OOS 19

Green Roof Biodiversity and the Food Web

Green infrastructure represents a new frontier for ecological research in urban areas. Green roofs are prime examples, where interdisciplinary collaboration has resulted in a new template of urban green space where researchers can test ecological theory. To date, this research has focused on performance based benefits, including stormwater retention and energy savings. As these benefits are increasingly realized, a growing number of studies involving ecologists are examining the potential for green roofs to contribute to urban habitat enhancements and wildlife conservation. Starting with a look at how green roofs could affect the biotic homogenization of cites, this session explores a wide range of taxa being studied on city rooftops, from microbial communities, to pollinators, to plant species both ornamental and agricultural. Talks will examine how we can or should use ecological theory to organize our research pursuits on these novel environmental systems and address the myths and knowledge gaps regarding green roofs as wildlife habitat. This session will also elucidate in what ways green roofs might also pose consequences for new directions in urban biodiversity conservation and amelioration.