Urban green roofs can support a diversity of parasitoid wasps

Green roofs are often installed atop buildings to provide ecological services such as mitigating storm water runoff and cooling air within urban heat islands. We found that green in Portland, Oregon, also can support biodiversity, including a diverse assemblage of parasitoid wasps, with 20 morphospecies from 10 families present on the four we surveyed. The greater plant diversity structural complexity harbored comparatively more than structurally simpler Sedum -dominated roofs. oldest roof supported much younger roofs, comparably planted three times its size. Parasitoid wasps Hymenopteran high-trophic-level organisms known feed variety arthropods, many insects commonly considered be pests areas. suggest have potential an often-overlooked service by supporting act natural biological control agents.