Dierecologie (AnE), Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie (NIOO)
المصدر:
De Levende Natuur, 120(5), 189-192. Stichting De Levende Natuur
سنة النشر:
2019
الوصف:
Solar collectors facilitate high plant diversity on green roofs We compared the vegetation on green sedum roofs with and without solar thermal collectors, 7 and 8 years after construction. The vegetation on the roof with solar collectors harboured a much higher plant species richness and diversity, particularly for weeds and woody plants, than the roof without solar thermal collectors. Several species typical for moist soils were found on the roof with solar collectors. This plant diversity is likely facilitated by the shading of the solar collectors keeping the substrate moist. The solar collectors are placed in a 25° angle at 1.10 to 2.25m height, allowing sufficient light to reach the roof to promote plant growth. Several typical plant species from the surrounding areas at ground level were observed, suggesting migration of these plant species to the roofs. These results demonstrate that solar collectors can be combined with green roofs resulting in a beneficial synergy between generating solar energy and stimulating high plant diversity. We encourage others to monitor and report the vegetation development on green roofs, especially at locations where multiple roofs with different characteristics can be compared.