Habitat template approach for green roofs using a native rocky sea coast plant community in Japan

2018 ◽  
Vol 206 ◽  
pp. 255-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayako Nagase ◽  
Yurika Tashiro-Ishii
Keyword(s):  
Plant Community ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Habitat Template ◽  
Sea Coast

scholarly journals Vegetation Cover Drives Arthropod Communities in Mediterranean/Subtropical Green Roof Habitats

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 4209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Salman ◽  
Leon Blaustein
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Habitat Template ◽  
Arthropod Abundance

Worldwide, urban areas are expanding both in size and number, which results in a decline in habitats suitable for urban flora and fauna. The construction of urban green features, such as green roofs, may provide suitable habitat patches for many species in urban areas. On green roofs, two approaches have been used to select plants—i.e., matching similar habitat to green roofs (habitat template approach) or identifying plants with suitable traits (plant trait approach). While both approaches may result in suitable habitats for arthropods, how arthropods respond to different combinations of plants is an open question. The aim of this study was to investigate how the structural complexity of different plant forms can affect the abundance and richness of arthropods on green roofs. The experimental design crossed the presence and absence of annuals with three Sedum sediforme (Jacq.) Pau (common name: stonecrops) treatments—i.e., uniformly disrupted Sedum, clumped disrupted Sedum, and no Sedum. We hypothesized that an increased structural diversity due to the coexistence of different life forms of plants on roofs is positively related to the abundance and richness of arthropods. We found that arthropod abundance and richness were positively associated with the percent of vegetation cover and negatively associated with substrate temperature. Neither arthropod abundance nor richness was influenced by the relative moisture of substrate. We also found that arthropod abundance and richness varied by green roof setups (treatments) and by seasonality. Arthropod abundance on green roofs was the highest in treatments with annuals only, while species richness was slightly similar between treatments containing annuals but varied between sampling periods. This study suggests that adding annuals to traditional Sedum roofs has positive effects on arthropods. This finding can support the development of biodiverse cities because most extensive green roofs are inaccessible to the public and can provide undisturbed habitat for several plant and arthropod species.

scholarly journals Substrate Depth Influences Sedum Plant Community on a Green Roof

HortScience ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 401-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin L. Getter ◽  
D. Bradley Rowe
Keyword(s):  
Plant Community ◽  
Plant Stress ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Blue Spruce ◽  
Waterproofing Membrane ◽  
Substrate Moisture ◽  
Substrate Depth

Because the waterproofing membrane beneath green roofs is estimated to last at least 45 years, long-term plant performance beyond initial establishment is critical. Plants that survive initially on a green roof may not exist in the long term because of variability in climate and other factors. This study evaluated the effect of green roof substrate depth on substrate moisture, plant stress as measured by chlorophyll fluorescence, and plant community development and survival of 12 Sedum species over 4 years in a midwestern U.S. climate during 4 years of growth. Plugs of 12 species of Sedum were planted on 8 June 2005 and evaluated biweekly for absolute cover (AC). Most species exhibited greater growth and coverage at a substrate depth of 7.0 cm and 10.0 cm relative to 4.0 cm. For the species evaluated, substrate depths of at least 7.0 cm are highly recommended. AC of Sedum was significantly greater at this substrate depth than at 4.0 cm. Mean volumetric moisture content of the three substrate depths followed the same pattern as AC. When averaged over time, the 4.0-cm substrate depth held less moisture than depths of 7.0 or 10.0 cm, whereas the 7.0- and 10.0-cm substrate depths were statistically the same. Species exhibiting the greatest AC at all substrate depths were S. floriferum, S. sexangulare, S. spurium ‘John Creech’, and S. stefco. In general, species that are less suitable at these substrate depths are S. ‘Angelina’, S. cauticola ‘Lidakense’, S. ewersii, S. ochroleucum, and S. reflexum ‘Blue Spruce’.

