the efficiency of pollution mitigation depending on city conditions. We found that distinguishing deposition velocities between conifers and broadleaves is important for model results, i.e., because the removal efficiency of conifers is larger. Because of the higher wind speed, modeled PM 2.5 deposition from conifers is especially large in Berlin compared to Munich and Rome. Extended periods without significant precipitation decrease the amount of PM 2.5 removal because particles that are not occasionally washed from the leaves or needles are increasingly resuspended into the air. The model predicted this effect particularly during the long summer periods in Rome with only very little precipitation and may be responsible for less-efficient net removal from urban trees under climate change. Our analysis shows that the range of uncertainty in particle removal is large and that parameters have to be adjusted at least for major tree types if not only the species level. Furthermore, evergreen trees (broadleaved as well as coniferous) are predicted to be more effective at particle removal in northern regions than in Mediterranean cities, which is unexpected given the higher number of evergreens in southern cities. We discuss to what degree the effect of current PM 2.5 abundance can be mitigated by species selection and which model improvements are needed.

Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2019

Check the metadata sheet to make sure that the header information, especially author names and th... more Check the metadata sheet to make sure that the header information, especially author names and the corresponding affiliations are correctly shown. • Check the questions that may have arisen during copy editing and insert your answers/ corrections. • Check that the text is complete and that all figures, tables and their legends are included. Also check the accuracy of special characters, equations, and electronic supplementary material if applicable. If necessary refer to the Edited manuscript. • The publication of inaccurate data such as dosages and units can have serious consequences. Please take particular care that all such details are correct. • Please do not make changes that involve only matters of style. We have generally introduced forms that follow the journal's style. Substantial changes in content, e.g., new results, corrected values, title and authorship are not allowed without the approval of the responsible editor. In such a case, please contact the Editorial Office and return his/her consent together with the proof. • If we do not receive your corrections within 48 hours, we will send you a reminder. • Your article will be published Online First approximately one week after receipt of your corrected proofs. This is the official first publication citable with the DOI. Further changes are, therefore, not possible. • The printed version will follow in a forthcoming issue.

We developed a novel approach in the field of spatiotemporal modelling, based on the spatialisati... more We developed a novel approach in the field of spatiotemporal modelling, based on the spatialisation of time: the Timescape algorithm. It is especially aimed at sparsely distributed datasets in ecological research, whose spatial and temporal variability is strongly entangled. The algorithm is based on the definition of a spatiotemporal distance that incorporates a causality constraint and that is capable of accommodating the seasonal behaviour of the modelled variable as well. The actual modelling is conducted exploiting any established spatial interpolation technique, substituting the ordinary spatial distance with our Timescape distance, thus sorting, from the same input set of observations, those causally related to each estimated value at a given site and time. The notion of causality is expressed topologically and it has to be tuned for each particular case. The Timescape algorithm originates from the field of stable isotopes spatial modelling (isoscapes), but in principle it ca...

Munich-Tilia cordata (5 trees x site) Time: July 28 th-August 31 st 2015 Bordeaux Platz = open gr... more Munich-Tilia cordata (5 trees x site) Time: July 28 th-August 31 st 2015 Bordeaux Platz = open green square

Urban forests can provide essential environmental and social functions if properly planned and ma... more Urban forests can provide essential environmental and social functions if properly planned and managed. Tree inventory and measurements are a critical part of assessing and monitoring the size, growth, and health condition of urban trees. In this context, the parameters usually collected are DBH and total height, but additional data about crown dimensions (width, length, and crown projection) are required for a comprehensive tree assessment. These data are generally collected by urban foresters through field surveys using tree caliper or diameter tape for DBH, and the electronic ipsometer/clinometer to measure tree height and crown size. Greater detail could be achieved using a digital instrument as Field-Map, a portable computer station to quickly realize dimensional and topographic surveys of trees and forest stands. Finally, the incorporation of the LIDAR scanner into smartphone, as the iPhone 12 Pro, has made this device able to measure tree attributes, as well as additional spa...

