Assessing ecosystem services provided by cemeteries in urban landscapes

Hatice Çobankaya; Gülşah Kaçmaz Akkurt

Article Details

Assessing ecosystem services provided by cemeteries in urban landscapes

Authors:

Hatice Çobankaya | Gülşah Kaçmaz Akkurt

Publisher:

Ege University

Main Topics:

Ziraat Mühendisliği (Diğer)

Journal:

Ege Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.62 Issue 3, pp.297-312

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358442

pISSN:

1018-8851

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Objective: The objective of this study is to quantify the regulating ecosystem services provided by cemeteries, which have an important place in the urban green space system, in sample areas in Isparta city. Material and Methods: The Gülcü Cemetery, Isparta Garrison Martyrs Cemetery-Karaağaç Cemetery and Akyol Cemetery, which were selected as the main study material, were evaluated in terms of their capacity to provide four regulating ecosystem services air pollution removal, carbon sequestration and storage, oxygen production, avoided surface runoff using the i-Tree Eco model. Data on land use type and various tree characteristics tree species, trunk diameter DBH cm, tree height m, live crown height m, etc. were used in the analysis. Results: According to the research findings, the trees in the examined cemeteries collectively store approximately 47.22 tons of carbon and sequester 6,770 tons of carbon per year in gross terms. Additionally, plants in cemeteries intercept approximately 373.6 cubic meters of surface runoff per year and remove 35.55 kilograms of air pollutants. Moreover, the trees in the cemeteries generate an estimated 125.89 tons of oxygen annually. Conclusion: To enhance regulatory ecosystem services, it is suggested to utilize suitable plant species in cemetery designs and increase plant species diversity.

 Objective: The objective of this study is to quantify the regulating ecosystem services provided by cemeteries, which have an important place in the urban green space system, in sample areas in Isparta city. Material and Methods: The Gülcü Cemetery, Isparta Garrison Martyrs Cemetery-Karaağaç Cemetery and Akyol Cemetery, which were selected as the main study material, were evaluated in terms of their capacity to provide four regulating ecosystem services air pollution removal, carbon sequestration and storage, oxygen production, avoided surface runoff using the i-Tree Eco model. Data on land use type and various tree characteristics tree species, trunk diameter DBH cm, tree height m, live crown height m, etc. were used in the analysis. Results: According to the research findings, the trees in the examined cemeteries collectively store approximately 47.22 tons of carbon and sequester 6,770 tons of carbon per year in gross terms. Additionally, plants in cemeteries intercept approximately 373.6 cubic meters of surface runoff per year and remove 35.55 kilograms of air pollutants. Moreover, the trees in the cemeteries generate an estimated 125.89 tons of oxygen annually. Conclusion: To enhance regulatory ecosystem services, it is suggested to utilize suitable plant species in cemetery designs and increase plant species diversity.

 Objective: The objective of this study is to quantify the regulating ecosystem services provided by cemeteries, which have an important place in the urban green space system, in sample areas in Isparta city. Material and Methods: The Gülcü Cemetery, Isparta Garrison Martyrs Cemetery-Karaağaç Cemetery and Akyol Cemetery, which were selected as the main study material, were evaluated in terms of their capacity to provide four regulating ecosystem services air pollution removal, carbon sequestration and storage, oxygen production, avoided surface runoff using the i-Tree Eco model. Data on land use type and various tree characteristics tree species, trunk diameter DBH cm, tree height m, live crown height m, etc. were used in the analysis. Results: According to the research findings, the trees in the examined cemeteries collectively store approximately 47.22 tons of carbon and sequester 6,770 tons of carbon per year in gross terms. Additionally, plants in cemeteries intercept approximately 373.6 cubic meters of surface runoff per year and remove 35.55 kilograms of air pollutants. Moreover, the trees in the cemeteries generate an estimated 125.89 tons of oxygen annually. Conclusion: To enhance regulatory ecosystem services, it is suggested to utilize suitable plant species in cemetery designs and increase plant species diversity.

 Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı kentsel yeşil alan sistemi içerisinde önemli bir yer tutan mezarlıkların sağladığı düzenleyici ekosistem hizmetlerini Isparta kenti örneğinde belirlenen alanlarda ölçmektir. Materyal ve Yöntem: Ana çalışma materyali olarak seçilen Gülcü Mezarlığı, Isparta Garnizon Şehitliği-Karaağaç Mezarlığı ve Akyol Mezarlığı, i-Tree Eco modeli kullanılarak dört düzenleyici ekosistem hizmeti hava kirliliğini giderme, karbon tutma ve depolama, oksijen üretimi, yüzey akışını önleme sağlama kapasiteleri açısından değerlendirilmiştir. Analizlerde; arazi kullanım türü ve çeşitli ağaç özellikleri ağaç türleri, ağacın göğüs yüksekliğindeki çapı-DBH cm, ağaç yüksekliği m, canlı taç yüksekliği m, vb. verilerinden yararlanılmıştır. Araştırma Bulguları: Araştırma bulgularına göre incelenen mezarlıklardaki ağaçlar brüt olarak yılda yaklaşık 47,22 ton karbonu tutmakta ve 6.770 ton karbonu depolamaktadır. Ayrıca mezarlıklardaki bitkiler yılda yaklaşık 373,6 m³ bir yüzey akışı engellemekte ve 35,55 kg hava kirleticisini ortadan kaldırmaktadır. Son olarak mezarlıklardaki ağaçların yıllık 125,89 ton oksijen ürettiği hesaplanmıştır. Sonuç: Sonuç olarak daha iyi düzenleyici ekosistem hizmeti üretebilmek için, mezarlık tasarımlarında uygun bitki türlerinin kullanılması ve kullanılan bitki türlerinin çeşitliliğinin artırılması önerilmiştir.

Article Details

Assessing ecosystem services provided by cemeteries in urban landscapes

Authors:

Hatice Çobankaya | Gülşah Kaçmaz Akkurt

Publisher:

Ege University

Main Topics:

Ziraat Mühendisliği (Diğer)

Journal:

Ege Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.62 Issue 3, pp.297-312

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358442

pISSN:

1018-8851

Cemeteries

ecosystem services

Isparta

i-tree eco model

urban landscapeMezarlıklar

ekosistem hizmetleri

Isparta

i-tree eco modeli

kentsel peyzaj

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Hatice Çobankaya | Gülşah Kaçmaz Akkurt

Publisher: Ege University

Main Topics: Ziraat Mühendisliği (Diğer)

Journal: Ege Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.62 Issue 3, pp.297-312

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 9/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001358442

pISSN: 1018-8851

Issues

Authors:

Hatice Çobankaya | Gülşah Kaçmaz Akkurt

Publisher:

Ege University

Main Topics:

Ziraat Mühendisliği (Diğer)

Journal:

Ege Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.62 Issue 3, pp.297-312

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358442

pISSN:

1018-8851