Siôn Brackenbury, Commons Vision and Aoife Ryan, Swansea University with inputs from Professor A Street-Perrott, Phillip Harries and Robert Davidson Using natural resources to improve ecosystem resilience
Jan 12, 2016
Siôn Brackenbury, Commons Vision and Aoife Ryan, Swansea University
with inputs from Professor A Street-Perrott, Phillip Harries and Robert Davidson
Using natural resources to improve ecosystem
resilience
Habitat failing condition Rhododendron Control Biodiversity benefit?
1. Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS)
2. Arisings 170 tonnes of phytomass per haDisposal by: •Burning•Decay in situ•Chipping/removal
3. Pyrolysis• Energy production• Managed emissions • Creation of biochars• Sequestration within soils
4: Amendment • Analysis of soils • Determination of key characteristics• Amendment of surface characteristics
Min
(mg/kg)
Max
(mg/kg)
Average
(mg/kg)
Normal
Background
Concentratio
ns (mg/kg)
Antimony 2 4 3.1 -
Arsenic 24.8 84.6 48.4 36
Beryllium 1.3 1.8 1.5 -
Cadmium 0 0 <0.1 1.4
Chromium 5.9 22.9 12.3 -
Copper 29 101 48.5 43
Lead 14 30 21.5 230
Mercury 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.25
Nickel 21.4 44.9 33.0 -
Selenium 2 4 2.8 -
Vanadium 10 18 14.2 -
Water soluble
Boron
0.2 0.5 0.3 -
Zinc 36 76 55.0 -
5. MitigationCombination of materials:•Composted bracken•Biochars and amended biochars•Testing
6. Habitat• Functional habitat?• Mixing within the soil profile• Immobilisation of metals• Sequestered carbon
7. Monitoring requirements On-going monitoring:•Vegetation development•Soils – physical and chemical properties•Life cycle analysis•Quantified carbon sequestered
Time
Ecological economics
Next steps: Experiments to mitigate impacts of INNS clearance on soils and biodiversity
Control Cleared Burned Dense
2015 Pot trials are up and running………
Contact:
Siôn BrackenburyCommons Vision Ltd
01994 240242
07879557740