Trees can remove particles from the air through the physical deposition on the leaf surface. This... more Trees can remove particles from the air through the physical deposition on the leaf surface. This process depends on pollution concentration and weather conditions as wind speed and precipitation, in addition to leaf characteristics. Wind speed increases at the same time the deposition velocity and the resuspension of PM deposited, instead, the rain washes off into the soil the particles accumulated on the leaf. The PM flux removed by trees has been modeled in the i-Tree Eco model considering the effect of wind speed on deposition velocity and resuspension and fixing a threshold of leaf washing (0.2 mm x LAI). However, the results of the model have not been validated with measured data and especially the washing threshold and resuspension classes based on wind speed still remain uncertain. In this study, we compared the modeled deposition of PM2.5 with the Eddy Covariance flux measured in an urban forest in Naples. The results of the model have been further validated by comparing th...

Climate

All cities globally are growing considerably as they are experiencing an intensive urbanization p... more All cities globally are growing considerably as they are experiencing an intensive urbanization process that leads to high soil consumption and pollution of environmental components. For this reason, cities are required to adopt measures to reduce these impacts and tree planting has been suggested as a cost-effective strategy. In our study, we implemented for the first time in a Southern Caucasus city the i-Tree Eco model to quantify the main ecosystem services provided by urban forests. Trees in two parks in Tbilisi, EXPO Park (694 trees) and RED Park (1030 trees), have been measured, and a model simulation was performed for the year 2018. These green infrastructures store large amounts of carbon in their woody tissues (198.4 t for EXPO Park and 126.5 t for RED Park) and each year they sequester 4.6 and 4.7 t of CO2 for EXPO Park and RED Park. They also remove 119.6 and 90.3 kg of pollutants (CO, NO2, O3, PM2.5, SO2), and reduce water runoff of 269.5 and 200.5 m3, respectively. Thi...

Ecosystem Services Provided by Urban Forests in the Southern Caucasus Region: A Modeling Study in Tbilisi, Georgia, 2021

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Climate

All cities globally are growing considerably as they are experiencing an intensive urbanization p... more All cities globally are growing considerably as they are experiencing an intensive urbanization process that leads to high soil consumption and pollution of environmental components. For this reason, cities are required to adopt measures to reduce these impacts and tree planting has been suggested as a cost-effective strategy. In our study, we implemented for the first time in a Southern Caucasus city the i-Tree Eco model to quantify the main ecosystem services provided by urban forests. Trees in two parks in Tbilisi, EXPO Park (694 trees) and RED Park (1030 trees), have been measured, and a model simulation was performed for the year 2018. These green infrastructures store large amounts of carbon in their woody tissues (198.4 t for EXPO Park and 126.5 t for RED Park) and each year they sequester 4.6 and 4.7 t of CO2 for EXPO Park and RED Park. They also remove 119.6 and 90.3 kg of pollutants (CO, NO2, O3, PM2.5, SO2), and reduce water runoff of 269.5 and 200.5 m3, respectively. Thi...

Environmental Science & Technology

Extremely high temperatures, which negatively affect the human health and plant performances, are... more Extremely high temperatures, which negatively affect the human health and plant performances, are becoming more frequent in cities. Urban green infrastructure, particularly trees, can mitigate this issue through cooling due to transpiration, and shading. Temperature regulation by trees depends on feedbacks among the climate, water supply, and plant physiology. However, in contrast to forest or general ecosystem models, most current urban tree models still lack basic processes, such as the consideration of soil water limitation, or have not been evaluated sufficiently. In this study, we present a new model that couples the soil water balance with energy calculations to assess the physiological responses and microclimate effects of a common urban street-tree species (Tilia cordata Mill.) on temperature regulation. We contrast two urban sites in Munich, Germany, with different degree of surface sealing at which microclimate and transpiration had been measured. Simulations indicate that differences in wind speed and soil water supply can be made responsible for the differences in transpiration. Nevertheless, the calculation of the overall energy balance showed that the shading effect, which depends on the leaf area index and canopy cover, contributes the most to the temperature reduction at midday. Finally, we demonstrate that the consideration of soil water availability for stomatal conductance has realistic impacts on the calculation of gaseous pollutant uptake (e.g., ozone). In conclusion, the presented model has demonstrated its ability to quantify two major ecosystem services (temperature mitigation and air pollution removal) consistently in dependence on meteorological and site conditions.

