Species Composition and Carbon Accounting for Landscape Trees in Urban Parks of Dongguan, China

Carbon accounting was carried out using Volume-Biomass Method based on field survey data from four urban parks of Dongguan. The results are as follows: 1) Shuilianshan Park (SLS) and Tongsha Park (TS) are sparsely covered with large trees, while Dapingzhang Forest Park (DPZ) and Huangqishan Park (HQS) are abundant with dense but small arbors. 2) Elaeocarpus apiculatus and Khaya senegalensis are the two major trees grown in Tongsha Park, which is located in urban core of Dongguan. A lot of individuals of Litsea glutinosa and Microcos paniculata occur in Huangqishan Park and Shuilianshan Park in the suburb, while many Acacia magium and Lithocarpus glaber trees have been planted in Dapingzhang Forest Park. 3) Carbon density and biomass density for the parks are in the following order: SLS > HQS > TS > DPZ, which reflects the gradient of rapid urbanization. Carbon sink of urban forest was affected by land-use and land-cover change, vegetation types and stand ages, reforestation, and forest management.