Land take effects on airborne fluxes. A proposal for future research development

Purpose – Among others, the resuspension of fine and ultrafine particulate matters (PMs) on air due by land take effect is an uncovered issue. The relation between land use change and fluxes of PM is not systematically observed even if the common classification of ecosystem services (ESs) clearly shows relationship between soil and aerosol concentrations. Soil does not act only as carbon pool, but it is also a crucial variable for the resuspension dynamic of particulates. If key policies of sustainable urban development is focused on “quality of life,” it is necessary to map and evaluate the effect of land take on airborne fluxes in metropolitan areas. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The paper allows to introduce pioneer studies on air quality in large urban areas outling a methodology of particulate field measurement. It introduces newer quantitative/qualitative assessment of environmental effect due to urbanization ensuring a major efficiency on ES degradation. Findings – Expected results are the estimation of resuspension dynamics of aerosol for typical land cover pattern. Research limitations/implications – Implications are mainly destinated to increase significant knowledge and general awareness of the environmental effect caused by urban growth: urban areas act as a hotspot for health risk as both particle sources and human population are concentrated in these areas. Originality/value – Considering that cardiovascular diseases are significantly caused by air quality, the paper aims to support sustainable planning policies aimed to achieve a better quality of environment on urban areas.