Date of Award

2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology and University Honors

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Susan Masta

Subjects

Green roofs (Gardening) -- Oregon -- Portland -- Case studies, Collembola -- Ecology -- Oregon -- Portland -- Case studies, Biodiversity

DOI

10.15760/honors.207

Abstract

Green roofs can help address habitat loss in urban areas by supporting plant and animal communities. To determine whether green roofs can support collembola biodiversity, we collected pitfall samples from April-June 2015 on two extensive and two intensive green roofs in urban Portland, Oregon. Twenty morphospecies were found across the roofs, indicating that green roofs support a diversity of collembola taxa. The intensive roofs were more biodiverse than the extensive, though roof type may not be the most significant factor affecting collembolan biodiversity. Each of the four green roofs were characterized by a different and unique most dominant morphospecies, and, indeed, each roof possessed a different set of top-three abundant collembola taxa. While green roofs support moderate collembola diversity, preserving natural habitat is important to maintain species richness.

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/20906

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