An initial experimental assessment of the influence of substrate depth on floral assemblage for extensive green roofs

Extensive green roofs have the potential to be used as mitigation tools to compensate for urban habitat loss, but there is little information about how closely these systems emulate ground-based habitats. This study investigated the effect of limited substrate depth on plant assemblages in the initial phase of growth in extensive green roof substrates. Five replicate mesocosms (1 m²) for each of three design treatments: (A) 10 cm aggregate depth with green roof drainage and solid floor, (B) 15 cm aggregate depth with green roof drainage and solid floor, and (C) 15 cm aggregate depth on top of bare earth; were positioned at ground level. Each mesocosm had an identical growth substrate and was seeded with the same seed mix. Plant assemblages were analysed using point-quadrat methods. Significant differences in species composition were observed between treatments that seemed to be related to water availability. Even the deep (15 cm) solid floor green roof treatment showed many significant differences in floral assemblage compared to the identical treatment (C) where plants had access to water in the soil profile. Therefore, it is not possible to exactly recreate most ground-based urban habitats on roofs by simply copying the soil characteristics and floral composition found on the ground. Like for mitigation for habitat loss using extensive green roofs requires the careful manipulation of design elements in order to counteract the limited water availability on green roofs.     

An evaluation of one example of biotope roof in Japan: Plant development and invertebrate colonisation after 8 years

Biotope roofs in Japan are usually intensive green roofs that primarily include native plants and food plants for invertebrates and a pond and stones to create a wide range of habitats. The study aimed to evaluate the survivability of planted species, and colonisation by plants and invertebrates on a biotope roof and to suggest an appropriate planting design and maintenance scheme to optimize biodiversity benefits. An intensive green roof (150 m², substrate depth of 50 cm) was installed in 2002 on the ninth storey of a building at Chiba University, Japan. Twelve species of trees, 18 species of shrubs and 8 species of forbs (mainly native species) were planted and volcanic stones were used as mulch and to create habitats for invertebrates. No maintenance and no irrigation were applied for almost 8 years. A limited number of tree species, such as Myrica rubra and Cinnamomum camphora could grew well without maintenance and irrigation at a substrate depth of 50 cm. Overall, shrubs grew successfully and a high density planting seemed effective in increasing wind resistance. Most forbs disappeared, probably because of drought and competition with these colonising plants. Eleven plant species spontaneously colonised resulting in domination by Solidago altissima and Miscanthus sinensis. These two species were too aggressive, and selective weeding is required for species richness. In an invertebrate study, 46 species in 11 orders were observed and the highest number of invertebrate species was observed in the pond and shady areas.     

Plant establishment on a green roof under extreme hot and dry conditions: The importance of leaf succulence in plant selection

Plant selection for extensive green roofs has largely been based on cool, temperate climate research. However, as green roof implementation in hotter and drier climates increases, there is a need to evaluate plant performance under these climatic conditions. Succulents have been shown to be successful in hot and dry green roofs, although survival differs between species and the role of leaf succulence in survival has not been fully explored. For non-succulent plants, habitats with conditions similar to green roofs (‘habitat templates’) have been used to select plants, although few studies have discussed the performance of these selections under green roof conditions. Therefore, we evaluated establishment of 32 plant species on an unirrigated extensive (125 mm deep) green roof in Melbourne, Australia over a 42 week period (from winter through summer into autumn). Plants were selected on the basis of life-form, succulence, appropriate habitat templates and/or successful use on green roofs internationally. Climatic conditions during the experiment were often extreme, with evaporation regularly exceeding rainfall and a hot and dry summer (mean maximum air temperature 35 °C and 80.6 mm total rainfall), leading to roof temperatures of 65 °C. After 42 weeks, only succulent plants remained alive and only three of the succulent species had 100% survival. Survival was positively related to the degree of leaf succulence (g H₂O leaf area cm⁻¹) making this a useful trait for plant selection for unirrigated green roofs in hot, dry climates. The failure of most species, despite being chosen from appropriate habitats, demonstrates the need to evaluate potential plants on green roofs under extreme climatic conditions. Supplementary irrigation may be essential to sustain non-succulent species during extreme weather in hot and dry climates.     

