Evaluating Growth and Survivorship of Afforestation Plots in NYC, and Potential Impacts of Climate Change

As we experience gradual changes in climate patterns, it is important to understand how city forests will respond to New York\u27s changing urban environments. Major cities around the globe are expected to undergo extreme transformations of temperature and precipitation. NYC in this same manner is expected to see patterns of higher precipitation, hotter climate, and rising sea levels. To mitigate this, NYC is one of many cities in the United States that has turned to green based solutions such as urban forests to aid infrastructure and create sustainable urban environments. However, climate change could prove impactful to the many native tree species that live within these urbanized areas. Studies have suggested that there is a concern within sustaining urban forests, as there are trending losses of city canopy cover over major cities, including NYC. As well as predictions for rising temperatures that may prove stressful for native urban forest populations. This study focuses on the analysis of tree survivorship and growth of afforestation plots planted by the Million Trees Initiative in NYC. With the purpose of exploring potential impacts that climate change may have on urban tree populations. This was done by examining selected niches of tolerance to waterlogging and heat, and cross examining that with species survivorship and growth on a case by case basis. Findings suggest that there is no certainty that heat, and waterlogging tolerance are traits that can determine survivorship and growth within this afforestation community. Furthermore, species that are waterlog tolerant marginally outperform nontolerant species in growth, but it is uncertain if this is due to their tolerance. Moving forward, more research must be conducted on other tree traits i.e. drought tolerance, to determine which niches in trees may prove most beneficial in light of climate change. By doing so, we may have a better understanding of what species will be most successful in changing urban environments, and therefore beneficial for urban forests