Green infrastructure and ecosystem services - is the devil in the detail?

Area of Science:

• Urban ecology
• Plant science
• Ecosystem services

Background:

• Green infrastructure (GI) is a network of green spaces providing ecosystem services but is often implemented generically.
• Current GI planning lacks detailed understanding of how plant community composition influences service delivery.
• Plant choice and composition are critical for maximizing ecosystem services in urban environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of plant community composition in urban green infrastructure for ecosystem service provision.
• To advocate for greater integration of plant science in designing functional urban plantings.
• To explore how plant traits can be leveraged to optimize ecosystem service delivery.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing research on ecosystem services provided by urban landscape plants.
• Analysis of how plant genotype and community structure affect service delivery (e.g., flood mitigation, heat island alleviation).
• Discussion of strategies for designing multifunctional and biodiverse plant communities.

Main Results:

• Plant genotype significantly influences the effectiveness of ecosystem services.
• Aesthetics-driven planting often overlooks the potential for enhanced service provision.
• Research is emerging to link specific plant traits to particular ecosystem services.

Conclusions:

• Future urban plantings must move beyond aesthetics to incorporate functional plant science for optimized ecosystem services.
• Designing plant communities with multifunctional and complementary genotypes is crucial for maximizing benefits.
• Balancing functional plant selection with diversity is key to maintaining public acceptance and creating resilient urban landscapes.