OPAL heathland conference 2013 - soils

The Dirt CollectorWhat do soils tell us about

heathlands?

Dr Edward J Tripp Community Scientist – OPAL East Midlands

State of Heathland

• Within Nottinghamshire, heathland loss > 85% between 1927 and 1970

• Size of patches decreased, fragmentation increased

• Land use change (agriculture or urbanisation), succession into grassland, woodland or scrub

Nitrogen Pollution

• Sulphur dioxide pollution no longer problematic

• Nitrogen pollution increased over the last century

• Nitrate, ammonium, nitric acid, ammonia, nitrogen oxides

• Soil acidity• Biomass burning and

agriculture

The Project

Aims

How has nitrogen pollution affected heathlands in the East Midlands

Impact of FragmentationManagement

Heathland Sites

• 25 sites across the British Mainland

• 11 sites in the East Midlands

• 14 sites in the rest of the UK

Nitrogen Deposition

The studies

• Soil fertility

• Ammonia

• Management

Soil Fertility

• Soils collected from the 25 heathland sites

• Bioassayed in a controlled growth room

• Weight, shoot nitrogen and shoot phosphorus uptake determined

NW (kg N ha-1 yr-1)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Cal

luna

vul

garis

dry

-mas

s (m

g)

1

2

5

10

50

100

150r2 = 0.219 P = 0.016

Heather Growth

NW (kg N ha-1 yr-1)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Ave

rag

e t

ota

l N u

pta

ke (

g)

10

50

100

500

1000

2000

3000

5000

NW (kg N ha-1 yr-1)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Tota

l ave

rage

P u

pta

ke (

g)

1

2

5

10

50

100

200

300

500

r2 = 0.285 P = 0.005 r2 = 0.256 P = 0.009

Nitrogen and phosphorus shoot uptake

Shoot N:P

NW (kg N ha-1 y-1)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

N:P

in C

allu

na v

ulga

ris d

ry-m

ass

10

15

20

25

30

35

12

3

4

5

8

9

10

11

7

6

13

12

15

14

1617

18

23

24

2021

22

19

25

26

12

3

4

5

8

9

10

11

7

6

13

12

15

14

1617

18

23

24

2021

22

19

25

26

r2 = <0.01, P = 0.805

N limitation

P limitation

Ammonia

Ammonia

[NH3] Concentration (g m3)

0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5

Res

idua

l var

iatio

n in

SW

(m

g)

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

9

10

12

1314

15

16

17

19

20

21

Heathland Site Area

Site Area (ha)

1 10 50 5001000

30006000

Cal

luna

vul

garis

dry

-mas

s (m

g)

1

2

5

10

50

100

150

r2 = 0.169 P = 0.037

Management

• No indications that vegetation composition is related to nitrogen pollution.

• Is management the reason?

Management

NW (kg N ha-1 yr-1)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Cal

luna

vul

garis

dry

-mas

s (m

g)

1

2

5

10

50

100

150

Similar management

Impact of sod cutting

Conclusions

• Heathland loss due to land-use change and succession

• Soil fertility linked to atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Vegetation composition is not.

• N impact modified by PME activity, management and patch size

Dr Peter Crittenden

Dr Amy Rogers

Dr Markus Eichhorn

Protecting Wildlife for the Future

Edward TrippSherwood Education & Communication Officer

Karen BennettEducation Manager

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust

Sherwood’s Historic Heathlands



Sherwood’s Historic Heathlands Project• The west of the county – mainly Mansfield

and Ashfield• Raise awareness of the value of

heathlands and how to protect them

• School and community groups• Primarily 8 – 18 year olds• FREE sessions and activities

• Runs until May 2014



Sherwood’s Historic Heathlands Project• Restoration of Strawberry Hill Heath Reserve• Removal of trees and bracken to allow

heather to grow• Improving access and interpretation

Young Persons Committee• Investment in protecting local heathlands• Involvement in project steering• Project legacy



Meet The Team

Ed TrippSherwood Education

& Community Officer

Karen BennettEducation & Community

Manager

Ruth TestaWestern Reserves

Officer

Andy LoweWestern

ConservationOfficer

[email protected]