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Soil-Based Green Roofs

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Green Roof Ecosystems

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 223))

Abstract

Although typically eschewed in favor of engineered substrate, natural soils can provide an important ecological benefit for green roof systems in terms of jump-starting a viable habitat. They can act as fungal and microbial inoculants and can serve as an additional source of plants and insects (via seed banks, eggs, and larvae), presumably of species that naturally coexist. Even when no longer biologically active, natural soils can still benefit roof systems by mimicking the mineral-based properties of the natural habitat of a particular plant palette. However, concerns of fine particle illuviation, increased roof loading, and unpredictable biological activity dampen use of natural soils on green roofs. This chapter discusses the pros and cons of natural soils versus engineered substrates and how their properties can affect green roof systems. A single case study is also presented of the soil-based green roof at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas in Fort Worth (USA) that used a mixed engineered substrate–natural living soil system to model a local short-grass limestone prairie barrens ecosystem.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, 76107, Fort Worth, TX, USA

    Dr. Brooke Byerley Best & Dr. Tony L. Burgess

  2. Dept. of Parks & Rec., New York City Dept of Parks & Rec, 10029, New York, NY, USA

    Rebecca K. Swadek

  3. Inst. of Environmental Studies, Texas Christian University, 76129, Fort Worth, TX, USA

    Dr. Tony L. Burgess

Authors
  1. Dr. Brooke Byerley Best
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  2. Rebecca K. Swadek
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  3. Dr. Tony L. Burgess
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Correspondence to Brooke Byerley Best .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

    Richard K. Sutton

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Best, B., Swadek, R., Burgess, T. (2015). Soil-Based Green Roofs. In: Sutton, R. (eds) Green Roof Ecosystems. Ecological Studies, vol 223. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14983-7_6

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