Short Rotation Coppicing
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Short rotation coppicing (SRC) utilizes various tree species and promotes biodiversity while providing potential benefits for soil improvement and phytoremediation. Although financially less appealing due to competition from grain prices, SRC offers social and environmental advantages, requiring careful management and more research into flora and fauna. Establishment costs and yield variations are outlined, along with the necessity for an improved economic infrastructure for biomass success in the UK.
Short Rotation Coppicing
- 3. Poplar
- 4. Ash
- 5. Alder
- 6. Hazel
- 7. Silver Birch
- 8. Sycamore
- 10. LimeEncourages Coppice Formation10,000-17,000 stems ha-1 Due to Stool Die-Off Because of Machine HarvestingBroad Leaf HerbicideReduces Competition for Resources
- 11. Costs and YieldsEnergy Crops Scheme: DEFRA50% Grant for planting and infrastructureMinimum 3 ha planting over 3 yearsEstablishment Costs£1800 ha-1Deer/rabbit fencingSprayingFencingYield4-15 odt ha-1£40-90 odt-1£20 t-1 to harvest£5-10 t-1 to dry̴£360 ha-1 yr-1Wheat ̴£1,000 ha-1 yr-1Sheep ̴£848 ha-1 yr-1
- 12. PhytoremediationA process using plants to minimise the environmental impact of heavy metal contamination.
- 13. Biodiversity - Flora SRC not monoculture – variants and age differences within rows or across blocks create 3D effect
- 14. Use of IPM to maintain system:
- 15. Reduce weeds
- 17. N addition
- 18. Harvesting Dec-March Biodiversity - FaunaSRC supports wide range of birdsMore biodiverse than arable land, less so than woodland and hedgerows30-40 bird species on averageSignificant factors:Age of stand – younger stands: migrant spp; older stands: breedingEdges – more species found at edge of plantation, need for small oblong plantations and more intermittent open spaces
- 19. Biodiversity - FaunaButterflies:indicator of biodiversity as sensitive to change
- 20. More sppthan arable land eg. Satyrinae family 620% increase for Willow SRC
- 21. c.120 spp Willow, c.70 spp PoplarBeetles:- 11.64 individuals per m² of Poplar SRCSoil microarthropods:Indicators of below-ground biodiversity
- 22. More abundant in older crops
- 23. Willow supports more than 728 arthropod spp.Biodiversity - FaunaMammals are habitat generalists – not an ideal location to find rare or endangered speciesImportance of plantation edgesFirst year shoots encourage grazers eg. DeerLack of research into presence and behaviour of mammals and soil microarthropods in SRC
- 24. ConclusionsSRC is not financially attractive, due to high price of grain and vegetable oil.SRC can have extra benefits, remediation and soil structure.Careful consideration for social factors such as rural regeneration and aesthetic quality of sites needed.A more stable economic infrastructure is required for biomass from SRC to succeed in the UKCareful management of SRC required to maintain productivity and biodiversity – use of IPM, landscaping.More research required into behaviour and abundance of flora at SRC sites.
- 25. ReferencesAndersen, R. Towers, W. Smith, P., 2005. Assessing the potential for biomass energy to contribute to Scotland’s renewable energy needs. Journal of Biomass and Bioenergy. Vol. 29, pp. 73-82.Aylott, M. Casella,E. Tubby, I. Street, N. Smith, P. Taylor, G., 2008. Yield and spatial supply of bioenergy poplar and willow short-rotation coppice in the UK. Journal of New Phytologist. Vol. 179, Issue2.Broek, R. Teeuwsisse, S. Healion, K. Kent, T. Wijk, A. Faaij, A. Turkenburg, W., 2001. Potentials for electricity production form wood in Ireland. Journal of Energy. Vol. 26, pp. 991-1013.French, C. Dickinson, N. Putwain, P., 2006. Woody biomass pytoremediation of contaminated brownfield land. Journal of Environmental Pollution. Vol. 121, pp. 387-395.Haughton, A. J., Bond, A. J., Lovett, A. A., Dockerty, T., Sünnenberg, G., Clark, S. J., Bohan, D. A., Sage, R. B., Mallott, M. D., Mallott, V. E., Cunningham, M. D., Riche, A. B., Shield, I. F., Finch, J. W., Turner, M. M and A. Karp (2009) ‘A Novel, Integrated Approach to Assessing Social, Economic and Environmental Implications of Changing Rural Land-Use: A Case Study of Perennial Biomass Crops’, Journal of Applied Ecology, 46, pp. 315- 322.Rowe, R. L., Street, N. R. and G. Taylor (2009) ‘Identifying Potential Environmental Impacts of Large-Scale Deployment of Dedicated Bioenergy Crops in the UK’, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 13, pp. 271- 