UK researchers find crop residues important for biodiversity
In the UK, crop residues—the stems, leaves and husks left behind after harvesting cereals—could provide an important source of renewable energy for Europe, but research led by the University of Surrey suggests that removing too much from fields could come at a cost to biodiversity.
While some waste material from crops, such as wheat and corn, is already used for fuel and bioenergy, much of it is used as animal feed or bedding or is left on fields, where it helps maintain healthy soils and provides food and habitats for wildlife.
As Europe looks to increase renewable energy production, researchers at Surrey worked with the Natural History Museum’s Biodiversity Futures Lab and Utrecht University in the Netherlands to better understand how the amount of crop residues left on fields is linked to local biodiversity.
In a study published in Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, the research team built statistical models to analyze biodiversity measurements from land uses across Europe, including fields growing cereals, alongside data on crop yields, residue management and environmental conditions.
The findings showed that cereal-growing areas where at least 70% of crop residues were left on fields generally had greater local biodiversity than areas where less was retained. The amount of residue left was also a stronger predictor of biodiversity than crop yields, highlighting the importance of how these materials are managed.
Category: Research
