Plant and soil responses to ground-mounted solar panels in temperate agricultural systems
In the move to decarbonise energy supplies to meet Net Zero targets, ground-mounted solar farms have proliferated around the world, with uncertain implications for hosting ecosystems. We provide some of the first evidence on the effects of ground-mounted solar panels on plant and soil properties in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ada45b |
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| _version_ | 1841546510211219456 |
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| author | Fabio Carvalho Hannah Montag Laura Bentley Radim Šarlej Rosanne C Broyd Hollie Blaydes Marta Cattin Miranda Burke Abby Wallwork Sammani Ramanayaka Piran C L White Stuart P Sharp Tom Clarkson Alona Armstrong |
| author_facet | Fabio Carvalho Hannah Montag Laura Bentley Radim Šarlej Rosanne C Broyd Hollie Blaydes Marta Cattin Miranda Burke Abby Wallwork Sammani Ramanayaka Piran C L White Stuart P Sharp Tom Clarkson Alona Armstrong |
| author_sort | Fabio Carvalho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the move to decarbonise energy supplies to meet Net Zero targets, ground-mounted solar farms have proliferated around the world, with uncertain implications for hosting ecosystems. We provide some of the first evidence on the effects of ground-mounted solar panels on plant and soil properties in temperate agricultural systems. We sampled 32 solar farms in England and Wales in summer 2021. Plant cover and aboveground biomass, as well as soil nutrients and physiochemical properties, were quantified on land underneath solar panels, in the gaps between rows of solar arrays, and in control land (pasture) adjacent to three solar farms. Plant cover and aboveground biomass were significantly lower under solar panels than in the gaps between solar arrays and in pastures. Soil compaction was 14.4% and 15.5% higher underneath solar panels than in gaps and pastures, respectively. Soil organic carbon was 9% lower under solar panels than in gaps, while particulate organic matter was 29.1% and 23.6% lower under solar panels than in gaps and pastures, respectively. Soil mineral nitrogen was 30.5% higher under solar panels than in gaps, while soil (plant-available) phosphorus was approximately 60% higher in solar farm soils than in pasture soils. Reductions in solar radiation and changes to microclimate caused by solar panels may be driving lower plant productivity and growth, with consequences for nutrient cycling and soil properties. However, impacts must be considered in light of the previous land use and the total land area under solar panels, in the gaps between solar arrays, and around the margins of the solar farm. Our findings can inform solar farm design and management options (e.g. increase the proportion of land unaffected by solar panels, enhance plant cover under solar panels) to ensure the long-term provision of ecosystem services (e.g. soil carbon storage) within this fast-growing land use. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-659050c5c01f49adb1e41384f4c66fd0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-659050c5c01f49adb1e41384f4c66fd02025-01-10T17:34:34ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262025-01-0120202400310.1088/1748-9326/ada45bPlant and soil responses to ground-mounted solar panels in temperate agricultural systemsFabio Carvalho0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6305-5602Hannah Montag1Laura Bentley2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5055-7673Radim Šarlej3Rosanne C Broyd4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0532-0674Hollie Blaydes5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7753-4938Marta Cattin6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3659-5179Miranda Burke7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6891-3725Abby Wallwork8https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2189-4341Sammani Ramanayaka9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8774-009XPiran C L White10https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7496-5775Stuart P Sharp11https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3059-2532Tom Clarkson12Alona Armstrong13https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8963-4621Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United KingdomClarkson & Woods Ecological Consultants , Blackford BS28 4PA, United KingdomUK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology , Bangor LL57 2UW, United KingdomLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United KingdomLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United KingdomLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United KingdomLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United KingdomLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United KingdomLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United KingdomLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United KingdomDepartment of Environment and Geography, University of York , York YO10 5NG, United KingdomLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United KingdomClarkson & Woods Ecological Consultants , Blackford BS28 4PA, United KingdomLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom; Energy Lancaster, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4FY, United KingdomIn the move to decarbonise energy supplies to meet Net Zero targets, ground-mounted solar farms have proliferated around the world, with uncertain implications for hosting ecosystems. We provide some of the first evidence on the effects of ground-mounted solar panels on plant and soil properties in temperate agricultural systems. We sampled 32 solar farms in England and Wales in summer 2021. Plant cover and aboveground biomass, as well as soil nutrients and physiochemical properties, were quantified on land underneath solar panels, in the gaps between rows of solar arrays, and in control land (pasture) adjacent to three solar farms. Plant cover and aboveground biomass were significantly lower under solar panels than in the gaps between solar arrays and in pastures. Soil compaction was 14.4% and 15.5% higher underneath solar panels than in gaps and pastures, respectively. Soil organic carbon was 9% lower under solar panels than in gaps, while particulate organic matter was 29.1% and 23.6% lower under solar panels than in gaps and pastures, respectively. Soil mineral nitrogen was 30.5% higher under solar panels than in gaps, while soil (plant-available) phosphorus was approximately 60% higher in solar farm soils than in pasture soils. Reductions in solar radiation and changes to microclimate caused by solar panels may be driving lower plant productivity and growth, with consequences for nutrient cycling and soil properties. However, impacts must be considered in light of the previous land use and the total land area under solar panels, in the gaps between solar arrays, and around the margins of the solar farm. Our findings can inform solar farm design and management options (e.g. increase the proportion of land unaffected by solar panels, enhance plant cover under solar panels) to ensure the long-term provision of ecosystem services (e.g. soil carbon storage) within this fast-growing land use.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ada45becosystem servicesenergy transitionland use changephotovoltaic panelssoil carbon storagesoil health |
| spellingShingle | Fabio Carvalho Hannah Montag Laura Bentley Radim Šarlej Rosanne C Broyd Hollie Blaydes Marta Cattin Miranda Burke Abby Wallwork Sammani Ramanayaka Piran C L White Stuart P Sharp Tom Clarkson Alona Armstrong Plant and soil responses to ground-mounted solar panels in temperate agricultural systems Environmental Research Letters ecosystem services energy transition land use change photovoltaic panels soil carbon storage soil health |
| title | Plant and soil responses to ground-mounted solar panels in temperate agricultural systems |
| title_full | Plant and soil responses to ground-mounted solar panels in temperate agricultural systems |
| title_fullStr | Plant and soil responses to ground-mounted solar panels in temperate agricultural systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plant and soil responses to ground-mounted solar panels in temperate agricultural systems |
| title_short | Plant and soil responses to ground-mounted solar panels in temperate agricultural systems |
| title_sort | plant and soil responses to ground mounted solar panels in temperate agricultural systems |
| topic | ecosystem services energy transition land use change photovoltaic panels soil carbon storage soil health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ada45b |
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