290.Haughton, A. Bond, A. Lovett, A. Dockerty, T. Sünnenburg, G. Clark, S. Bohan, D. Sage, R. Mallot, M. Mallot, V. Cunningham, M. Riche, A. Shield, I. Finch, J. Turner, M. Karp, A., (2009). A novel, integrated approach to assessing social, economic and environmental implications of changing rural land-use: A case study of perennial biomass crops. Journal of Applied Ecology. Vol. 46, pp. 315-322.Heaton, R. Randerson, P. Slater, F., 1999. The economics of growing short rotation coppice in the uplands of mid-Wales and an economic comparison with sheep production. Journal of Biomass and bioenergy. Vol. 17, pp. 59-71.Natural England, 2009. [online] Energy crops scheme: Establishment grants handbook 3rd edition. Available at: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/ECShandbook3ed_tcm6-12242.pdf [accessed 19 February 2011].NNFCC, 2008. [online] Addressing the land use issues for non-food crops, in response to increasing fuel and energy generation possibilities. Available at: http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/tools/addressing-the-land-use-issues-for-non-food-crops-in-response-to-increasing-fuel-and-energy-generation-opportunities-nnfcc-08-004/at_download/file [accessed 23 February 2011].Sage, R., Cunningham, M. and N. Boatman (2006) ‘Birds in Willow Short-Rotation Coppice Compared to Other Arable Crops in Central England and a Review of Bird Census Data from Energy Crops in the UK’, Ibis, 148, pp. 184- 197.Sage, R. B. and K. Tucker (1998) Integrated Crop Management of SRC Plantation to Maximise Crop Value, Wildlife Benefits and Other Added Value Opportunities. DTI, Unknown further publisher details.Schulz, U., Brauner, O. and H. Gruß (2009) ‘Animal Diversity on Short-Rotation Coppices- a Review’, LandbauforschungVolkenrode, 59 (3), pp. 171- 182.Vassilev, A. Schwitzguébel, J. Thewys, T. Lelie, D. Vangronsfeld, J., 2004. The use of plants for remediation of metal-contaminated soils. The scientific world. Vol. 4, pp. 9-34.Volk, T A., Verwijst, T., Tharakan, P. J., Abrahamson, L. P. and E. H. White (2004) ‘Growing Fuel: A Sustainability Assessment of Willow Biomass Crops’, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2 (8), pp. 411- 18.
Editor's Notes
- #6: SRC is not a monocultural system; a range of variants are planted within rows or in blocks across the plantation The variation in crop age across the field creates a 3D effect you can see in the picture here This structure reduces the impact of pests and diseases Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques ensure the maintenance of such a system:Reduction of weed presenceEst. of shade-tolerant species amongst the cropsN addition in Spring to ensure max assimilationHarvesting during Dec-March to ensure translocation of nutrients to the root
- #7: SRC plantations support a wide range of bird species, especially summer migrants The plantations support more wildlife than arable farming land, but not as much as woodland and hedgerows There have been many studies on bird diversity, with the average species number at 30-40, including some red-listed species
- #8: Butterflies are the seminal indicator of biodiversity because they’re very sensitive to changeThey are much more abundant in SRC than arable land, for example the abundance of the Satyrinae family of butterfly increases by 620% from arable to SRC landThere have been roughly 120 species found in Willow, and 70 in Poplar SRC Beetles are very abundant in SRC, studies have estimated 11.64 individuals per m2 of Poplar SRC Leaf beetles are the most popular, but 45 other species have been found too
- #9: The mammals found in SRC are usually habitat generalists – species that are found regionally and in abundance, shown here by the Animals of Farthing Wood cast! For mammals, like birds, the edge is of key significance for abundance. The first year is popular too for grazing species such as deer due to the arrival of new shootsThere is a lack of research into the presence of mammals and soil microarthropods especially
- #10: Several conclusions can be made from our research into the sustainability of SRC:Careful consideration for social factors is required, such as the proximity of SRC sites to houses. SRC has the potential to regenerate rural areas economically, although a stable market is missing from the UK. Careful management of SRC is required if sustainability of yields and diversity are to be maintained. For example the use IPM is required, and consideration for landscaping issues such as the presence of high edge-interior ratiosMore research is required to better understand the abundance and behaviour of fauna at SRC sites