<p> Green roofs are an established best management practice (BMP) for storm water mitigation because of their ability to retain precipitation runoff. The purpose of this study was to quantify storm water retention of <i> Sedum</i> and native plant green roof systems at three substrate depths (10, 15, 20 cm). Survival of plants on green roof systems is dependent on how quickly they can establish themselves. This study also determined native and <i>Sedum</i> plant roof surface coverage at three green roof growth media depths (10, 15, 20 cm). A mixture of six <i>Sedum</i> species (<i>S. spurium, S. sexangulare, S. album, S. Immergrunchen, S. kamtschaticum</i>, and <i>S. reflexum</i>) and four native species (<i>Sporolus cryplandrus, Boutelous curtipendula, B. gracilis </i>, and <i>Penstamen pallidus</i>) were planted into the built-in-place systems (BIPs) on June 20, 2014. </p><p> There were 137 precipitation events totaling to 158.2 cm during the entire (June 20, 2014-June 30, 2015) study period and there were 87 precipitation events with a total precipitation of 108.1 cm during storm water collection (Oct. 31, 2015 until June 30, 2015). During the study period, mean storm water retention of green roof systems planted with native (>58%) and <i>Sedum </i> (>53%) species were identical regardless of growth media depth. Mean storm water retention in green roof systems planted with native and <i> Sedum</i> species in all growth media depths were greater than mean storm water retention of non-vegetated roof models (32%). </p><p> Green roof plant surface coverage plays an important role in water retention of storm water runoff. During the dormant period (January 23, 2015), roof coverage by <i>Sedum</i> plants was greater than roof coverage by native plants. In addition, green roof surface coverage by <i>Sedum</i> plants was the same regardless of depth (>89%). Green roof surface coverage of native plants in 10 cm depth achieved less coverage than native plants in 15 and 20 cm depths. These results differ from the plant-growing season (June 30, 2015). Green roof surface coverage by native plants in green roof systems with 15 and 20 cm growth media depth were identical to the roof coverage by <i>Sedum</i> plants in green roof systems with 10, 15, or 20 growth media depth. Green roof surface coverage by native plants in green roof systems with 10 cm growth media depth was less than the roof coverage in all green roof systems in this study. </p><p> Analysis of covariance was used to determine if green roof surface coverage by native and <i>Sedum</i> plants affected mean storm water retention. During the study period green roof surface coverage by native and <i> Sedum</i> plants did not affect storm water retention regardless of growth media depth. </p><p> This green roof research demonstrates that green roof systems planted with native plant species are effective tools for retaining storm water in the mid-western region of the United States. After 9 months, there was no difference in storm water retention between native and <i>Sedum</i> species planted in 10, 15, and 20 cm growth media depth. Each green roof module retained more storm water than the traditional, non-vegetated roof model. Both native and <i>Sedum</i> species planted on green roofs in 10, 15, and 20 cm media depth achieved more than 69 percent green roof surface coverage after nine months.</p>

<p>Green roofs have many ecological benefits that address numerous modern environmental issues. Many studies have evaluated Sedums on green roofs; on the other hand, there is much interest in native plant performance on a green roof. In my study, Green Roof Blocks were planted with 3 experimental treatments: native plants only; native species plus Sedums; and Sedums only. The native species only treatment consisted of Eragrostis spectabilis, Coreopsis lanceolata, Penstemon pallidus, Penstemon hirsutus, Koeleria marcantha, Rudbeckia hirta, Aster laevis and Carex muhlenbergii. These areas were planted with one plug per native species for a total of eight plugs per Green Roof Block. Natives were interspersed between existing Sedum plantings in the native species plus Sedum planting treatment. There was again one plug per six species, but only six native plugs per block. The species in these planting areas were Bouteloua gracilis, Buchloe dactyloides, Asclepius verticillata, Bouteloua curtipendula, Geum triflorum and Sporobolus cryptandrus. All native plants were planted in the two treatments on 5/29/2013 and 6/5/2013. All plants in the study plots were irrigated weekly as needed in 2013 and 2014. On November 7 and 8, 2013, June 10 and 23, 2014, June 2015, November 2015, and April 2016 native plant survival was measured. In the plots with natives only, survival ranged from 0 to 86 percent at the end of the study. To date, Coreopsis lanceolata and Penstemon pallidus have the greatest percent survival in the natives only planting area at 86 and 45 percent respectively. In the plots with natives plus Sedums, native plant survival ranged from 0 to 70 percent at the end of the study. Survival of the four native grasses was greater than 99 percent in the first growing season. To date, the only native species remaining in the natives plus Sedums planting area is Buchloe dactyloides, with about 70 percent survival. In addition, the forb Coreopsis lanceolata has rapidly spread outside the initial planting areas, indicating that this native species not only survives on the roof, but is able to reproduce successfully.

<p> Green roofs are living rooftops that have been around for centuries. Green roofs serve many purposes including food production, insulation of buildings, and reducing the urban heat island effect. More and more research is being done to utilize unused space on top of buildings for a better community. Food shortage is one of the biggest problems in the United States and across the world. Due to increased population and a decrease of resources, fresh food is becoming more difficult to obtain. Fresh produce intake increases in communities as the amount of available produce within 100 meters of their residence increases (Bodor et al., 2007). Urban agriculture could help mitigate the shortage of healthy food by getting the community involved to produce their own food. Local food production results in less cost and less spoilage of food due to decreased transportation and increased quality of produce. My study was designed to demonstrate that vegetables can be produced successfully on a green roof in three different growth media. The growth media blends evaluated were 100% compost, 50% green roof media and 50% compost, and 100% green roof media. Vegetables were grown in Filtrexx^&reg; GardenSoxx^&reg;. Vegetables were planted over two growing seasons from 2015 to 2016. The results from my study demonstrated that carrots and lettuce are viable crops on a rooftop garden using the studied system. In the one harvest of Buttercrunch lettuce, there was no significant difference in lettuce biomass produced between the three different growth media blends used. The first growing season with Short &lsquo;n Sweet carrots, showed no significant difference in carrot biomass produced between the three growth media blends. In the second growing season, started July 2016, the results of the carrot biomass harvest varied between the growth media blends. Carrots grown in the 50% compost and 50% green roof media blend had the most biomass when compared with carrot biomass from the 100% compost blend. I have demonstrated that Short &lsquo;n Sweet carrots and Buttercrunch lettuce can be grown in GardenSoxx^&reg; on a rooftop garden in three different growth media blends.</p><p>