Responses of morphology and drought tolerance of Sedum lineare to watering regime in green roof system: A root perspective

The presence of drought tolerant vegetation is essential for the longevity of an extensive green roof when irrigation is not installed. Earlier studies have examined performance of green roof plants under contrasting watering regimes and found that higher watering frequency provided better growth and survival rates. The effect of early watering regimes on the subsequent response of plants to persistent drought stress in extensive green roofs, however, has not been extensively studied. In order to evaluate the effects of watering regime during the establishment period of Sedum lineare on its growth and drought tolerance, two greenhouse experiments using simulated green roofs were conducted. It was found in the first experiment that a 2-day-interval watering regimen at the early planting stage produced greater root biomass and root size than those of 6-day- and 13-day-interval watering, indicating that deficit watering tended to induce thinner roots in S. lineare. In the second experiment, the remaining plants were subsequently subjected to a 28-day drought treatment. The roots of plants watered at 13-day-interval maintained the highest respiration activity among all plants during the drought period. Results suggest that an appropriate deficit watering regimen at the early planting stage may lead to smaller root size and higher root:shoot ratios in S. lineare, and thereby improve its drought tolerance performance on extensive green roofs.     

Native plant enthusiasm reaches new heights: Perceptions,evidence, and the future of green roofs

The use of native plants on green roofs has attracted considerable attention in recent years. With this comes the implicit assumptions that native plants are better adapted, provide greater environmental benefit, and are more aesthetically pleasing than non-native plants. We examined papers published in scholarly journals and papers presented at the annual North American green roof conference to identify who is promoting the use of native plants on green roofs, their rationale for doing so, and the scientific evidence to support the assertion that natives are better adapted. Architects, landscape architects, and biologists were the most likely to promote native plants and engineers were the least likely. Many of the reasons for using native plants on green roofs originate from ground-level landscaping and have simply been transplanted to the roof, without regard for the fact that the rooftop is a fundamentally different environment than the ground. Nearly half of all pro-native papers used the term “native” without definition. This review highlights the need for greater rigor and transparency when promoting the use of native plants and further demonstrates how misconceptions can result in sub-optimal green roof design and performance.     

Native plants on experimental urban green roofs support higher community-level insect abundance than exotics

Urbanization is one of the multiple factors leading to global insect declines. As urbanization grows, green roofs represent a nature-based solution that could provide habitat for plants and animals within cities. Several characteristics of green roofs could enhance insect biodiversity. Nevertheless, little is known about the effects of plant origin on insect abundance from a multi-taxa perspective. Thus, our main goal was to evaluate the effects of plant origin, local resources, and urbanization level on green roofs’ overall insect abundance, the abundance of different taxonomic orders, and community composition. Using experimental green roofs, we compared insect communities between native and exotic plants across an urbanization gradient, in Córdoba city, central Argentina. On the roofs of 30 houses, we installed two blocks of a modular extensive green roof system, with either native or exotic plant species (6 species each). In March 2019, we used yellow pan traps and pitfall traps (N = 360) to sample insects and measured flower abundance and plant cover at each plant treatment. The urbanization level of each house was estimated by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), and the Land Surface Temperature (LST). A total of 35,257 insects from 12 orders were registered, with Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Hemiptera as the dominant groups. Native plants supported significantly higher total insect abundance on both types of traps, independently from the urbanization level, flower abundance, or plant cover of each roof. The abundance of most of the taxonomic orders was higher in natives as well, but particular effects of the covariables were detected for certain groups. In addition, plant origin was an important factor for insect composition. Our results highlight that green roof design should prioritize native plants to enhance insect conservation while achieving more sustainable cities.     

