The idea of the heat island — that densely built-up urban areas are considerably hotter than the rural and semi-rural landscapes that surround them — has been extensively studied and is widely accepted by academics and the public.

The idea of the heat island — that densely built-up urban areas are considerably hotter than the rural and semi-rural landscapes that surround them — has been extensively studied and is widely accepted by academics and the public.

But a new study by a Concordia researcher takes a closer look at the phenomenon and what can be done to mitigate it. According to Carly Ziter, an assistant professor of biology in the Faculty of Arts and Science, extensive tree canopy cover in an urban area can dramatically reduce the temperatures of their immediate environs — enough to make a significant difference even within a few city blocks.

In a new paper published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Ziter argues that there is a non-linear relationship between canopy cover and temperature reduction: when canopy cover reaches a certain threshold, temperatures will begin to drop far more dramatically than they do below that point.

Read more at Concordia University

Image: Carly Ziter, an assistant professor of biology in the Faculty of Arts and Science. (Credit: Courtesy Carly Ziter)