Study on the Reduction Mechanisms and Synergistic Effects of PM2.5 and PM10 by the Spatial Pattern of Green Spaces in Urban Community Parks: A Case Study of Zhengzhou, China

The accelerated pace of urbanization has intensified the urban heat island effect and deteriorated air quality, adversely affecting residents’ living environments and physical health. Community parks serve as the most accessible “terminal units” within the urban green space system, making research on their pollutant concentration reduction capabilities highly relevant. Existing studies predominantly focus on the impact of city-scale green spaces or localized plant arrangements on air pollution, lacking a systematic exploration of synergistic reduction effects across multiple pollutants. To address this gap, six community parks with distinct spatial patterns of green spaces in Zhengzhou were selected as study sites. Six representative indicators of the spatial pattern of green spaces were extracted. Field measurements of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were conducted using a combination of control points and transect sampling methods. Correlation and linear regression analyses were employed to investigate the mechanisms by which the spatial pattern of green spaces in community parks influences PM2.5 and PM10 reduction. We aimed to investigate the pollutant concentration reduction boundaries of community parks of varying scales, as well as their synergistic effects and differences in reducing PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations. Results indicate the following: (1) The area, perimeter, and area-weighted shape index of community park green patches showed significant positive correlations with PM2.5 and PM10 reduction capacity, while fractal dimension, shape index, and proximity index did not exhibit correlations; (2) larger green space patches expand the reduction boundaries for both PM2.5 and PM10; (3) community parks exhibit a positive synergistic trend in reduction rates for both pollutants. When park areas range between 2 × 104 and 4 × 104 m2, their reduction effects show a significant synergistic increase; and (4) community parks with similar spatial configurations but differing canopy closure exhibit varying PM2.5 and PM10 reduction capacities. These findings provide theoretical foundations and empirical references for optimizing the design of community park green spaces and enhancing ecological benefits.