Performance of native succulents,forbs, and grasses on an extensive green roof over four years in subtropical Australia

To achieve enduring low-maintenance green roofs that provide maximum benefit in the subtropics, plants need to be well adapted to the local climate with extensive green coverage. The use of native plants contributes to ecological restoration, yet there is very limited information available on their performance in the subtropics. This study aimed to determine the performance of nine species of Australian native forbs, succulents, and grasses in monofunctional and functionally-mixed plant communities on an extensive green roof in Brisbane over four years. Green coverage and survival were monitored via image analysis and observational visits. Forbs established slowly, but successfully (82 % green coverage, 67 % survival after four years) with species Hibbertia scandens (100 % survival) and Dianella brevipedunculata (58 % survival and extensive recruitment) performing the best. Grasses, including Themeda triandra, Poa labillardieri and Cymbopogon refractus, achieved a fast initial green coverage (47 % after 10 months), but showed high seasonal variability and declined to 2 %. Contrary to expectations, succulents performed poorly (<5 % green coverage, 14 % survival). Green coverage had an inverse trend to plant survival in successful plots (forbs, functionally-mixed) indicating a gap-filling effect by high performing species. Survival was more strongly linked to individual species than to functional type or plant community arrangement. Based on the results of this study, we recommend consideration of functionally-mixed green roof plantings with a variety of indigenous plants including forbs for low maintenance and resilient green coverage in the subtropics. Habitats that provided suitable plant species for this study were coastal headlands, dunes, montane areas, and open eucalypt forests. Analogous habitats in other regions can be explored to find new native plant species to increase the plant palette of potentially suitable species. It would be beneficial to trial more plants from these habitats over multiple years to increase the knowledge of suitable species available to green roof designers.     

Local habitat characteristics have a stronger effect than the surrounding urban landscape on beetle communities on green roofs

Green roofs are a promising tool to return nature to cities and mitigate biodiversity loss brought about by urbanization. Yet, we lack basic information on how green roofs contribute to biodiversity and how their placement in the urban landscape affects different taxa and community composition. We studied the effects of local and landscape variables on beetle communities on green roofs. We expected that both local roof characteristics and urban landscape composition shape communities, but that their relative importance depends on species characteristics. Using pitfall traps, we collected beetles during two consecutive years from 17 green roofs in Basel, Switzerland. We evaluated the contribution of six local and six landscape variables to beetle community structure and to the responses of individual species. Communities on the roofs consisted of mobile and open dry-habitat species, with both local and landscape variables playing a role in structuring these communities. At the individual species level, local roof variables were more important than characteristics of the surrounding urban landscape. The most influential factors affecting the abundances of beetle species were vegetation, described as forb and grass cover (mainly positive), and roof age (mainly negative). Therefore, we suggest that the careful planning of green roofs with diverse vegetation is essential to increase their value as habitat for beetles. In addition, while beetle communities on green roofs can be diverse regardless of their placement in the urban landscape, the lack of wingless species indicates the need to increase the connectivity of green roofs to ground level habitats.     

Green roof vegetation type affects germination and initial survival of colonizing woody species

Green roofs provide a number of valuable ecosystem services compared to conventional roofs, but may require yearly maintenance. Trees and other woody plants that persist on the roof may damage or overload shallow-substrate green roofs and their removal is a standard maintenance procedure. The germination potential of colonizing species may differ depending on the vegetation surrounding them. The aim of this study was to determine whether the germination of colonizing tree species (Picea glauca and Ulmus glabra) will vary depending on which plant species form the established vegetation seeds land in. To determine germination success, survival, and seed capture ability of the plant canopy, tree seeds were added either directly to the growing medium or atop the plant canopy, in replicated monocultures of 14 species native to Nova Scotia. When seeds were added directly to the soil, no significant difference was detected between the monocultures for germination success or survival for U. glabra or P. glauca. However, when the seeds were added atop the plant canopy, percent germination of U. glabra was significantly higher in Carex argyrantha green roof modules. Overall, sod forming graminoids showed higher germination of U. glabra. The number of seeds reaching the soil was typically lower in vegetation with a denser canopy. This study demonstrates that some vegetation repels colonizing tree species by reducing ground contact. Although these effects differed according to tree species, non-vegetated substrates enhanced seedling persistence. Additionally, the majority of tree seeds that germinated failed to survive a single growing-season on shallow-substrate green roofs.     

