I am currently working on investigating soil water storage capacity and soil moisture avability for plants of the three unmanaged former German extensive green roofs covering the bunkers (built 1891 to 1901).
Unfortnately, there is no reference to the original documentation including species list for the green roof.
I can not check how many species persisted over decades.
As fahr as I know the only vegetation allowed were grasses and herbaceous plants.
My question is: are there any methods that allows to recognise what was the oryginal plant composition?
I suggest looking for an historian that worked on these period and bunkers and consult her/him. Start by finding the name(s) of these bunker(s) and look for both papers and books as many historians write book rather then papers.
Thank you kindly for your suggestion. I will definitely continue the research that way. I am also collecting historical records related to this specific period of fortification evolution for many years. I wrote some papers and a book about the fortress. Nevertheless, I hope to find some clues inside the soil samples e.g., seeds.
Dear Lukasz,
Sallaams. Believe that you are primarily interested in the historic aspect of green roofs, however, interested in the current long-term benefit relatedd to mitigation of mitigation of the greenhouse effect. Been developing software and tools for work especially at micro-level (measurement 1.5 metres above datum (Altitude 1.25 - 2 metres above sea level: Tropical uplands climate), and God willing, will send you data links to my work under another cover. Ebrahim
This project has dual benefit... alternative livelihood and carbon mitigation
Thank you Serhii for your post. I am trying to keep my field research (oryginal locations of the bunkers) as long as possible, but it is very time consuming. That is why I have not excluded the possibility of using a standing beam (roof platforms) in case of new grant funding will be available in the future.
Hi Lukasz,
it would be interesting to know what the original substrate was and its changing carbon content overtime, and potential for retention of an historical seed record from which spp. identification may be possible. Some original species may not have produced seed and seed external to the roofs may have been deposited. So while seed record may not be a definitive solution it could be part of an informative solution.
Also, if the function of the green roofs was to hide the bunkers from the air, then it would make sense that the roofs blend in with the local surrounding grasslands/forbfields. Therefore, if you can find some local remnant grass/forb patches, these could be used as a species id. baseline, from which a comparison could be made with existing roof spp.
Records of introduced spp. (Eg as weed spp.) post green roof installation would indicate which spp. to exclude from the current spp remnant representation and from any identification of spp from the existing seed burden in the roof substrate.
Your project sounds really interesting all the best.
Hello Pamela. Sorry for late replay. Thank you for your hints. I will try to take a closer look at this and speak with my colleagues from the other departments, and see where it goes ;) Meanwhile, we found some Robinia pseudoacacia seeds in the deeper levels of the ground.
Hi Dr. Pardela,
I would like to suggest you the following resources for extended works.
Article Green roofs: A critical review on the role of components, be...
https://blog.urbanscape-architecture.com/green-roofs-from-the-ancient-hanging-gardens-of-babylon-to-the-modern-day-systems
http://www.hopesandfears.com/hopes/city/architecture/215637-green-roof-architecture-sustainable-design
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