Jasmine Thom

Jasmine Thom Photo

Jasmine Thom examined how tree-based infiltration systems can reduce stormwater runoff while supporting growth and transpiration of urban trees
PhD completed 2021

Our urban forests provide myriad benefits to surrounding populations including the reduction of stormwater runoff by interception of rainfall and microclimate cooling through transpiration.

Yet, trees in urban areas often experience low soil moisture due to decreased infiltration. Using stormwater as a resource for watering our trees can enhance stormwater reduction benefits and help maintain healthy, tree canopies.

My research explored how redirecting stormwater to trees affects their growth and transpiration, and the contribution of tree transpiration to the water balance of tree-based water sensitive urban design (WSUD).

My research highlights important considerations for designing tree-based WSUD systems, such as species selection and drainage.

Quantifying the response of trees to stormwater resources, and their contribution to the water balance of WSUD systems will support selection of tree species and WSUD design combinations for different contexts.

This has implications for stormwater and urban forest management, and for promoting more liveable cities.

Research Interests

Urban climate, water sensitive urban design, tree physiology, tree water use, ecosystem services, environmental economics

Supervisors

A/Prof Stephen LivesleyDr Chris Szota and Prof Tim Fletcher

Publications

Thom JK, Szota C, Coutts A, Fletcher T and Livesley S (2019) Transpiration by established trees could increase the efficiency of stormwater control measures. Water Research Available online 8 February 2020, 115597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.115597

Thom JK, Coutts AM, Broadbent AM, & Tapper NJ (2016). The influence of strategic street tree placement on mean radiant temperature across a mixed development suburb in Adelaide, Australia. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 20, 233-242. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2016.08.016.

Coutts AM, Moore CE, Thom JK, Tapper NJ & White EC (2016). Radiative and advective influences on cooling from an isolated tree in the dead centre of the city. International Journal of Biometeorology (in preparation)

Thom JK & Coutts AM (2016) Economic valuation of street trees. Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities, Monash University.

Coutts AM, Thom JK, & Broadbent AM (2016). Marrickville cool pavement trial. Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities, Monash University.

Coutts AM, Loughnan M, Tapper NJ, White EC, Thom JK, Broadbent AM & Harris R (2014). Impacts of water sensitive urban design solutions on human thermal comfort, Green cities and microclimate. Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities, Monash University.

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