Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the function of microclimate amelioration of urban trees regarding the environmental benefits of street trees in summer, focusing on the heat pollution-urban heat island, tropical climate day's phenomenon and air pollution. We measured the diurnal variation of air/ground temperatures and humidity within the vegetation canopy with the meteorological tower observation system. Summertime air temperatures within the vegetation canopy layer were 1-2$^{\circ}C$ cooler than in places with no vegetation. Due to lack of evaporation, the ground surface temperatures of footpaths were, at a midafternoon maximum, 8$^{\circ}C$ hotter than those under trees. This means that heat flows from a place with no vegetation to a vegetation canopy layer during the daytime. The heat is consumed as a evaporation latent heat. These results suggest that the extension of vegetation canopy bring about a more pleasant urban climate. Diurnal variation of air/ground temperatures and humidity within the vegetation canopy were measured with the meteorological tower observation system. According to the findings, summertime air temperatures under a vegetation canopy layer were 1-2$^{\circ}C$ cooler than places with no vegetation. Due mainly to lack of evaporation the ground surface temperature of footpaths were up to 8$^{\circ}C$ hotter than under trees during mid-afternoon. This means that heat flows from a place where there is no vegetation to another place where there is a vegetation canopy layer during the daytime. Through the energy redistribution analysis, we ascertain that the major part of solar radiation reaching the vegetation cover is consumed as a evaporation latent heat. This result suggests that the expansion of vegetation cover creates a more pleasant urban climate through the cooling effect in summer. Vegetation plays an important role because of its special properties with energy balance. Depended on their evapotranspiration, vegetation cover and water surfaces diminish the peaks of temperature during the day. The skill to make the best use of the vegetation effect in urban areas is a very important planning device to optimize urban climate. Numerical simulation study to examine the vegetation effects on urban climate will be published in our next research paper.
