Solar farm management influences breeding bird responses in an arable-dominated landscape

2025/02/12 by Joshua P. Copping, Catherine E. Waite, Andrew Balmford +4 · 2 voices · 4 citations
Environmental Science · Computer Science · #Photovoltaic Systems and Sustainability #Solar Radiation and Photovoltaics #Energy and Environment Impacts

paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/00063657.2025.2450392

Abstract

Solar farms are increasing in Britain, but their biodiversity impact is under-studied. We explored bird populations on six solar farms in the East Anglian Fens, using an adapted Breeding Bird Survey across 23.2 km of transects, recording birds seen or heard within 100 m of transects (4 ha survey area). Solar farms were divided by management styles: simple habitat solar (10 transects) and mixed habitat solar (13 transects). We also surveyed 15.2 km of transects in arable farmland. Solar farms contained a greater bird abundance and species richness than arable farmland, but this varied with solar farm management (predicted abundance ±SE per 4 ha: solar with mixed habitat = 31.5 ± 6.4, solar with simple habitat = 17 ± 4.9, arable = 11.9 ± 2.6; predicted species richness ± SE per 4 ha: solar with mixed habitat = 13.5 ± 1.1, solar with simple habitat = 5.3 ± 0.6, arable = 5.5 ± 0.6). Our findings suggest that solar farms can benefit biodiversity in arable-dominated landscapes, especially when managed with biodiversity in mind.

Citations

• The recent declines of farmland bird populations in Britain: an appraisal of causal factors and conservation actions
• Farmland practices are driving bird population decline across Europe

Cited by

• Known and unknown biodiversity impacts of solar PV: A review of life cycle stages and mitigation opportunities
• Bird diversity can benefit from rewetted peatlands with solar parks compared to drained grassland use—A case study from northern Germany
• Identifying the exposure of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of steppe birds to renewable energy development
• All that glitters – Review of solar facility impacts on fauna

Discussions

• Great to see this important study now out in #BirdStudy. Here’s the link to the paper: doi.org/10.1080/0006... @btobirds.bsky.social #ornithology #ukbirding [bsky, 101 points, 4 comments]
• The original paper has the figures. [bsky, 3 points, 1 comments]

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