Evaluating pollution-related damage and restoration success in urban forests with participatory monitoring and digital tools |
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Authors: | Verónica Reyes-Galindo Juan Pablo Jaramillo-Correa Karina Carrasco Nava Alejandra Elizabeth De-la-Rosa-González David Flores Flores Mauricio Martínez Luis Alberto Monroy-De-la-Rosa Miguel Ángel Morelos Zamora Billy Emmanuel Ramírez Morales Oliver Tanui Ramírez Morales María del Pilar Rodríguez Maurilio Salazar Zamora Claudio Zamora Callejas Rafael Zamora Callejas César Zamora Tonatiuh Zamora Victor Alejandro González-Camacho Erick Rebollo Ricardo Torres-Jardón Ana Wegier Alicia Mastretta-Yanes |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México;2. Bienes Comunales Santa Rosa Xochiac, Mexico City, México;3. Secretaría del Medio Ambiente, Mexico City, México;4. Centro de Ciencias de la Atmósfera, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México;5. Jardín Botánico, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México;6. Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, Mexico City, México |
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Abstract: | Peri-urban forest monitoring requires indicators of vegetation damage. An example is the sacred fir (Abies religiosa) forests surrounding Mexico City, which have been heavily exposed to tropospheric ozone, a harmful pollutant, for over 4 decades. We developed a participatory monitoring system with which local community members and scientists generated data on ozone tree damage. Santa Rosa Xochiac rangers (13) used the digital tool KoboToolBox to record ozone damage to trees, tree height, tree ages, tree condition, tree position, and whether the tree had been planted. Thirty-five percent of the trees (n = 1765) had ozone damage. Younger trees had a lower percentage of foliage damaged by ozone than older trees (p < 0.0001), and asymptomatic trees tended to be younger (p < 0.0001). Symptomatic trees were taller than asymptomatic trees of the same age (R2c = 0.43, R2m = 0.27). Involving local communities facilitated forest monitoring and using digital technology improved data quality. This participatory system can be used to monitor forest condition change over time and thus aids restoration efforts driven by government or local communities’ interests, facilitating local decision-making. |
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Keywords: | Abies religiosa digital tools ozone pollution participatory monitoring peri-urban forests bosques periurbanos contaminación por ozono herramientas digitales monitoreo participativo Abies religiosa 参与式监测 城市周边森林 臭氧污染 数字工具 神圣冷杉 (Abbies religiosa) |
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