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Urban-Scale Quantification of Rainfall Interception Drivers in Tree Communities: Implications for Sponge City Planning

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  • Chaonan Xu

    (College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Nongye Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China)

  • Xiya Zhu

    (College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Nongye Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China)

  • Xiaoyang Tan

    (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), 2108-11 Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama 240-0115, Kanagawa, Japan)

  • Runxin Zhang

    (College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Nongye Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China)

  • Baoguo Liu

    (College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Nongye Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China)

  • Kun Wang

    (College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Nongye Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China)

  • Enkai Xu

    (College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Nongye Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China)

  • Ang Li

    (College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Nongye Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China)

  • Ho Yi Wan

    (Department of Wildlife, California State Polytechnic University Humboldt, 1 Harpst Street, Arcata, CA 95521, USA
    Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA)

  • Peihao Song

    (College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Nongye Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China
    Department of Wildlife, California State Polytechnic University Humboldt, 1 Harpst Street, Arcata, CA 95521, USA)

  • Shidong Ge

    (College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Nongye Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China)

Abstract

Urban trees play a crucial role in regulating hydrological processes within urban ecosystems by intercepting rainfall to effectively reduce surface runoff and mitigate urban flooding. Current research lacks a systematic quantification of rainfall interception capacity and its community-level impacts at the urban scale. This study adopts a city-scale perspective, integrating field survey data with the i-Tree Eco model to systematically explore the contributions of 20 factors to the average annual rainfall interception of tree species and the average annual rainfall interception efficiency of communities. The study revealed that Deciduous broadleaf trees (1.28 m 3 year −1 ) and Pure coniferous forests (90.7 mm year −1 ) exhibited substantial rainfall interception capacity. Relative Height, Average Tree Height, Average Crown Width, and Planting Density of trees significantly influence interception capacity. Urban planning can optimize the selection of tree species (e.g., Paulownia , Populus tomentosa , etc.) and community structure (e.g., mixed planting of conifers and deciduous broadleaf trees) to improve rainfall interception capacity, thereby effectively reducing stormwater runoff, mitigating the risk of urban flooding. These findings provide a scientific basis for designing urban vegetation to mitigate flooding, support water management, and advance sponge city development.

Suggested Citation

  • Chaonan Xu & Xiya Zhu & Xiaoyang Tan & Runxin Zhang & Baoguo Liu & Kun Wang & Enkai Xu & Ang Li & Ho Yi Wan & Peihao Song & Shidong Ge, 2025. "Urban-Scale Quantification of Rainfall Interception Drivers in Tree Communities: Implications for Sponge City Planning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-21, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:17:p:7793-:d:1737548
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chenyu Du & Peihao Song & Kun Wang & Ang Li & Yongge Hu & Kaihua Zhang & Xiaoli Jia & Yuan Feng & Meng Wu & Kexin Qu & Yangyang Zhang & Shidong Ge, 2022. "Investigating the Trends and Drivers between Urbanization and the Land Surface Temperature: A Case Study of Zhengzhou, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Peihao Song & Gunwoo Kim & Audrey Mayer & Ruizhen He & Guohang Tian, 2020. "Assessing the Ecosystem Services of Various Types of Urban Green Spaces Based on i-Tree Eco," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-16, February.
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