Green Roof Ecosystems: Summary and Synthesis

Abstract

This book demonstrates that green roofs can and must be conceived of as ecosystems if we want to maintain their utility in providing ecosystem services and benefits while improving their effectiveness. In this chapter we summarize and synthesize previous chapters and we emphasize several overarching ecological concepts and those associated with community ecology. We then list and discuss potential future research areas and questions to improve green roof ecosystem understanding, design, management and policy.