Final answer:
A 'living' roof gets its name from its top layer, which is composed of plant life and contributes to the biotic living components of the environment. It exemplifies ecosystem services and ecology by improving air quality, energy efficiency, and adding natural elements to urban areas.
Step-by-step explanation:
A “living” roof, also known as a green roof, gets its name from the material used to create its top layer, which is plant life. The concept refers to the use of vegetation and soil or a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane, as part of a building's roof. This approach has several benefits, including contributing to biotic living components of the environment, aiding in the insulation of the building, reducing rainwater runoff, and providing habitat for wildlife.
Living roofs are an example of ecosystem services because they provide human benefits such as improved air quality, and energy efficiency, and may even contribute to store carbon dioxide, a common greenhouse gas. Additionally, by integrating the natural environment into urban settings, living roofs can improve the aesthetics and offer additional leisure space. They capture the essence of ecology by facilitating the interaction between living things and their environment in areas where natural landscapes are limited.