Future-oriented buildings - vegetation of the school environment

Science Teams Activities

The cutting down of rainforests and livestock farming also contribute to increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The more greenhouse gases there are, the less long-wave thermal radiation escapes into space. The heat radiation stays in the atmosphere and the earth heats up more and faster. This man-made greenhouse effect leads to climate change in the medium term, and it has global effects. The ice on the polar ice caps is melting, and as a result sea levels are rising. In some regions, extreme weather events and increasing precipitation occur more frequently, while elsewhere extreme heat waves and droughts are more frequent. This has major implications for agriculture but also for vegetation in our cities. By the end of the century, the average annual temperature in our region is expected to rise between one and 5.5 degrees Celsius. The frequency and intensity of droughts will increase, especially in spring and summer, the main vegetation period. Plants will suffer from heat stress, heavy rains, hailstorms, hurricanes, water shortages and altered rainfall distribution. This may increase the spread of pests such as the bark beetle. Growth periods will become longer, while frost periods will become shorter. As a result, the vegetation zones and distribution areas of our plants will shift. Rare and highly specialized plants may become extinct due to habitat loss. The emerging climate change in our latitudes means that the plant life in our cities must increasingly cope with altered and further changing conditions. This requires a high level of adaptation by plants, which not all species can achieve at the required rate. This means that the vegetation in our cities will also change in the future. Some typical plants will be seen less and less often in the cityscape, and they will have to be replaced or substituted by plants that are fit for the future. The selection of suitable plants is a major challenge for cities.

Procedure

In order to assess whether the current vegetation on our school grounds will be able to cope with climate change, the current state must first be surveyed. For this purpose, the planting on our school grounds will be inspected and photographed. The focus will be on the trees and larger shrubs. Afterwards, the plants will be identified using the PlantNet app. The locations of the plants will be transferred to maps. Data from remote sensing (aerial photos, satellite data) will also be used for this. In the second step, information in the literature is used to determine which climatic conditions these individual plants found prefer and what they do not tolerate well. From this it can later be deduced to what extent this current vegetation will be able to cope with climate change.

Results

In taking stock of the vegetation on our school grounds, it is noticeable that there are naturally larger asphalt and concrete areas typical of a schoolyard. The ping pong tables are also concrete. Nevertheless, the school grounds appear green and lively, at least now in the spring. There are many hedges, single shrubs of varying heights, and large deciduous trees that are already older in between, though little lawn area.

On the school grounds, I sighted a total of eleven trees and larger shrubs, photographed them, and then determined them using the PlantNet app. This was very straightforward and quickly yielded suitable results. The locations of these 11 plants are noted in the following aerial photograph with the numbers 1 to 11.

Results of the plant identification

Listed under the plant name is also the evaluation of the literature research on the individual plant. This shows which climatic conditions are preferred and what, if any, is not well tolerated.

(1) Silver maple

Ornamental plant in gardens, parks, and along streets; susceptible to wind, should be sheltered; prefers sunny to off-sun location; needs moist soil and regular rainfall, should be watered continuously, high water requirement; tolerates dry periods only when fully grown; no need for winter protection.

(2) Maple

Occurs in temperate, subtropical areas; frost hardy; will not tolerate a site within a paved area; does not tolerate the dry heat typical of urban climates well, water during drought; otherwise has few site requirements.

(3) Cherry tree

Tolerates full sun well; thrives in summer-dry areas; no waterlogging; 1600 hours of cold weather over winter required for a good yield

(4) Common hornbeam

Popular hedge plant, native to central and southern Europe; hardy and easy to care for; likes sunny spots, also tolerates shade; low soil requirements: moderately dry to moist, sandy to clayey; no waterlogging; temporary flooding is no problem; requires no special care; no additional watering required during summer heat and drought; rarely affected by plant diseases.

(5) Early oak

Winter hardy, good wind resistance; prefers warmth and sun; do not plant within a pavement; tolerates wet soil, long-term flooding, and drought; needs nutrient-rich soil; overall frugal, low maintenance, no major attention required.

(6) American amber

Ornamental tree in Europe; resistant to heat, drought, flooding, and exhaust fumes, thus increasingly planted in urban areas, resists climate change better than native species; full sun site, only moderately moist soil; no special care required, no nutrients, no irrigation; is one of the woody plants that is almost never affected by pests and diseases.

(7) Hazelnut

Deciduous shrub, very common in Central Europe; grows especially in oceanic climates; needs light and moist, warm soil; not sensitive to frost; water well; otherwise no special attention required.

(8) Alpine medlar

Undemanding woody plant; prefers sunny, sheltered site and moderately dry soil; susceptible to fungi.

(9) Bell sourthorn (barberry)

Perfect hedge plant, native to Europe; very robust, no site requirements; full sun; hardy; no fertilizer or watering required; hardy; feels at home in urban climates, insensitive to exhaust fumes and fine dust, therefore very suitable for public green spaces.

(10) Common birch

Deciduous tree species; pioneer tree species (first to colonize fallow and bare areas); soil: undemanding; high water consumption as young tree, old trees also tolerate drought, but not sudden drying out; avoids heat; undemanding, likes sunny conditions; survivor: thrives on moist or dry soils, also on nutrient-poor soils.

(11) Dogwood

Medium-sized shrub, deciduous, mainly in temperate latitudes; undemanding, adaptable, robust; ideal as public greenery.

Development Of The City Challenges

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