The ecological impact of recreation in British temperate woodlands

In recent decades, the ecological impact of recreation in woodlands and forests has been a subject of considerable world-wide interest. However, there are few studies examining the effects of recreation on woodland vegetation, soils and fauna in Britain. This thesis identifies recreational trampling as a major contributor in facilitating ecological change in urban fringe semi-natural ancient temperate woodlands of Warwickshire, England. Relationships with trampling intensity are generally curvi- linear, suggesting that the rates of damage are most rapid at initial stages of trampling. Biotic communities are shaped so that their structure and diversity is related to the type, intensity and frequency of impact. The impact of trampling on vegetation is the most precise indicator of recreational use. Multi-variate analyses indicates that trampling is the primary organisational gradient operating on ground vegetation, with trail centres dominated by secondary plant associations at equilibrium with the trampling pressure. Trail margins are dominated by vegetation that is tolerant of low levels of trampling and high rates of competition. Experimental trampling experiments show that the ecological carrying capacity of woodlands for recreation are lower than previously thought; from below 150 people per year in Rubusfruticosus agg. and Pteridium aquilinum dominated stands to below 75 people per year in coniferous stands with Hyacinthoides non-scripta ground flora. The ability of vegetation to tolerate trampling is related to plant anatomy, morphological adaptations, plant strategies, growth rate, position of the perennating bud, environmental conditions such as canopy density and is more a function of the ability to recover from trampling rather than to resist. By virtue of their delicate morphology, stands dominated by shade tolerant species are the most vulnerable to trampling. Increases in soil compaction and decreases in pore space and oxygen content are recognised as important in shaping woodland vegetation and fauna, and the reduction in soil inhabiting invertebrate and micro-organism populations have consequences for woodland processes. A bioindicator index to assess soil damage is provided using Acari body length. Models summarising the ecological changes associated with trampling and the ecological carrying capacity of woodlands are provided, along with a woodland management checklist and an index of vulnerability for resource managers to assess the potential of woodland stands to withstand recreational use

The use of hedgerows as flight paths by moths in intensive farmland landscapes

Linear boundary features such as hedgerows are important habitats for invertebrates in agricultural landscapes. Such features can provide shelter, larval food plants and nectar resources. UK butterflies are known to rely on such features, however their use by moths is understudied. With moth species suffering from significant declines, research into their ecology is important. This research aimed to determine whether UK moth species are using hedgerows as flight paths in intensive farmland. The directional movements of moths were recorded along hedgerows at 1, 5 and 10 m from the hedgerow face. The majority of moths recorded within the study were observed at 1 m from the hedgerow (68 %), and of these individuals, 69% were moving parallel in relation to the hedge. At further distances, the proportion of parallel movements was reduced. These results suggest that hedgerows may be providing sheltered corridors for flying insects in farmland landscapes, as well as likely providing food plants and nectar resources, emphasising the importance of resource-based approaches to conservation for Lepidoptera

From Heifer so lonely to Flightless bats in New Zealand: a perspective on collaborative research approaches at a landbased college

For colleges of further education (FE) with a substantial higher education (HE) portfolio, there remains an exigent requirement to foster scholarly output. This aims to improve both the quality of the learning experience and to meet the expectations of validating partners to promote the Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA) culture of ‘scholarship and research’. Yet how is this done in a vocational setting where the traditional focus has always been on teaching and learning

Impacts of solar farms in UK agriculture

Solar farms are typically installed on low grade arable land and improved pasture, and may be managed by grazing or harvested for animal feed, thus maintaining productivity with minimal input. They usually incorporate measures to enhance local biodiversity or to mitigate losses. Importantly, they diversify and solidify income for a beleaguered farming industry, which may shelter rural businesses from economic shocks and improve food security. Of all the renewable technologies, solar arguably has the greatest potential to deliver net gains in ecosystem services. My research aims to assess the positive and negative impacts of solar farms to guide existing management and inform future development

Silicon, silage & serendipity: investigating impacts of ground-mounted solar photo-voltaic energy generation in UK agriculture

The proliferation of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic arrays in the agricultural landscape has divided opinion on the sustainability of these systems. Detractors have argued that solar farms degrade land resources, food production and landscape amenity. Supporters consider that the benefits of renewable energy to the rural and wider economies outweigh any social or environmental costs. Benefits include reductions of inputs and carbon emissions, business diversification for farmers and landowners, and conservation measures to enhance biodiversity. Furthermore grazing pasture, wildflower meadows and even arable crops can be successfully harvested or grazed on up to 95% of the land area. The recent policy decision to cut public financial support for solar farms within the Levy Control Framework has narrowed the gap between capital costs and potential income. This action has increased the need for a holistic model enabling rural businesses to make informed decisions when considering planning applications, and focussed the debate on the environmental sustainability of solar farms. The study aims to investigate the impacts and ongoing management practices to provide evidence-based guidance for farmers, planners and policymakers. The project output will include a 'toolkit' to help facilitate appropriate development and supervision of solar farms

Optimising drilling methods in conservation tillage systems for wheat and oilseed rape production in UK

Farmers, in the UK, are showing an increased interest in conservation tillage as they seek to increase the timeliness of crop establishment whilst reducing machinery and labour costs. Hence Frontier Agriculture and Lamport Hall are supporting a three-year research project to determine the agronomic, environmental and economic performance of five commercially-available conservation tillage systems within a wheat and oilseed rape rotation. In the second year (2014/15), the treatments had no significant (p=0.05) effect on the yield of wheat (11.02-11.65 t ha-1) or oilseed rape (4.30-4.94 t ha-1). The effects on soil were examined in a field experiment at Lamport in Northamptonshire and under controlled conditions using Cranfield University’s soil bin facility. In the field, the current two-pass farm system (including a Sumo Trio) tended to reduce the bulk density and the penetration resistance compared to the one-pass conservation tillage systems. This agreed with the soil bin results. The Sumo Trio (winged tine) resulted in the greatest soil disturbance followed by Mzuri (winged tine), Claydon, Vaderstad Rapid (disc) and Vaderstad Seed Hawk. The geometry and working depth of the tines affected both the force required from a tractor and the specific resistance (draught/area disturbed), with winged tines showing lower values of specific resistance

An Investigation into Metaphor Use at Different Levels of Second Language Writing

Recent studies in linguistics have shown that metaphor is ubiquitous. This has important consequences for language learners who need to use it appropriately in their speech and writing. This study aims to provide a preliminary measure of the amount and distribution of metaphor used by language learners in their writing across Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels. Two hundred essays written by Greek- and German-speaking learners of English are examined for their use of metaphor. The findings are that the overall density of metaphor increases from CEFR levels A2 to C2. At lower levels, most of the metaphoric items are closed-class, consisting mainly of prepositions, but at B2 level and beyond, the majority of metaphoric items are open-class. Metaphor is used to perform increasingly sophisticated functions at each of the levels. At B2 level, significantly more errors start to be perceived in the metaphorically used words, and there is more evidence of L1 influence. Descriptors are provided for CEFR levels A2–C2 regarding the use of metaphor