Jauni, Miia and Kuoppamaki, Kirsi and Hagner, Marleena and Prass, Marju and Suonio, Taina and Fransson, Ann-Mari and Lehvävirta, Susanna
(2020).
Alkaline habitat for vegetated roofs? Ecosystem dynamics in a vegetated roof with crushed concrete-based substrate.
Ecological Engineering. 157
, 105970
[Journal article]
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Abstract
Using local and recycled materials is a sustainable way to establish a vegetated roof. In order to understand how the roof ecosystem functions and returns ecosystem services, it is important to study vegetation, soil organisms and runoff quality. We established a vegetated roof experiment based on a substrate containing lightweight crushed concrete, an alkaline side product from a concrete factory, mixed with compost. This five-year experiment in southern Finland tested how planting method (pre-grown vegetation mats vs. pot planting), compost content (20% vs. 40%, fresh volume), and substrate depth affect the cover and diversity of plants, the abundance of soil animals and the quality of runoff. Although the substrate had a high pH (7.3-11.8), many vascular plants were able to survive and establish viable populations. The planting method had a strong effect on plant diversity and the cover of individual species because the vegetation mats became dominated by the invasive, non-native Phedimus hybridus. Establishment with pot plants in turn provided bare ground that was colonised by spontaneous non-invasive species. This resulted in higher diversity, and a more even distribution of species. The amount of compost had only a weak impact on vegetation, whereas high pH generally reduced plant abundance and diversity. The concentrations of total phosphorus and total nitrogen in runoff were low as compared to values reported from many other vegetated roofs, were not affected by compost content and decreased over time. In summary, the high-pH substrate based on recycled materials is an environmentally responsible choice, suitable for a wide variety of plants, even rare and endangered species.
Authors/Creators: | Jauni, Miia and Kuoppamaki, Kirsi and Hagner, Marleena and Prass, Marju and Suonio, Taina and Fransson, Ann-Mari and Lehvävirta, Susanna | ||||||
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Title: | Alkaline habitat for vegetated roofs? Ecosystem dynamics in a vegetated roof with crushed concrete-based substrate | ||||||
Series Name/Journal: | Ecological Engineering | ||||||
Year of publishing : | 2020 | ||||||
Volume: | 157 | ||||||
Article number: | 105970 | ||||||
Number of Pages: | 15 | ||||||
ISSN: | 0925-8574 | ||||||
Language: | English | ||||||
Publication Type: | Journal article | ||||||
Article category: | Scientific peer reviewed | ||||||
Version: | Published version | ||||||
Copyright: | Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 | ||||||
Full Text Status: | Public | ||||||
Subjects: | (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 1 Natural sciences > 106 Biological Sciences (Medical to be 3 and Agricultural to be 4) > Ecology (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 4 Agricultural Sciences > 401 Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries > Landscape Architecture | ||||||
Keywords: | Green roof, Nature-based solutions, growth media, Vegetation dynamics, Runoff quality, Recycled materials | ||||||
URN:NBN: | urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-p-108180 | ||||||
Permanent URL: | http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-p-108180 | ||||||
Additional ID: |
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ID Code: | 17850 | ||||||
Faculty: | LTV - Fakulteten för landskapsarkitektur, trädgårds- och växtproduktionsvetenskap | ||||||
Department: | (LTJ, LTV) > Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management | ||||||
Deposited By: | SLUpub Connector | ||||||
Deposited On: | 20 Oct 2020 17:20 | ||||||
Metadata Last Modified: | 15 Jan 2021 19:22 |
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