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Potential benefits of commercial willow Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) for farm-scale plant and invertebrate communities in the agri-environment

Potential benefits of commercial willow Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) for farm-scale plant and invertebrate communities in the agri-environment
Potential benefits of commercial willow Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) for farm-scale plant and invertebrate communities in the agri-environment
The cultivation of bioenergy crops (BECs) represents a significant land-use change in agri-environments, but their deployment has raised important issues globally regarding possible impacts on biodiversity. Few studies however, have systematically examined the effect of commercial scale bioenergy plantations on biodiversity in agri-ecosystems. In this study we investigate how the abundance and diversity of two key components of farmland biodiversity (ground flora and winged invertebrates) varied between mature willow Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) and two alternative land-use options (arable crops and set-aside land). Although the abundance of winged invertebrates was similar across all land-uses, taxonomic composition varied markedly. Hymenoptera and large Hemiptera (>5 mm) were more abundant in willow SRC than in arable or set-aside. Similarly although plant species richness was greater in set-aside, our data show that willow SRC supports a different plant community to the other land-uses, being dominated by competitive perennial species such as Elytrigia repens and Urtica dioica. Our results suggest that under current management practices a mixed farming system incorporating willow SRC can benefit native farm-scale biodiversity. In particular the reduced disturbance in willow SRC allows the persistence of perennial plant species, potentially providing a stable refuge and food sources for invertebrates. In addition, increased Hymenoptera abundance in willow SRC could potentially have concomitant effects on ecosystem processes, as many members of this Order are important pollinators of crop plants or otherwise fulfil an important beneficial role as predators or parasites of crop pests.

Bioenergy, Biodiversity, Willow SRC, Land management, Set-aside, Semi-natural habitat
0961-9534
325-336
Rowe, Rebecca L.
82078780-059a-4a05-83a9-d636a9939eea
Hanley, Mick E.
dd3d272e-0ced-44f8-a6c5-5a9a2ec8c441
Goulson, Dave
50da43d9-00ee-46c3-8107-fa8c67f7f4b5
Clarke, Donna J.
f5db577c-32e8-400f-8b1c-c7adf8b00e91
Doncaster, C. Patrick
a6e244b5-a422-496b-8c17-a11dc9ebb489
Taylor, Gail
Rowe, Rebecca L.
82078780-059a-4a05-83a9-d636a9939eea
Hanley, Mick E.
dd3d272e-0ced-44f8-a6c5-5a9a2ec8c441
Goulson, Dave
50da43d9-00ee-46c3-8107-fa8c67f7f4b5
Clarke, Donna J.
f5db577c-32e8-400f-8b1c-c7adf8b00e91
Doncaster, C. Patrick
a6e244b5-a422-496b-8c17-a11dc9ebb489
Taylor, Gail

Rowe, Rebecca L., Hanley, Mick E., Goulson, Dave, Clarke, Donna J., Doncaster, C. Patrick and Taylor, Gail (2011) Potential benefits of commercial willow Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) for farm-scale plant and invertebrate communities in the agri-environment. Biomass and Bioenergy, 35 (1), 325-336. (doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.08.046).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The cultivation of bioenergy crops (BECs) represents a significant land-use change in agri-environments, but their deployment has raised important issues globally regarding possible impacts on biodiversity. Few studies however, have systematically examined the effect of commercial scale bioenergy plantations on biodiversity in agri-ecosystems. In this study we investigate how the abundance and diversity of two key components of farmland biodiversity (ground flora and winged invertebrates) varied between mature willow Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) and two alternative land-use options (arable crops and set-aside land). Although the abundance of winged invertebrates was similar across all land-uses, taxonomic composition varied markedly. Hymenoptera and large Hemiptera (>5 mm) were more abundant in willow SRC than in arable or set-aside. Similarly although plant species richness was greater in set-aside, our data show that willow SRC supports a different plant community to the other land-uses, being dominated by competitive perennial species such as Elytrigia repens and Urtica dioica. Our results suggest that under current management practices a mixed farming system incorporating willow SRC can benefit native farm-scale biodiversity. In particular the reduced disturbance in willow SRC allows the persistence of perennial plant species, potentially providing a stable refuge and food sources for invertebrates. In addition, increased Hymenoptera abundance in willow SRC could potentially have concomitant effects on ecosystem processes, as many members of this Order are important pollinators of crop plants or otherwise fulfil an important beneficial role as predators or parasites of crop pests.

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Published date: January 2011
Keywords: Bioenergy, Biodiversity, Willow SRC, Land management, Set-aside, Semi-natural habitat

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 182299
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/182299
ISSN: 0961-9534
PURE UUID: 2d006677-a119-4738-9fd2-c32dbc1563aa

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Date deposited: 27 Apr 2011 12:23
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:59

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Contributors

Author: Rebecca L. Rowe
Author: Mick E. Hanley
Author: Dave Goulson
Author: Donna J. Clarke
Author: C. Patrick Doncaster
Author: Gail Taylor

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