International Journal of Biometeorology

Extremely high temperatures, which negatively affect the human health and plant performances, are... more Extremely high temperatures, which negatively affect the human health and plant performances, are becoming more frequent in cities. Urban green infrastructure, particularly trees, can mitigate this issue through cooling due to transpiration, and shading. Temperature regulation by trees depends on feedbacks among the climate, water supply, and plant physiology. However, in contrast to forest or general ecosystem models, most current urban tree models still lack basic processes, such as the consideration of soil water limitation, or have not been evaluated sufficiently. In this study, we present a new model that couples the soil water balance with energy calculations to assess the physiological responses and microclimate effects of a common urban street-tree species (Tilia cordata Mill.) on temperature regulation. We contrast two urban sites in Munich, Germany, with different degree of surface sealing at which microclimate and transpiration had been measured. Simulations indicate that...

Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 2020

According to projects and practices that the Italian botanists and ecologists are carrying out fo... more According to projects and practices that the Italian botanists and ecologists are carrying out for bringing "more nature in the city", new insights for a factual integration between ecological perspectives and more consolidated aesthetic and agronomic approaches to the sustainable planning and management of urban green areas are provided. Keywords Ecosystem services, Human well-being, Green infrastructure, Urban green areas, Urban biodiversity.

Earth, 2022

We developed a novel approach in the field of spatiotemporal modeling, based on the spatialisatio... more We developed a novel approach in the field of spatiotemporal modeling, based on the spatialisation of time, the Timescape algorithm. It is especially aimed at sparsely distributed datasets in ecological research, whose spatial and temporal variability is strongly entangled. The algorithm is based on the definition of a spatiotemporal distance that incorporates a causality constraint and that is capable of accommodating the seasonal behavior of the modeled variable as well. The actual modeling is conducted exploiting any established spatial interpolation technique, substituting the ordinary spatial distance with our Timescape distance, thus sorting, from the same input set of observations, those causally related to each estimated value at a given site and time. The notion of causality is expressed topologically and it has to be tuned for each particular case. The Timescape algorithm originates from the field of stable isotopes spatial modeling (isoscapes), but in principle it can be ...

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 2020

With increasing realization that particles in the air are a major health risk in urban areas, str... more With increasing realization that particles in the air are a major health risk in urban areas, strengthening particle deposition is discussed as a means to air-pollution mitigation. Particles are deposited physically on leaves and thus the process depends on leaf area and surface properties, which change throughout the year. Current state-of-the-art modeling accounts for these changes only by altering leaf longevity, which may be selected by vegetation type and geographic location. Particle removal also depends on weather conditions, which determine deposition and resuspension but generally do not consider properties that are specific to species or plant type. In this study, we modeled < 2.5 µm-diameter particulate-matter (PM 2.5) deposition, resuspension, and removal from urban trees along a latitudinal gradient (Berlin, Munich, Rome) while comparing coniferous with broadleaf (deciduous and evergreen) tree types. Accordingly, we re-implemented the removal functionality from the i-Tree Eco model, investigated the uncertainty connected with parameterizations, and evaluated the efficiency of pollution mitigation depending on city conditions. We found that distinguishing deposition velocities between conifers and broadleaves is important for model results, i.e., because the removal efficiency of conifers is larger. Because of the higher wind speed, modeled PM 2.5 deposition from conifers is especially large in Berlin compared to Munich and Rome. Extended periods without significant precipitation decrease the amount of PM 2.5 removal because particles that are not occasionally washed from the leaves or needles are increasingly resuspended into the air. The model predicted this effect particularly during the long summer periods in Rome with only very little precipitation and may be responsible for less-efficient net removal from urban trees under climate change. Our analysis shows that the range of uncertainty in particle removal is large and that parameters have to be adjusted at least for major tree types if not only the species level. Furthermore, evergreen trees (broadleaved as well as coniferous) are predicted to be more effective at particle removal in northern regions than in Mediterranean cities, which is unexpected given the higher number of evergreens in southern cities. We discuss to what degree the effect of current PM 2.5 abundance can be mitigated by species selection and which model improvements are needed.

Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2019

Check the metadata sheet to make sure that the header information, especially author names and th... more Check the metadata sheet to make sure that the header information, especially author names and the corresponding affiliations are correctly shown. • Check the questions that may have arisen during copy editing and insert your answers/ corrections. • Check that the text is complete and that all figures, tables and their legends are included. Also check the accuracy of special characters, equations, and electronic supplementary material if applicable. If necessary refer to the Edited manuscript. • The publication of inaccurate data such as dosages and units can have serious consequences. Please take particular care that all such details are correct. • Please do not make changes that involve only matters of style. We have generally introduced forms that follow the journal's style. Substantial changes in content, e.g., new results, corrected values, title and authorship are not allowed without the approval of the responsible editor. In such a case, please contact the Editorial Office and return his/her consent together with the proof. • If we do not receive your corrections within 48 hours, we will send you a reminder. • Your article will be published Online First approximately one week after receipt of your corrected proofs. This is the official first publication citable with the DOI. Further changes are, therefore, not possible. • The printed version will follow in a forthcoming issue.

We developed a novel approach in the field of spatiotemporal modelling, based on the spatialisati... more We developed a novel approach in the field of spatiotemporal modelling, based on the spatialisation of time: the Timescape algorithm. It is especially aimed at sparsely distributed datasets in ecological research, whose spatial and temporal variability is strongly entangled. The algorithm is based on the definition of a spatiotemporal distance that incorporates a causality constraint and that is capable of accommodating the seasonal behaviour of the modelled variable as well. The actual modelling is conducted exploiting any established spatial interpolation technique, substituting the ordinary spatial distance with our Timescape distance, thus sorting, from the same input set of observations, those causally related to each estimated value at a given site and time. The notion of causality is expressed topologically and it has to be tuned for each particular case. The Timescape algorithm originates from the field of stable isotopes spatial modelling (isoscapes), but in principle it ca...

Munich-Tilia cordata (5 trees x site) Time: July 28 th-August 31 st 2015 Bordeaux Platz = open gr... more Munich-Tilia cordata (5 trees x site) Time: July 28 th-August 31 st 2015 Bordeaux Platz = open green square

Urban forests can provide essential environmental and social functions if properly planned and ma... more Urban forests can provide essential environmental and social functions if properly planned and managed. Tree inventory and measurements are a critical part of assessing and monitoring the size, growth, and health condition of urban trees. In this context, the parameters usually collected are DBH and total height, but additional data about crown dimensions (width, length, and crown projection) are required for a comprehensive tree assessment. These data are generally collected by urban foresters through field surveys using tree caliper or diameter tape for DBH, and the electronic ipsometer/clinometer to measure tree height and crown size. Greater detail could be achieved using a digital instrument as Field-Map, a portable computer station to quickly realize dimensional and topographic surveys of trees and forest stands. Finally, the incorporation of the LIDAR scanner into smartphone, as the iPhone 12 Pro, has made this device able to measure tree attributes, as well as additional spa...

Trees can remove particles from the air through the physical deposition on the leaf surface. This... more Trees can remove particles from the air through the physical deposition on the leaf surface. This process depends on pollution concentration and weather conditions as wind speed and precipitation, in addition to leaf characteristics. Wind speed increases at the same time the deposition velocity and the resuspension of PM deposited, instead, the rain washes off into the soil the particles accumulated on the leaf. The PM flux removed by trees has been modeled in the i-Tree Eco model considering the effect of wind speed on deposition velocity and resuspension and fixing a threshold of leaf washing (0.2 mm x LAI). However, the results of the model have not been validated with measured data and especially the washing threshold and resuspension classes based on wind speed still remain uncertain. In this study, we compared the modeled deposition of PM2.5 with the Eddy Covariance flux measured in an urban forest in Naples. The results of the model have been further validated by comparing th...

