ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Ecol. Evol.
Sec. Urban Ecology
This article is part of the Research TopicRefined Wilding and Urban Rewilding: Nature-Based Solutions for Resilient and Sustainable CitiesView all articles
Effects of Green Roof Management, Age, and Substrate on Plant and Invertebrate Communities
Provisionally accepted
- The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, United States
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As roofs can represent up to 32% of horizontal surfaces in a typical urban setting, they are ideal candidates for green infrastructure. But despite their potential and growing implementation globally, green roofs are poorly researched, particularly regarding management practices. This study examines biodiversity found on green roofs in 13 urban locations across three states in the Southeastern United States: Asheville, NC; Atlanta, GA; Chattanooga, TN; Knoxville, TN; and Nashville, TN. Samples were collected over the course of 6 months from March to August 2024. We find evidence that plant diversity is positively influenced by: soil temperature, roof size, replanting and age. It is negatively influenced by: substrate moisture, roof elevation, irrigation and chemical treatments. Plant frequency (cover) is positively influenced by: substrate temperature, moisture, and elevation. Invertebrate diversity is also positively influenced by soil temperature and age, and negatively influenced by irrigation. Invertebrate abundance is positively influenced by the presence of management and negatively influenced by: replanting, weeding, and substrate depth. As green roofs in the Southeastern United States are sparsely researched, this study helps examine the complexity of green roof ecosystems and provides preliminary insight about the best green roof features and management practices to promote biodiversity.
Keywords: Ecology, ecosystem services, green infrastructure, Management, Nature-based solutions, sustainability, urban environments, Urbanization
Received: 20 Nov 2025; Accepted: 03 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Swanson and McKinney. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Michael L. McKinney
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