Using superpixel- or pixel-based segmentation for efficient green roof digital image classification and rapid estimation of plant species cover

Green roofs are “nature-based solutions” that provide numerous ecosystem services in the context of urban green infrastructures. Plant species diversity and the associated vegetation communities, in strong interactions with green roof substrate, play a central role in the green infrastructure functioning. In order to better understand the influence of vegetation in relation with the co-benefits provided by green roofs as well as to select suitable species for these usually harsh environments, it is essential to be able to achieve accurate and long-term monitoring of plant communities. In this short communication, two free plugins recently developed for the open-source image analysis software Fiji (a distribution of the freely available ImageJ platform, initially dedicated to biological image analysis) were investigated for their capacity to rapidly and efficiently perform supervised machine-learning for the classification of green roof vegetation photographs, with the aim of estimating individual plant species abundance. Two simple methods are thus described using the Trainable Weka Pixel Segmentation (Arganda-Carreras et al., 2017) or the Trainable Superpixel Segmentation (Salinas Colina et al., 2018), which allowed for rapid, efficient and reproducible classification and estimation of multispecies colonized green roof regardless the color or shape similarities among species or ground cover materials. Finally, recommendations are made for the use of the Trainable Superpixel Segmentation which is particularly convenient for quick and efficient green roof image analysis.     

Can microbial inoculants boost soil food webs and vegetation development on newly constructed extensive green roofs?

Green roofs are a key to providing nature-based solutions in cities. However, most green roofs installed in the Northern hemisphere are shallow, stonecrop planted systems (“extensive” green roofs), which have been shown to support limited biodiversity and could be more effective at providing ecosystem services. One issue with this type of extensive green roof is that rootzones are almost sterile on construction, relying on natural colonisation to provide a soil food web. This is a slow process, meaning plant growth can also be slow. Our aim was to determine if a soil food web could be introduced when the green roof is built. We applied microbial inoculants (mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria (Bacillus spp.)) to a new green roof and monitored plant growth and the soil food web (bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi and microarthropods). Different inoculants altered the composition of microarthropod communities, potentially impacting later succession. In particular, bacterial inoculants increased microarthropod populations. This is one of the first studies to demonstrate that the addition of microbial inoculants impacts not only plant growth, but also faunal components of the soil food web, which could have implications for long-term resilience. Bacteria were effective at aiding mycorrhizal colonisation of plants roots, but this colonisation had no impact on the growth of our selected stonecrops, Sedum album, Petrosedum reflexum and Phedimus spurius. We suggest that if a beneficial mycorrhiza could be found to promote the growth of these specific species on green roofs, bacteria could be effective “helper” species to aid colonisation. This study enables green roof researchers and the industry to justify further exploration of the impact of microbial inoculants on green roofs.     

Importance of different components of green roof substrate on plant growth and physiological performance

Green roof substrate is arguably the most important element of a green roof, providing water, nutrients and physical support to plants. Despite this there has been a lack of research into the role that different substrate components have on green roof plant growth and physiological performance.To address this, we assessed the importance of three green roof substrate components (organic matter type, brick particle size and water absorbent additive) for plant growth and plant physiological performance. Lolium perenne (Ryegrass) was grown in eight substrates in a controlled greenhouse environment with a factorial design in composition of (i) small or large brick, (ii) conifer bark or green waste compost organic matter, and (iii) presence/absence of polyacrylamide water absorbent gel (‘SwellGel?’).We found that large brick substrates had a lower water holding capacity than small brick (?35%), which led to decreased shoot growth (?17%) and increased root:shoot ratio (+16%). Green waste compost increased shoot and root growth (+32% and +13%) shoot nitrogen concentration and chlorophyll content (20% and 57%), and decreased root:shoot ratio (?15%) compared to bark. The addition of swell gel increased substrate water holding capacity (+24%), which increased shoot growth (+8%). Total evapotranspiration (a proxy for potential cooling) was increased by greater shoot biomass and substrate water holding capacity. Overall, this study provides one of the first quantitative assessments of the relative importance of commonly used green roof substrate components. It is clear that substrate composition should be considered carefully when designing green roofs, and substrate composition can be tailored for green roof service provision.     

