Influence of positioning on the adaptability of vegetation in an experimental rain garden in a tropical urban environment

Rain gardens have emerged as an alternative in stormwater management through infiltration and retention of precipitation on-site. The current literature shows a lack of studies evaluating the vegetation development processes in rain gardens and plant species exhibit better adaptation to the system, especially in tropical climate regions. In this context, this article aims to assess the influence of vegetation positioning on the adaptability of four native tropical climate species, namely, Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex), song of India (Dracaena reflexa), spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), and snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata). For this purpose, plant growth was monitored biweekly for one year through measurements of height and diameter of the species cultivated in an experimental rain garden on a field scale. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied to verify the effect of plant location within the bioretention cell, evaluating whether certain microenvironments or specific positions favor or inhibit the species' development. Additionally, spatial distribution analysis of soil organic matter was conducted to assess potential heterogeneity in nutrient distribution. The evaluated species exhibited good adaptability, showing healthy morphological appearance and satisfactory growth. No statistically significant difference was identified in the interspecies growth rate in the monitored rain garden.