Effect of different plant communities on NO(2) in an urban road greenbelt in Nanjing, China

As an important part of urban ecosystems, plants can reduce NO(2) concentrations in the air. However, there is little evidence of the effects of different plant communities on NO(2) concentrations in street-scale green spaces. We used a multifunctional lifting environmental detector to investigate the impact of environmental factors and small plant communities on NO(2) concentrations in street green spaces during the summer and winter in Nanjing, China. The results showed that temperature, atmospheric pressure, and noise were significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with seasonal changes, temperature and humidity significantly (P < 0.01) influenced NO(2) concentrations in winter and summer, and the average NO(2) concentration in summer was generally higher than in winter. By comparing NO(2) concentrations in different plant community structures and their internal spaces, we found that the plant community structure with tree-shrub-grass was more effective in reducing pollution. These findings will help predict the impact of plant communities on NO(2) concentrations in urban streets and help city managers and planners effectively reduce NO(2) pollution.