AUTHOR=Harada Yoshiki , Whitlow Thomas H. TITLE=Urban Rooftop Agriculture: Challenges to Science and Practice JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems VOLUME=4 YEAR=2020 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2020.00076 DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2020.00076 ISSN=2571-581X ABSTRACT=

Urban green infrastructure includes both natural inputs and artificial supplements, including irrigation, synthetic substrates, and drainage layers. Green infrastructure aims to make cities more resilient and less dependent on outside resource inputs through more efficient use. Over the past 2 decades, these constructed ecosystems have expanded to include green roofs, elevated urban parks, and rooftop vegetable farms. This paper outlines opportunities and challenges for advancing the science of these constructed ecosystems with particular emphasis on rooftop agriculture. Although in concept rooftop agriculture could contribute to urban food security, water management, and biodiversity, research comparing design and management strategies across climate zones and regional economies is necessary to fully integrate ecological understanding into urban planning policy.