Phd Outline Document

Name of Supervisor: Dr. Alan Gange

Name of Student: Gyongyver Kadas

Title of Project: BIODIVERSITY OF GREEN ROOFS

Academic record: Bsc (Hons) Zoology II(i) - Royal Holloway University of London (2001)
                              MSc Conservation - University College London (2002)

Project description: The project will try to evaluate the biodiversity and conservation potential of green roofs in an urban environment. Green roofs (i.e. a roof planted with Sedum matting or fitted with substrate that is allowed to colonise naturally) could provide; new habitats in areas that are currently lacking wildlife habitats, could act as wildlife corridors, provide links between existing habitats, therefore facilitating movement and dispersal of wildlife, including declining and rare species. Green roofs could also serve as mitigation for the lost biodiversity of brownfield sites where these sites are under development pressure. While green roofs have enormous potential in terms of conservation and biodiversity, as of today the only full study on green roofs and biodiversity in Europe has been undertaken in Switzerland. A Masters thesis by Gyongyver has shown that green roofs are sites of enormous diversity potential, with a number of exceptionally rare species of invertebrates having been found on the unusual environment provided on roofs.

Biodiversity and green roofs are a key issue for the London Biodiversity Partnership especially in regard seeking mitigation for the loss of brownfield land and its biodiversity interest. Furthermore, a critical aspect of this project is that the new halls of residence at Royal Holloway will possess a green roof and we intend to use this as one of our sampling sites. The project is timed to coincide with the construction of the hall, providing a unique input to the ecology of the site, which could never be repeated.

The biodiversity interest is mainly influenced by the design factors of the roofs. This project will try to evaluate how these factors can be maximized for biodiversity and to offset the loss of biodiversity of brownfield land by surveying existing green roofs and artificial habitats associated with brownfield land. The main objectives of the project are:

1. To study a number of current green roofs and artificial habitats associated with brownfield land to assess and evaluate the potential of these roofs as mitigation within urban development programmes.
2. To record all invertebrates present. The research will target certain groups of importance in the UK Biodiversity Action Plans and English Nature’s Species Recovery Programme, notably, Coleoptera (beetles), Hymenoptera (bees and wasps) and Arachnida (spiders)..
3. To liaise with a sister project in Switzerland that has just begun.
4. To install trial sample trays on existing developments in partnership with the Black Redstart Biodiversity Action Plan. These will determine the ideal habitat and key factors on a roof for maximizing diversity.
5. To identify design factors on roofs to ensure they are maximized for biodiversity.