Plant species and functional group combinations affect green roof ecosystem functions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Green roofs perform ecosystem services such as summer roof temperature reduction and stormwater capture that directly contribute to lower building energy use and potential economic savings. These services are in turn related to ecosystem functions performed by the vegetation layer such as radiation reflection and transpiration, but little work has examined the role of plant species composition and diversity in improving these functions.

Methodology/principal findings

We used a replicated modular extensive (shallow growing- medium) green roof system planted with monocultures or mixtures containing one, three or five life-forms, to quantify two ecosystem services: summer roof cooling and water capture. We also measured the related ecosystem properties/processes of a

SUBMITTER: Lundholm J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2837352 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature