Can green roofs provide habitat for urban bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)?

• Main Authors: Laurence Packer, Erin Willis, Sheila R. Colla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Loyola Marymount University 2009-01-01
• Series: Cities and the Environment
• Subjects: Green roofs; pollinator conservation; urban biodiversity; bee abundance; habitat loss; species richness.
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cate/vol2/iss1/4

Increasing urbanization of many regions of the world has resulted in the decline of suitable habitat for wild flora and fauna. Green roofs have been suggested as a potential avenue to provide patches of good-quality habitat in highly developed regions. In this study, we surveyed green roofs for bee diversity and abundance to determine their potential as quality habitats in an urban area for these important pollinators. By comparing various biodiversity measures between green roofs and ground-level sites, we show that green roofs provide habitat to many bee species. Implications for pollinator conservation and urban agricultural production are discussed.