# The Effect of Green Areas on Urban Microclimate: A University Campus Model Case
## 1 Introduction  
The rapid urbanization occurring worldwide has led to a significant reduction in green areas [1, 2, 3] and the destruction of natural habitats, particularly in large cities [4, 5, 6, 7]. This process has resulted in various environmental and social issues, such as increasing urban temperatures, declining air quality, and deteriorating living comfort [8, 9, 10, 11, 12]. The preservation and expansion of green areas [13, 14, 15] in urban spaces are crucial for sustainable urban planning [16, 17, 18]. In particular, the presence of green areas in highly urbanized regions contributes to balancing [19, 20, 21] urban ecosystems and directly impacts human health and quality of life. Furthermore, green areas play a critical role in regulating the urban microclimate [22, 23, 24, 25, 22]. Broadleaved trees, coniferous trees, shrubs, and vines not only provide aesthetic value but also reduce surface temperatures [26, 27], mitigating the urban heat island effect [28, 29, 30, 31]. The literature emphasizes that landscape areas designed with appropriate plant species can lower temperatures, improve microclimate conditions [32, 33, 34, 35], and enable users to enjoy these spaces more comfortably for extended periods [9, 36, 37, 38]. Additionally, green areas support ecosystem services by reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and contributing to rainwater management [39]. In addition to itsecological and climatic relevance, the role of green spaces in promoting landscape sustainability has gained increasing attention in recent studies. Green infrastructure contributes not only to environmental resilience but also to long-term sustainable urban development by integrating ecosystem services into land use planning [40; 41; 42]. Ensuring the sufficient presence of green areas in the physical structure of cities is essential for making urban life healthier and more sustainable. In this context, one of the critical urban spaces that should have extensive green areas is university campuses [43; 44; 45]. Universities are dynamic environments that cater to a broad range of users from different age groups, including students, academics, and other campus residents who spend a significant portion of their time in these spaces. The presence of green areas on campuses offers substantial advantages in terms of both environmental sustainability and the psychological and physical well-being of users [30; 46; 47]. The optimization of plant-based designs on university campuses should be carried out not only for aesthetic concerns but also by considering functional benefits. Selecting plant species suitable for climatic conditions, implementing shading strategies, and incorporating ecological landscaping arrangements improve the microclimate while enhancing the quality of life for campus users [48; 49; 50; 51]. These spaces are vital urban components that enhance individuals' interaction with nature, supporting their academic and social lives. Therefore, in today's rapidly urbanizing world, preserving and effectively planning green areas on university campuses should be regarded as an integral part of the sustainable urbanization approach. While numerous studies have explored the role of urban green spaces in mitigating surface temperature and reducing the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, most have primarily relied on remote sensing indicators such as NDVI or land cover classifications without differentiating among plant species or accounting for their biophysical traits. For instance, refs. [52; 53] reported strong inverse relationships between vegetation cover and surface temperature in cities like Chicago and Tel Aviv, yet they did not assess the differential cooling effects of individual plant types. Similarly, ref. [54] demonstrated the efficiency of green roofs in Bangkok's tropical climate but without reference to species-specific physiological properties.