Black carbon (BC), a stable form of organic carbon (OC), is a byproduct of the incomplete combustion of biomass, biofuels, and fossil fuel. The main objectives of this research are to examine the spatial distribution of OC and BC in urban soil and determine the influence of tree canopy cover and landscape maintenance on soil carbon accumulation. Soil sampling was conducted at 29 sites throughout the City of Denton, Texas, in May 2019. Samples were collected from underneath post oak canopies and in adjacent open areas and were analyzed for total carbon (TC), total organic carbon (TOC), total N (TN), C:N ratio, and BC. Although maintenance levels had no significant effect, TOC was greater underneath trees (5.47%, 5.30 kg/m2) than lawns (3.58%, 4.84 kg/m2) at the surface 0-10 cm. Total nitrogen concentration was also greater underneath trees (0.43%) than lawns (0.31%) at the surface 0-10 cm. Preliminary results for BC were closely correlated to TOC. The lack of difference in C:N ratio between cover types indicates that leaf litter quality may not be the primary driving factor in soil C and N accumulation. Instead, differences in soil properties may be best explained by manual C inputs and greater atmospheric deposition of C and N to soils with tree canopy cover. Identifying patterns and potential drivers of soil OC and BC accumulation is important because soil carbon sequestration not only reduces atmospheric CO2, but also may provide additional pollution mitigation benefits, thereby contributing to a more sustainable urban environment.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc1703418 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Kang, Katherina A |
| Contributors | Ponette-González, Alexandra, Marín-Spiotta, Erika, Ferring, Reid, Liang, Lu |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | viii, 65 pages, Text |
| Rights | Public, Kang, Katherina A, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
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