Feasibility study of geosynthetic vegetation substrate for hard-surface ecological restoration part 2: Biodiversity and environmental effects

Abstract

Current ecological restoration techniques often face challenges on steep and hard surfaces (e.g., concrete or rock surfaces) because of their reliance on soil as a vegetation substrate. Two geosynthetic-based ecological restoration techniques were proposed in which a geosynthetic material was used to replace the soil as a vegetation substrate on hard-surface slopes. In the first technique, vegetation is planted directly on the geosynthetic vegetation substrate (GVS), where the GVS provides water to the vegetation and room for vegetation roots. In the second technique, Hygrophila ringens is planted on the GVS. Hygrophila ringens exhibits rapid growth initially and then dies, creating a layer of humus over the GVS. A one-year vegetation growing test demonstrated that the designated vegetation thrived on the GVS and various foreign vegetation also began to grow on the GVS. The variety of vegetation indicates that the GVS not only successfully sustained the designated vegetation but also helped in the ecological restoration and improved the biodiversity on the hard-surface slopes.