Abstract:

Background & Aims: “Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” is an important strategy to guide the current development of China. Based on the spatial distribution of carbon emission areas, cities and their surrounding areas are the most carbon emission areas. With the urbanization in China, how to effectively reduce carbon emissions and increase carbon sinks has become a key issue. As the only natural carbon sink in urban space, the role of the urban greenspace system in carbon sequestration and increasing carbon sink is becoming prominent. However, it is unclear whether improving the carbon sequestration capacity of urban greenspace will affect biodiversity. Here we use the general principle of life-history evolution in ecology to analyze the trade-off between the carbon sink capacity and the ability to adapt to climate change in urban greenspace.

Results: This paper proposed that urban greenspace can both have biodiversity and carbon sink according to the following suggestions. First, the species database should incorporate the carbon reduction capacity, the ability to adapt to environmental changes, and the ability to cope with extreme changes. Second, the trade-off relationship between carbon sink capacity and ability to cope with climate change will divide species into different types, such as high carbon sink with low adaptation, and low carbon sink with high adaptation. Third, appropriate species are selected to improve the carbon sink function through diverse combinations. The carbon sink capacity could be stronger when the environment is stable, more stable when the environment is changing, and less loss of carbon sink when the environment is extreme. Finally, native plants should be used to improve biodiversity and reduce carbon emissions in the management process.

Conclusion: Improving the carbon sink capacity and biodiversity conservation will be achieved in the urban greenspace. The structure and function of the urban ecosystem are equally significant for the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality strategy and the construction of ecological civilization.

Key words: urban greenspace, urban biodiversity, carbon peaking, carbon neutrality, carbon emission, carbon sequestration