Comparison of establishment methods for extensive green roofs in southern Sweden

The most common technique for establishment of thin extensive green roofs in Sweden has been using prefabricated vegetation mats. Our study investigated (1) how the establishment of green roofs in Sweden was influenced by the establishment method (prefabricated vegetation mat, plug-plant, shoot), substrate composition and species mixture, and (2) whether on-site construction was a possible alternative. The establishment of the vegetation, which in all cases consisted of succulent species, was recorded using the quadrate point intercept method in fixed plots and the success measured as frequency cover.Prefabricated vegetation mats had higher succulent plant cover than on-site constructed roofs. There was no difference in succulent plant cover between plots established using plug-plants compared to shoots. Shoot-established plots had more moss than the other establishment methods. The commercial substrate ‘Roof soil’ had significantly higher succulent plant cover than the other substrates, which might be related to a higher nutrient content. The organic content of the non-commercial substrates was rapidly decomposed. The standard species mixture produced a higher cover than both the mix developed for northern conditions and the mix with an increased proportion of big leaved species. The total cover of the plots was mainly dependent on the cover of two species: Sedum album (L.) and Sedum acre (L.). Few species managed to establish spontaneously but the establishment of woody species highlighted the need for proper maintenance.     

Performance of geophytes on extensive green roofs in the United Kingdom

Dwarf geophytes have great potential for use on extensive green roofs because they often come from arid areas and can survive dry and hot summer in a dormant state. However, there has been little research regarding geophytes on green roofs. This experiment was conducted to study the performance of 26 species of geophytes on a green roof during 2005–2006 in Sheffield, UK. The geophytes were grown at two substrate depths (5 cm and 10 cm) of substrate on a green roof without irrigation. To investigate the susceptibility of geophytes to competition from a covering of permanent plants, the geophytes were grown with or without a surface vegetation layer of Sedum album. Overall, the growth, survival rate, regeneration and flowering of geophytes were more successful at a substrate depth of 10 cm than of 5 cm, probably because of improved moisture retention, fewer temperature fluctuations and the protection from digging by animals. The flowering period was limited to spring, therefore, it is recommended to combine with other plant species such as covering plants. Geophyte species did not compete much with S. album and Sedum cover had no significant effects on the growth, survival rate, regeneration and flowering of geophytes in most species. Iris bucharica, Muscari azureum, Tulipa clusiana var. chrysantha, Tulipa humilis, Tulipa tarda and Tulipa turkestanica had good performance at the substrate depth of 5 cm. In addition, Narcissus cyclamineus ‘February gold’ and Tulipa urumiensis exhibited a successful performance at the substrate depth of 10 cm.     

重庆花园式屋顶绿化生态效益的初步研究

为了探讨屋顶绿化的生态效益,2013年7月选取重庆市园林事业管理局花园式屋顶绿化作为研究对象,以无绿化植物的屋顶水泥地作为对照,进行“乔-灌”、“灌-草”和草坪三种不同植物配置模式的气温、空气相对湿度、地表温度和空气中负氧离子含量测定。研究结果表明,屋顶绿化具有重要的生态效益,且不同植物配置模式的生态效益有较大差异。降温幅度为“乔－灌”（3．60℃）〉“灌～草”（2．68℃）〉草坪（1．43℃）,增湿幅度为草坪（29．42％）〉“乔-灌”（17．68％）〉“灌-草”（9．46％）,对地表温度的降低程度“乔－灌”（25．55℃）〉草坪（20．67℃）;屋顶绿化空气负氧离子含量此对照高33．73ions／m^3。     

Green roofs for a wide brown land: Opportunities and barriers for rooftop greening in Australia

There is increasing public, industry and government interest in establishing green roofs in Australian cities due to their demonstrated environmental benefits. While a small number of green roofs have been constructed in Australia, most are roof gardens or intensive green roofs. Despite their potential as a climate change adaptation and mitigation tool and their widespread use in the northern hemisphere, there are very few examples of extensive green roofs in Australia. One of the major barriers to increasing the prevalence of extensive green roofs in Australia is the lack of scientific data available to evaluate their applicability to local conditions. Relying on European and North American experience and technology is problematic due to significant differences in climate, available substrates and plants. This paper examines green roofs in Australia, discusses the challenges to increasing their use and the major information gaps that need to be researched to progress the industry in Australia.     