Climate

All cities globally are growing considerably as they are experiencing an intensive urbanization p... more All cities globally are growing considerably as they are experiencing an intensive urbanization process that leads to high soil consumption and pollution of environmental components. For this reason, cities are required to adopt measures to reduce these impacts and tree planting has been suggested as a cost-effective strategy. In our study, we implemented for the first time in a Southern Caucasus city the i-Tree Eco model to quantify the main ecosystem services provided by urban forests. Trees in two parks in Tbilisi, EXPO Park (694 trees) and RED Park (1030 trees), have been measured, and a model simulation was performed for the year 2018. These green infrastructures store large amounts of carbon in their woody tissues (198.4 t for EXPO Park and 126.5 t for RED Park) and each year they sequester 4.6 and 4.7 t of CO2 for EXPO Park and RED Park. They also remove 119.6 and 90.3 kg of pollutants (CO, NO2, O3, PM2.5, SO2), and reduce water runoff of 269.5 and 200.5 m3, respectively. Thi...

Ecosystem Services Provided by Urban Forests in the Southern Caucasus Region: A Modeling Study in Tbilisi, Georgia, 2021

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Climate

All cities globally are growing considerably as they are experiencing an intensive urbanization p... more All cities globally are growing considerably as they are experiencing an intensive urbanization process that leads to high soil consumption and pollution of environmental components. For this reason, cities are required to adopt measures to reduce these impacts and tree planting has been suggested as a cost-effective strategy. In our study, we implemented for the first time in a Southern Caucasus city the i-Tree Eco model to quantify the main ecosystem services provided by urban forests. Trees in two parks in Tbilisi, EXPO Park (694 trees) and RED Park (1030 trees), have been measured, and a model simulation was performed for the year 2018. These green infrastructures store large amounts of carbon in their woody tissues (198.4 t for EXPO Park and 126.5 t for RED Park) and each year they sequester 4.6 and 4.7 t of CO2 for EXPO Park and RED Park. They also remove 119.6 and 90.3 kg of pollutants (CO, NO2, O3, PM2.5, SO2), and reduce water runoff of 269.5 and 200.5 m3, respectively. Thi...

Environmental Science & Technology

Extremely high temperatures, which negatively affect the human health and plant performances, are... more Extremely high temperatures, which negatively affect the human health and plant performances, are becoming more frequent in cities. Urban green infrastructure, particularly trees, can mitigate this issue through cooling due to transpiration, and shading. Temperature regulation by trees depends on feedbacks among the climate, water supply, and plant physiology. However, in contrast to forest or general ecosystem models, most current urban tree models still lack basic processes, such as the consideration of soil water limitation, or have not been evaluated sufficiently. In this study, we present a new model that couples the soil water balance with energy calculations to assess the physiological responses and microclimate effects of a common urban street-tree species (Tilia cordata Mill.) on temperature regulation. We contrast two urban sites in Munich, Germany, with different degree of surface sealing at which microclimate and transpiration had been measured. Simulations indicate that differences in wind speed and soil water supply can be made responsible for the differences in transpiration. Nevertheless, the calculation of the overall energy balance showed that the shading effect, which depends on the leaf area index and canopy cover, contributes the most to the temperature reduction at midday. Finally, we demonstrate that the consideration of soil water availability for stomatal conductance has realistic impacts on the calculation of gaseous pollutant uptake (e.g., ozone). In conclusion, the presented model has demonstrated its ability to quantify two major ecosystem services (temperature mitigation and air pollution removal) consistently in dependence on meteorological and site conditions.

International Journal of Biometeorology

Extremely high temperatures, which negatively affect the human health and plant performances, are... more Extremely high temperatures, which negatively affect the human health and plant performances, are becoming more frequent in cities. Urban green infrastructure, particularly trees, can mitigate this issue through cooling due to transpiration, and shading. Temperature regulation by trees depends on feedbacks among the climate, water supply, and plant physiology. However, in contrast to forest or general ecosystem models, most current urban tree models still lack basic processes, such as the consideration of soil water limitation, or have not been evaluated sufficiently. In this study, we present a new model that couples the soil water balance with energy calculations to assess the physiological responses and microclimate effects of a common urban street-tree species (Tilia cordata Mill.) on temperature regulation. We contrast two urban sites in Munich, Germany, with different degree of surface sealing at which microclimate and transpiration had been measured. Simulations indicate that...