Vegetation adaptability in a tropical urban rain garden: A study in northeast Brazil

IF 6 2区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Urban Forestry & Urban Greening Pub Date : 2025-04-10 DOI:10.1016/j.ufug.2025.128810

Maria Thereza Rocha Chaves, João Guilherme Rodrigues Moreira, Kaylane Pimentel Correia, Waleska Martins Eloi, Teresa Raquel Lima Farias

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The process of urbanization, coupled with unregulated demographic growth, has contributed to alterations in the natural water cycle. Rain gardens have emerged as a stormwater management practice to mitigate the impact of urban flooding. Vegetation is important in bioretention systems, directly influencing performance and social perception. However, there is a gap in the scientific literature regarding the adaptability of these plants in various climates, particularly in tropical regions. This study monitored the development and adaptability of four plant species (Chlorophytum comosum, Dracaena reflexa, Ruellia simplex, and Sansevieria trifasciata) in a rain garden (RG) in a tropical climate, evaluating how these species respond to the seasonality of the natural rainfall regime in a bioretention structure compared to their growth in a traditional control garden (TG). The selected species demonstrated good adaptability, exhibiting healthy morphological appearance and satisfactory growth under tropical rain garden conditions. Ruellia simplex and Sansevieria trifasciata showed statistically superior growth compared to the control garden. In contrast, Dracaena reflexa and Chlorophytum comosum did not exhibit statistically significant differences in growth between the rain garden (RG) and the traditional garden (TG). Diameter measurements of the species did not reveal statistically significant differences. From the fourth month onward, Chlorophytum comosum exhibited reduced growth, likely due to high local solar incidence rates and decreased rainfall. A positive and statistically significant correlation was observed between precipitation and the growth of Ruellia simplex (r = 0.86) and Dracaena reflexa (r = 0.53). The results presented contribute to the proper selection of plants for bioretention cells, aiding the implementation of these devices in tropical regions where the technology is still not widely disseminated. In addition to the evaluated species, vegetation with similar characteristics may yield similar results, expanding the selection possibilities for future projects.

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巴西东北部热带城市雨花园植被适应性研究

城市化进程加上无节制的人口增长，导致了自然水循环的改变。雨水花园已成为一种雨水管理方法，可减轻城市洪水的影响。植被在生物滞留系统中非常重要，直接影响着系统的性能和社会认知。然而，关于这些植物在不同气候条件下的适应性，尤其是在热带地区的适应性，科学文献中还存在空白。本研究监测了热带气候中的雨水花园（RG）中四种植物（Chlorophytum comosum、Dracaena reflexa、Ruellia simplex 和 Sansevieria trifasciata）的生长情况和适应性，评估了这些物种与它们在传统对照花园（TG）中的生长情况相比，如何应对生物滞留结构中自然降雨系统的季节性。所选物种表现出良好的适应性，在热带雨林条件下表现出健康的形态外观和令人满意的生长。据统计，与对照花园相比，Ruellia simplex 和 Sansevieria trifasciata 的生长情况更优越。相比之下，Dracaena reflexa 和 Chlorophytum comosum 在雨水花园（RG）和传统花园（TG）之间的生长差异在统计学上并不显著。物种的直径测量结果也未显示出统计学上的显著差异。从第四个月开始，叶绿藻的生长速度减慢，这可能是由于当地日照率高和降雨量减少所致。降水量与单子叶女贞（Ruellia simplex）（r = 0.86）和龙血树（Dracaena reflexa）（r = 0.53）的生长之间存在统计意义上的正相关。研究结果有助于为生物滞留细胞正确选择植物，有助于在该技术尚未广泛推广的热带地区实施这些装置。除了被评估的物种外，具有类似特征的植被也可能产生类似的结果，从而为未来项目的选择提供更多可能性。

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来源期刊

Urban Forestry & Urban Greening FORESTRY-

CiteScore

11.70

自引率

12.50%

发文量

289

审稿时长

70 days

期刊介绍： Urban Forestry and Urban Greening is a refereed, international journal aimed at presenting high-quality research with urban and peri-urban woody and non-woody vegetation and its use, planning, design, establishment and management as its main topics. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening concentrates on all tree-dominated (as joint together in the urban forest) as well as other green resources in and around urban areas, such as woodlands, public and private urban parks and gardens, urban nature areas, street tree and square plantations, botanical gardens and cemeteries. The journal welcomes basic and applied research papers, as well as review papers and short communications. Contributions should focus on one or more of the following aspects: -Form and functions of urban forests and other vegetation, including aspects of urban ecology. -Policy-making, planning and design related to urban forests and other vegetation. -Selection and establishment of tree resources and other vegetation for urban environments. -Management of urban forests and other vegetation. Original contributions of a high academic standard are invited from a wide range of disciplines and fields, including forestry, biology, horticulture, arboriculture, landscape ecology, pathology, soil science, hydrology, landscape architecture, landscape planning, urban planning and design, economics, sociology, environmental psychology, public health, and education.