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Data from: Shading enhances plant species richness and diversity on an extensive green roof

Cite this dataset

van der Kolk, Henk-Jan; van den Berg, Petra; Korthals, Gerard; Bezemer, Martijn (2020). Data from: Shading enhances plant species richness and diversity on an extensive green roof [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.3bk3j9kfz

Abstract

Green roofs can promote biodiversity in urban areas. The extent to which green roofs stimulate plant diversity can depend on roof characteristics such as roof age, substrate depth and shading. We exploratively studied the vegetation on a Dutch green roof in 50 permanent plots (1 m2) over eight years (2012–2019) following roof construction. Plots were situated either on low substrate depth (6 cm light-weight extensive substrate) or high substrate depth (6 cm light-weight extensive substrate topped with 14 cm native soil) and differed in the amount of shading received from a higher building floor. Increased substrate depth and shading additively increased plant species richness and plant diversity, with high shaded plots supporting on average 6.4 more plant species than low unshaded plots. Shading likely acts via reducing drought stress, whereas increasing substrate depth with native soil may also enhance plant diversity via addition of nutrients and native seeds. The vegetation composition on the roof was dynamic and changed over the years. Sedum acre was initially dominant but disappeared within the first years, whereas Sedum kamtschaticum increased and became dominant in the last years. Trifolium arvense was the most abundant forb species and was especially dominant three years after roof construction. We conclude that increased substrate depth and shading can promote plant species richness and diversity and recommend that both aspects are considered when green roofs are designed. Shading can be achieved by a stepped building architecture and by placing structures on the roof itself, such as solar panels on standards.

Methods

See the main article on how the data was collected.

Usage notes

The dataset consists of three tables:

Plots.csv provides the plot characteristics (substrate depth and shading) of each of the 50 surveyed plots.

Years.csv provides information on whether plots were surveyed and spring precipitation in each year. The precipitation data was obtained from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) weather station in Deelen.

Survey_data provides the cover of each plant species found in each plot in each year. Columns Plot_ID and Year are the identifiers to match the data with the tables Plots.csv and Years.csv, respectively.

 

Update 28 September 2020: An error was found in the Survey_data file, which accidentily included data from the roof in the study and another roof. The file has been replaced by a correct file. The error was made when transferring the data to Dryad, and the correct dataset has been used for the analysis. 

Funding

Netherlands Institute of Ecology