Measuring the effect of plant-community composition on carbon fixation on green roofs

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Har’el Agra ◽  
Tamir Klein ◽  
Amiel Vasl ◽  
Gyongyver Kadas ◽  
Leon Blaustein
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Carbon Fixation ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Plant Community Composition

scholarly journals First records of a potentially new plant community from the ruderal vegetation in the Black Sea Coast, Bulgaria

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-15
Author(s):  
Plamen Glogov ◽  
Mira L. Georgievа
Keyword(s):  
Plant Community ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Robinia Pseudoacacia ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Diagnostic Species ◽  
Black Sea Coast ◽  
Bituminaria Bituminosa ◽  
Characteristic Features ◽  
The Town ◽  
Sea Coast

The paper presents the first data of an unreported plant community dominated by Hordeum leporinum Link and Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) Stirt. (class Stellarietea mediae R. Tx., Lohmeyer et Preising in R.Tx. 1950). It is currently established in four localities in the region of the Black Sea coast, between the town of Ravda and the town of Nessebar, Bulgaria. Among the characteristic features of the community are: (i) it occupies places with an active human presence near the beach; (ii) preferences for shallow san-dy or rocky soils; (iii) Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) Stirt. as a dominant, diagnostic and constant species for the community. Other diagnostic species for the association are Anchusa officinalis L., Malva sylves-tris L., Sonchus arvensis L. and Avena fatua L. (iv) annual and perennial species have an equal participa-tion in the community; (v) increased presence of diagnostic species for the class Artemisietea vulgaris Lohmeyer et al. ex von Rochow 1951. Phytogeographically, the species composition of the community has a strong Mediterranean influence. In close proximity to its reléves there are always communities of xerophytic shrubs or low trees (in many cases alien species, such as Amorpha fruticosa L., Ziziphus jujuba Mill. and Robinia pseudoacacia L.) that participate in the association without forming a full second layer (their cover abundance is less than 30%).

scholarly journals Evaluating Native germplasm for extensive green roof systems for semiarid regions

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 466-476
Author(s):  
Natalia Cáceres ◽  
Lelia Imhof ◽  
Mario Suárez ◽  
Emmanuel Hick ◽  
Leonardo Galetto
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Limited Range ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Habitat Template ◽  
Sedum Acre ◽  
Extensive Green Roofs ◽  
Potential Use

Extensive green roofs (EGR) spaces constitute harsh and stressful growing environments, and consequently a limited range of plants species that can be routinely used there. The habitat template hypothesis suggests that EGR can be analogous as natural environments, what makes native plants as an alternative for these conditions. This paper aimed to assess the potential use of 15 native plants from Córdoba Province (Argentina) for green roofs, based on cover ability, survived rates and health status observations during a period of 414 days. Sedum acre L. was used as the control. Glandularia x hybrid, Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene, Melica macra Nees, Eustachys retusa (Lag.) Kunth and Grindelia cabrerae Ariza kept up a 60% of coverage during all the period of study. The first two species had an outperformed green coverage (at 72th day; 95% and 98% respectively) in relation to the control species (Sedum acre; 87%). Eustachys retusa and Grindelia cabrerae grew progressively and kept their coverage constant proximally to 65%. Sedum acre, Grindelia cabrerae, Hysterionica jasionoides Willd, Melica macra, Phyla nodiflora, stood out in plant survival rates; but S. acre suffered changes in health status throughout the evaluation period, especially with low temperatures or at high humidity conditions. It is necessary to underline the reseeding potential of Eustachys retusa, a process that could guarantee perpetuation of the species on EGR.

scholarly journals Plant-pollinator interactions on green roofs are mediated by substrate characteristics and plant community composition

2020 ◽  
Vol 105 ◽  
pp. 103559
Author(s):  
Yann Dusza ◽  
Yvan Kraepiel ◽  
Luc Abbadie ◽  
Sébastien Barot ◽  
David Carmignac ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Plant Community Composition ◽  
Plant Pollinator

Green roofs may cast shadows

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 15-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Holt
Keyword(s):  
Plant Community ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Design Strategy ◽  
Novel Ecosystems ◽  
Ecological Research ◽  
Novel Ecosystem ◽  
Existing Structures ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
New Buildings

