BiodiverCity: Succession of Green Roof Ecosystems

This PhD research explores how plants, insects, and other small animals can live and interact on green roofs. Green roofs are often seen as isolated and artificial spaces, but this research shows that, when designed well, they can support surprisingly diverse communities.
I studied how plants, insects, and soil organisms develop together over time, and what determines which species can establish. I showed that complex interactions between herbivores, predators, and parasitoids can develop surprisingly quickly, and that these interactions are strongly influenced by how the roof is designed. I also showed the importance of flower availability for pollinators, while the height of a roof has only a minor impact on whether species can reach it.
These findings help us understand how green roofs can contribute to urban biodiversity and how they can be designed to provide better habitats for wildlife. They also highlight the importance of looking at green roofs as living, changing ecosystems rather than simply collections of plants.