The Connection
Between Impervious Surface and Vegetation
Richard
Karty
Richard Karty studied the
relationship between urbanization and plant species distribution. Through
his research he found that increasing percentages of impervious surface
corresponds to increasing weedy, invasive and non-native plant species.
Forest interior plants became rare at impervious surface levels of about
10%, which is the level of impervious surface above which water quality
declines. This practical information, produced during his doctoral research,
was condensed into a web page, currently displayed on the Connecticut NEMO
website http://nemo.uconn.edu/impervious_surfaces/vegetation/karty04.htm
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