A “green roof” is a roof on a structure created by humans, which has a plant community (and various hangers-on) established on it. There are many potential benefits of green roofs, ranging from moderation of local microclimates to modulations of storm runoffs, and green roofs may serve the enhancement of biodiversity conservation, as well. Green roofs would seem to be quintessential examples of a “novel ecosystem”. Here, I first outline some dimensions of the novelty that warrant more research. Green roofs can provide many opportunities for creative ecological research in the assembly, dynamics and functioning of novel ecosystems. Then, I briefly discuss some potential biodiversity hazards that are created along with green roofs. Recognizing these potential “shadows” of a green roof by no means belies the strong and compelling rationale for promoting green roofs, in terms of sustainability and livability of human structures; instead the points I raise are simply issues which should be evaluated and quantified when promoting green roofs broadly as a design strategy in new buildings or retrofitted existing structures.

scholarly journals CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEGETATION COMPOSITION OF THE ABRASION COAST OF THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF THE BLACK SEA COAST OF THE CAUCASUS

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-26
Author(s):  
S.V. Krylenko ◽  
A.I. Lukinykh
Keyword(s):  
Plant Community ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Northwestern Part ◽  
Northwestern Caucasus ◽  
Black Sea Coast ◽  
Sea Coast

Abrasion coasts (cliffs) are characterized by heterogeneity of the spatial structure and mobility of the substrate, which creates specific environmental conditions for plants. Nevertheless, plant communities of cliffs of the Black Sea coast of the Northwestern Caucasus are well developed due to the presence of a large number of Mediterranean species that are well adapted to such conditions. Communities are also supplemented by local endemics and representatives of petrophytic vegetation of adjacent areas. As a result, a specific plant community is formed on the cliff, represented by species from different floristic areas. Thus, the aim of this work was to analyze the species composition of higher vascular plants of the abrasion shore area of the Black Sea coast of the Northwestern Caucasus. On the studied cliff, 131 species of vascular plants were found, including 5 Crimean-Novorossiysk and 6 Novorossiysk endemic, as well as 6 species found in the Red List of the Russian Federation. Extreme unevenness in the density distribution of vegetation was noted, which may be due to the heterogeneity of the relief and the mobility of the substrate. Analysis of supraspecific taxa (families) showed the predominance of representatives of the Apiaceae, Fabaceae, and Poaceae families in the plant community. In addition, chorological analysis of vascular plant species was performed. The data of the performed chorological analysis confirm the relation of the studied territory to the Crimean Novorossiysk province. Thus, despite the specific environmental conditions, the plant community of the studied cliff is rich in species, including endemic species.

Temporal dynamics of mycorrhizal fungal communities and co-associations with grassland plant communities following experimental manipulation of rainfall

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coline Deveautour ◽  
Sally Power ◽  
Kirk Barnett ◽  
Raul Ochoa-Hueso ◽  
Suzanne Donn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Plant Responses ◽  
Rainfall Regimes

Climate models project overall a reduction in rainfall amounts and shifts in the timing of rainfall events in mid-latitudes and sub-tropical dry regions, which threatens the productivity and diversity of grasslands. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi may help plants to cope with expected changes but may also be impacted by changing rainfall, either via the direct effects of low soil moisture on survival and function or indirectly via changes in the plant community. In an Australian mesic grassland (former pasture) system, we characterised plant and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities every six months for nearly four years to two altered rainfall regimes: i) ambient, ii) rainfall reduced by 50% relative to ambient over the entire year and iii) total summer rainfall exclusion. Using Illumina sequencing, we assessed the response of AM fungal communities sampled from contrasting rainfall treatments and evaluated whether variation in AM fungal communities was associated with variation in plant community richness and composition. We found that rainfall reduction influenced the fungal communities, with the nature of the response depending on the type of manipulation, but that consistent results were only observed after more than two years of rainfall manipulation. We observed significant co-associations between plant and AM fungal communities on multiple dates. Predictive co-correspondence analyses indicated more support for the hypothesis that fungal community composition influenced plant community composition than vice versa. However, we found no evidence that altered rainfall regimes were leading to distinct co-associations between plants and AM fungi. Overall, our results provide evidence that grassland plant communities are intricately tied to variation in AM fungal communities. However, in this system, plant responses to climate change may not be directly related to impacts of altered rainfall regimes on AM fungal communities. Our study shows that AM fungal communities respond to changes in rainfall but that this effect was not immediate. The AM fungal community may influence the composition of the plant community. However, our results suggest that plant responses to altered rainfall regimes at our site may not be resulting via changes in the AM fungal communities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document