Green infrastructure in situ management of urban water: phytoremediation as a selection mechanism of plant species

Abstract

Green infrastructure is a network of interconnected natural areas and open spaces that perform ecological functions infrastructural able to preserve the value of natural ecosystems and their functions as watersheds. Still incipient in Brazil, green infrastructure systems can be shown in some cities in developed countries, which have adopted an ecological approach to urban water management at the source by incorporating the concept of Low Impact Development (LID). These systems consist of types of landscape designs high performance (rain gardens, storm beds, green roofs, wetlands, etc.), offer a range of ecosystem and environmental services. Plant species involved and associated microorganisms from natural mechanisms of phytoremediation, treat pollution, act in the infiltration, storage and evaporation of stormwater at the source, significantly reducing flooding and also providing other ecosystem and environmental services. Phytoremediation is an emerging remediation technology which, starting out from plants and microorganisms associated with them, acts on a range of organic and inorganic contaminants in different matrices (soil, surface water and groundwater and sediment) and, due to its positive aesthetic effect on the landscape, it can be integrated into high performance landscape designs. This research project intends to develop a descriptive bibliographic survey species Phytoremediator plants, with the purpose of construct a database that can serve as a practical tool for green infrastructure projects in situ management of urban water, for application in the present context of the city of São Paulo and other Brazilian cities. (AU)