Review on the roles and effects of growing media on plant performance in green roofs in world climates

Growing media (substrate) is a fundamental part of a green roof, providing water, nutrients and support to plants. However, little research has reviewed how it affects plant performances in different climatic regions. This study aims to analyse published research on green roof growing medium across world’s climate zones. Findings are structured according to Köppen–Geiger climate classification, aiming to investigate the prevalence of research conducted in different climate zones. Results from full-scale studies and laboratory or greenhouse experiments were reviewed. The later were included as they provide systematic knowledge on the effect of individual factors on system performances although cannot provide climate specific information. Studies discussed effects of major substrate components and depths on plant survival and establishment using standard test procedures. Results showed that most research in the subject were in temperate (group C climate classification), continental (group D) and dry climates (group B), respectively. Considerable number of investigations was conducted in controlled laboratory or greenhouse environments. Based on the results, future green roof research and guidelines should consider climate specifications of the region in designing growing medium, depths and attribute of green roof substrates in order to ensure enhanced plant performance. Especially, for more fragile but less investigated dry climate, considerations should be made to tackle heat fluctuations and drought stress by enhancing water holding capacity and thermal isolation of the substrate. To move forward, sustainable building solutions as a part of future urban forms, climate-adaptive green roof systems should be included into future research, practice and guidelines.     

2种常见忍冬科植物的抗旱性综合评价

以生长在上海同一绿地中的忍冬科常见园林植物锦带花和大花六道木为试验材料,采用自然干旱胁迫方法,对2种植物的8个抗旱指标进行测定,并用模糊数学隶属函数值法对2种植物的抗旱性进行综合评价.结果表明:大花六道木的抗旱性显著强于锦带花的抗旱性;同时,植物抗旱性是一个综合指标,不应由单一指标决定     

适宜兰州地区推广应用的五种优良抗旱地被植物

通过对已筛选成功的5种优良抗旱地被植物的形态特征、生态习性、栽培技术及园林用途进行介绍,以期在兰州地区园林绿地中的推广应用提供技术支撑。     

Green roofs sown with an annual plant mix attain high cover and functional diversity regardless of irrigation frequency

Annual plant species have great potential on green roofs as many are highly attractive, fast and cheap to establish via sowing and can provide rapid cover and growth, which is important for ecosystem service provision. While irrigation is essential for survival and growth of annual plants in seasonally hot or dry climates, it is also important to minimize water use as availability is often limited. Therefore, we evaluated how irrigation frequency affects plant cover, species abundance, richness and diversity, plant traits and functional diversity of a 16 species mixture of Australian annual species (4 g m⁻² ~ 2100 seeds m⁻²) sown onto thirty 0.25 m² green roof modules. The experiment was carried out in Melbourne, Australia, from January (summer) to July (winter) 2020. After a 2-month irrigated establishment phase (to ensure germination and seedling establishment), three irrigation treatments (2, 4 and 6 days between irrigation) were applied to the modules for three months. Plant cover was reduced at lower irrigation frequency (6 days), but ≥ 80% plant cover was achieved in all irrigation treatments. There was no effect of irrigation frequency on species abundance and richness; however, abundance, richness and diversity reduced over time, likely due to competition effects. Plant height and leaf area were also reduced by lower irrigation frequency. At the community level, functional diversity was unaffected by irrigation frequency. Our results indicate that green roofs sown with a mixture of annual plants can achieve good plant coverage, as recommended by green roof guidelines, and maintain high diversity when minimally irrigated in their first growing season.