This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: People rarely give much thought to the trees around them—until there aren't any. Not when they're driving past them.
Not when they're scrolling on a park bench. But on a sweltering Miami afternoon, when the sidewalk feels like a frying pan and the air itself seems to radiate heat, stepping beneath a tree can feel like walking into a different climate. A cooler, more welcoming climate.
That's exactly what Florida International University researchers have spent the past several years studying. Their conclusions could change the way people think about urban trees. They are more than just landscaping, according to FIU biologist Christopher Baraloto.
Trees should be thought of as critical infrastructure, he said. Baraloto is the director of the International Center for Tropical Botany at the Kampong—a collaboration between FIU and the National Tropical Botanical Garden. This summer, he has felt the heat.
Throughout Miami-Dade County, residents have experienced one of the longest streaks of consecutive 90-plus-degree days on record. Heat indexes, which take into account temperature and humidity, have exceeded triple digits. In neighborhoods dominated by asphalt, concrete and rooftops, the urban heat island effect can make it feel even hotter.
"I hope everyone can recognize the value of trees for their ecological benefits, including cooling and stormwater mitigation," Baraloto said. "If we start with that premise, I believe we can have the conversations needed to support healthy, vibrant communities." Baraloto leads a research team in FIU's Institute of Environment composed of scientists from the Departments of Biological Sciences and Earth and Environment. Their research indicates trees can cool urban areas by as much as 10 degrees, but not all trees are equal when it comes to cooling capacity.
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