Data from: On-site floral resources and surrounding landscape characteristics impact pollinator biodiversity at solar parks
Data files
Feb 13, 2024 version files 35.57 KB
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README.md
2.63 KB
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Survey_point_data.csv
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Abstract
There is increasing land use change for solar parks and growing recognition that they could be used to support insect pollinators. However, understanding of pollinator response to solar park developments is limited and empirical data are lacking.
We combine field observations with landcover data to quantify the impact of on-site floral resources and surrounding landscape characteristics on solar park pollinator abundance and species richness. We surveyed pollinators and flowering plants at 15 solar parks across England in 2021, used a landcover map to assess the surrounding high-quality habitat and aerial imagery to measure woody linear features (hedgerows, woodland edges and lines of trees).
In total, 1,397 pollinators were recorded, including 899 butterflies (64%), 171 hoverflies (12%), 161 bumble bees (12%), 157 moths (11%) and nine honeybees (< 1%). At least 30 pollinator species were observed, the majority of which were common, generalist species.
Pollinator biodiversity varied between solar parks and was explained by a combination of on-site floral resources and surrounding landscape characteristics. Floral species richness was the most influential on-site characteristic and woody linear feature density generally had a greater impact than the cover of surrounding high-quality habitats, although drivers differed by pollinator group.
Our findings suggest that a range of factors affect pollinator biodiversity at solar parks, but maximising floral resources within a park through appropriate management actions may be the most achievable way to support most pollinator groups, especially where solar parks are located in resource-poor, disconnected landscapes.
README: On-site floral resources and surrounding landscape characteristics impact pollinator biodiversity at solar parks
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.qrfj6q5pf
This dataset contains primary field and secondary landcover data relating to 15 anonymised solar parks across England. Solar parks were visited in the summer of 2021 and on each visit, vegetation and pollinator surveys were undertaken at ten locations within the park. The cover of high quality habitat and density of woody linear features in 0 - 500 m and 500 - 1000 m buffer zones surrounding each solar park were determined using a GIS.
Description of the data and file structure
Below, detail about each column in the Excel spreadsheet is provided:
month - the month of the survey.
site - the solar park (represented by a random letter to ensure anonymisation).
management - general observations of how the solar park was being managed at the time of the survey.
survey_point - the location of the quadrat/transect within the solar park (10 per park, per visit).
vegetation_height - the height of the vegetation inside a 1m2 quadrat.
floral_species_richness - the number of flowering plant species recorded inside a 1m2 quadrat.
floral_percentage_cover - the cover (%) of flowering plant species inside a 1m2 quadrat.
air_temperature - air temperature before each transect was walked (degrees C).
wind_speed - wind speed before each transect was walked (mph).
bumblebee_species_richness - the number of bumblebee species recorded along the transect.
bumblebee_abundance - the number of individual bumblebees recorded along the transect.
butterfly_species_richness - the number of butterfly species recorded along the transect.
butterfly_abundance - the number of individual butterflies recorded along the transect.
hoverfly_abundance - the number of individual hoverflies recorded along the transect.
moth_abundance - the number of individual moths recorded along the transect.
hq_habitat_1km - the percentage cover of high quality habitat inside a 500 - 1000 m buffer zone surrounding the solar park.
hq_habitat_500m - the percentage cover of high quality habitat inside a 0 - 500 m buffer zone surrounding the solar park.
wlf_density_1km - the density of woody linear features inside a 500 - 1000 m buffer zone surrounding the solar park.
wlf_density_500m - the density of woody linear features inside a 0 - 500 m buffer zone surrounding the solar park.
For more information please contact Hollie Blaydes: h.blaydes@lancaster.ac.uk