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Urban atmospheric pollution is global problem and and have become increasingly critical in big cities around the world. Issue of toxic emissions has gained significant attention in the scientific community as the release of pollutants into the atmosphere rising continuously. Although, the Pakistani government has started the Pakistan Clean Air Program to control ambient air quality however, the desired air quality levels are yet to be reached. Since the process of mapping the dispersion of atmospheric pollutants in urban areas is intricate due to its dependence on multiple factors, such as urban vegetation and weather conditions. Therefore, present research focuses on two essential items: (1) the relationship between urban vegetation and atmospheric variables (temperature, relative humidity (RH), sound intensity (SI), CO, CO2, and particulate matter (PM0.5, PM1.0, and PM2.5) and (2) the effect of seasonal change on concentration and magnitude of atmospheric variables. A geographic Information System (GIS) was utilized to map urban atmospheric variables dispersion in the residential areas of Faisalabad, Pakistan. Pearson correlation and principal component analyses were performed to establish the relationship between urban atmospheric pollutants, urban vegetation, and seasonal variation. The results showed a positive correlation between urban vegetation, metrological factors, and most of the atmospheric pollutants. Furthermore, PM concentration showed a significant correlation with temperature and urban vegetation cover. GIS distribution maps for PM0.5, PM1.0, PM2.5, and CO2 pollutants showed the highest concentration of pollutants in poorly to the moderated vegetated areas. Therefore, it can be concluded that urban vegetation requires a rigorous design, planning, and cost–benefit analysis to maximize its positive environmental effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive lead (Pb) in industrial dust increases serious concerns about its potential impact on human health and environment. Urban trees, as a green and cost-effective alternative, are now considered an eco-sustainable tool used to monitor and mitigate this environmental pollution. The present study investigated the effect of dust particles and lead deposition on plant functioning and micromorphology of two common roadside plants, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Conocarpus lancifolius, in an industrial city, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Tree leaf samples were collected from 20 sites varying in dust exposure intensity. These samples were analyzed for antioxidant enzymes such as superoxidase dismutase (SOD), peroxidases (POD), and catalases (CAT), as well as for proline and protein contents. An increased leave of reactive oxygen species and proline contents in response to increasing dust load and lead tissue lead concentrations across the tested locations suggested the sensitivity of plants to urban dust. This study suggested that C. lancifolius leaves accumulated relatively higher dust particles and lead contents than E. camaldulensis. However, this excessive dust deposition and lead uptake inhibited carbon and protein synthesis in E. camaldulensis and C. lancifolius, as evidenced by relatively lower leaf photosynthesis and protein contents. We also found that the concentration of CAT (4.90 nmol min–1 g–1 protein), SOD (38.42 U mg–1 protein), and POD (2.64 µmol min–1 g–1 protein) were higher in E. camaldulensis. The results provide experimental support for the hypothesis that genetically rich populations are better adapted to changing conditions and suggest that C. lancifolius is less sensitive to dust load and lead uptake in terms of growth reduction. Regarding lead uptake and dust removal, C. lancifolius performed better as compared to E. camaldulensis. The above findings are helpful in the quantification of services, assessing the diversity, and identification of eco-friendly trees in urban areas. Furthermore, this study will be helpful for the formulation of future tree-planting policies in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unplanned development of cities creates several problems like deterioration of environment, unbalanced ecosystem and poor community interrelation. Furthermore, shifting rural communities to urban areas can damage the urban forestry by conversion of natural habitat into concrete heat island. In this scenario, for improvement of urban environmental quality, people's perception and opinion could be helpful for better implementation of urban management decisions. The objectives of this study were to examine the perception of urban dwellers towards urban trees and to explore the variation in opinion for managing the diverse types of urban spaces. The present study was conducted in 3rd most populous city of Pakistan viz. Faisalabad, divided into four categories i.e. parks, hospitals, institutions, and urban communities. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted by four hundred respondents with a hundred from each category to analyze people's perception, attitude, and preference towards urban trees. Results depicted diversity among respondents related to age, education, profession, and monthly income. Three most abundant tree species in Faisalabad named Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. (17%), Conocarpus erectus L. (43%) and Vachellia nilotica (L.) P. Hurter & Mabb. (12%) were disliked due to various problems like accidents, garbage, sewerage problems, and electric transmission issue, respectively. Moreover, it was also assessed that demographic characters i.e. gender, age, education, income, and profession have a strong association on liking and disliking of urban trees. This study helps to analyze the people's perception, attitude, and preference towards urban vegetation and provide valuable information for establishing future green belts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate is changing around the globe due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Vachellia nilotica (L.) P.J.H. Hurter & Mabb., commonly known as babul, based agroforestry systems have the great potential to sequester the atmospheric carbon dioxide in both plant parts and soil, thus can perform a vital role in mitigating climate change. The objective of this study was to quantify the role of linearly planted V. nilotica farm trees in C sequestration. Keeping in the view the major study objective, linearly planted V. nilotica farmlands located in district Faisalabad were selected. Carbon stock and sequestration along with growth and biomass were assessed in four different aged linearly planted V. nilotica farm trees under semi-arid conditions. The soil organic carbon (SOC) was measured at two depths: 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm. The maximum diameter at breast height (DBH) and height was observed in 8 years old trees as compared to 4 and 6 years old trees. Plant biomass increased with age and maximum biomass (14.91 t ha-1) was estimated at 8 years of age. Aboveground carbon stock and CO2 sequestration increased from 0.72 t ha-1 and 2.66 t ha-1 at 2 years to 7.17 t ha-1 and 26.27 t ha-1 at 8 years of trees. The amount of SOC tended to be lower with depth but increased with tree age and ranged from 14.24 t ha-1 to 24.32 t ha-1 in surface soil (0-15cm) and 13.52 t ha-1 to 21.48 t ha-1 in subsoil (15-30 cm). The ecosystem carbon stock (plant + soil) varied from 37.23 t ha-1 at 2 years to 91.98 t ha-1 at 8 years of age. The above findings indicated that planting V. nilotica along the boundaries of farm crops not only capture carbon to mitigate climate change but also provide long term accumulation of biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faisalabad is one of the major industrial cities of Pakistan, which may cause noise pollution to the local residents due to the development of robust industrial and transport systems. This study aimed at (i) mapping the noise pollution levels at various locations of Faisalabad city; (ii) comparing noise pollution levels in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening for each source; and (iii) assessing nonauditory effects of noise on human health. Two industries and 43 famous/busy locations of Faisalabad Sadar were selected to study noise pollution by using the sound level meter for the period of 24 h. A questionnaire-based survey was carried out near the sampling points to get a public perception about the health impacts of noise pollution. The measured equivalent sound pressure levels (SPLeq) were higher than the permissible limits at all the sampling locations during morning, afternoon, and evening hours. The maximum sound pressure level (SPLmax) was 102 dB inside the production unit in the afternoon at Mian Muhammad Siddiq Textile Loom industry. The average SPL was found at State Bank road (102 dB), Children's Hospital (101 dB), Jhang Bazar (100 dB) in the afternoon and at Punjab Medical College in the evening (97 dB). Based on the survey, 94% of respondents reported headache, 76% sleeplessness, 74% hypertension, 74% physiological stress, 64% elevated blood pressure levels, and 60% dizziness due to noise. Noise pollution is higher than the standard limits and causes auditory as well as nonauditory effects on humans. The vehicles and industrial machinery should be maintained, and sound proofing and protection equipment should be provided to the workforce in order to protect them from extreme noise levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]