Green Roofs Provide Habitat For Urban Bees

Green roofs building rooftops covered in growing medium and vegetation are increasingly important conservation tools that make use of underutilized space to provide breeding and foraging grounds for urban wildlife.

Green roofs provide habitat for urban bees.

In this study we surveyed green roofs in toronto ontario canada for. Despite many green roofs being opportune places for bees to inhabit research has shown that the location of the green roof matters. A good green roof designed for biodiversity should include. Study we surveyed green roofs for bee diversity and abundance to determine their potential as quality habitats in an urban area for these important pollinators.

Customized green roofs can even provide habitat for declining and endangered species suggesting that they have the potential to be an essential tool in species conservation. And meyer said the roofs could provide an urban habitat for pollinators who have few other places to go but there s no data to say for certain. Planted and or seeded with a wide range of wildflowers sedums can be added too by applying these principles many interesting native invertebrate species will take up residence on green roofs. The higher the roof the fewer bees were found there.

Green roofs have been suggested as a potential avenue to provide patches of good quality habitat in highly developed regions. Green roofs implemented above the eighth story would not benefit from any additional nesting resources or attract bees. This can help reduce the impact of urban sprawl on habitat loss and is a way to incorporate more nature into our concrete jungles. By comparing various biodiversity measures between green roofs and ground level sites we show that green roofs provide habitat to many bee species.

Green roofs are covered in soil and plants which are typically custom designed for each rooftop. Green roofs could offer relief to bees dealing with habitat fragmentation. Wildflower green roofs are especially good for pollinators such as bees. Urban bees deal with what s known as habitat patches discontinuous patches of green like gardens parks and ravines.

A varied substrate depth. Understanding bat use of human altered habitat is critical for developing effective conservation plans for this ecologically important taxon.