Tree diversity and carbon stock in urban area of Senegal and their implications to human health and well-being

Abstract

Urban green spaces (UGSs) have become essential to meet environmental requirements and improve the quality of life of inhabitants thanks to their role on air pollution, heat islands and climate change. The aim of this study was to characterize the biological diversity of UGSs in the commune of Fann Point E Amitié and their importance for human health. A floristic inventory was carried out to assess tree diversity in these UGSs, and mapping combined with an allometric model was used to estimate carbon stocks. Surveys were also carried out to gather residents' perceptions of the contribution of UGSs to health and well-being. A total of 509 trees, belonging to 55 species and 50 genera, were surveyed. The total quantity of carbon for the whole municipality is estimated at 21.16 tons. Almost all those surveyed recognized the importance of UGSs for a variety of reasons, but the main one was their positive impact on health and relaxation. These results show that beyond the beauty of their landscape, UGSs should be perceived through their role in biodiversity conservation thanks to the number of species they host, in climate change mitigation thanks to the carbon sequestration by trees, and their role in human health.