Carbon Sequestration and Nutrient Cycling In Urban Soils.

World’s urban population, already 50% of the total since 2005, is projected to be 70% of the total population by 2030. Urban ecosystems, important land use globally and regionally, strongly impact the global carbon (C) budget, nutrient (N, P, K, S) cycling, and water balance. Being major sources of anthropogenic emissions, urban centers are among principal causes of the perturbation of the regional/global C cycle. Yet, a sustainable management of urban land use can off-set some of the anthropogenic emissions. Creating a positive C budget through improved management of home lawns, turfs, recreational grounds, parks, urban forests, and wetlands can sequester atmospheric CO₂. Establishing green roofs and using techniques to enhance permeable surfaces are also important to creating favorable C, nutrient and water budgets in urban soils.