Diurnal Microclimate and Air Pollutant Patterns in Two Urban Parks in Dili
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Abstract
Urban parks can modify local thermal conditions and pollutant concentrations, yet field evidence from tropical coastal cities such as Dili, Timor-Leste, remains limited. This study compared microclimate and atmospheric pollutant patterns at 5 de Maio City Park and Lecidere City Park, focusing on air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, CO₂, PM₂.₅, and PM₁₀, alongside vegetation structure. Field observations used portable sensors to measure microclimate variables and pollutant concentrations, while canopy characteristics and leaf morphology were recorded. The measurements showed air temperatures ranging from 23.0 to 32.5 °C, accompanied by relative humidity ranging from 51% to 88%. Within 5 de Maio, the shaded interior was 0.5–1.2 °C cooler and 2–5 percentage points more humid than a roadside location; CO₂ readings were also lower at interior than traffic-adjacent points. At Lecidere, the coastal edge had higher humidity and wind speeds, while particulate concentrations varied across observation points. These observations indicate that microclimatic conditions and pollutant concentrations differ by location and vegetation setting within the parks. Because the study measured ambient concentrations rather than pollutant fluxes or deposition, the findings do not directly quantify vegetation-driven pollutant removal. The results provide preliminary site-specific evidence to inform further monitoring and context-sensitive green-space planning in tropical coastal cities.
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