Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e71864 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-11 |
| Journal | Ecology and Evolution |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Publication status | Published - 14 Aug 2025 |
Abstract
Keywords
- avifauna, renewable energies, photovoltaic, camera traps, biodiversity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Environmental Science(all)
- Ecology
- Environmental Science(all)
- Nature and Landscape Conservation
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Ecology and Evolution, Vol. 15, No. 8, e71864, 14.08.2025, p. 1-11.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Habitat Use of Birds on a High‐Mounted Agrivoltaic Trial Plot
AU - Diekmann, Lara
AU - Zitzmann, Felix
AU - Schaarschmidt, Frank
AU - Reich, Michael
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by British Ecological Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2025/8/14
Y1 - 2025/8/14
N2 - Agrivoltaic is the dual use of land for agriculture and solar energy generation and can therefore be an opportunity to prevent land‐use conflicts with food production in the context of renewable energy expansion. At the same time, agrivoltaic could have an impact on biodiversity, especially on farmland birds. We investigated the habitat use of birds on a high‐mounted agrivoltaic trial plot with chive culture (Allium schoenoprasum) in northern Germany. Over a one‐year period, we surveyed bird use on the agrivoltaic plot, in three neighboring plots (without agrivoltaic but also cultivated with chives of different age‐classes) and an intervening tree row at two‐week intervals using standardized bird counts. Additionally, we detected bird use within the agrivoltaic plot and an adjacent control plot by camera traps. The results of the bird counts showed no significant differences in the number of species per visit between the agrivoltaic and the other chive plots (except the tree row) as well as in the number of observations per visit between agrivoltaic and any of the other plots. However, the direct comparison of agrivoltaic and control showed that the number of species and observations per visit were higher on the agrivoltaic. Camera trapping revealed no difference between agrivoltaic and control in terms of the number of bird species and detections per camera trap. Most of the species with high presence on the agrivoltaic were widespread, common species, adapted to anthropogenic structures, like White Wagtail and Black Redstart. In contrast, the Yellow Wagtail, a species of open landscapes, showed a higher visit frequency and use intensity on the control. Overall, the investigated agrivoltaic did not appear to prevent habitat use of most farmland birds—apart from bird species of open landscapes. However, there is a considerable need for further research on the effects of agrivoltaic on birds and biodiversity.
AB - Agrivoltaic is the dual use of land for agriculture and solar energy generation and can therefore be an opportunity to prevent land‐use conflicts with food production in the context of renewable energy expansion. At the same time, agrivoltaic could have an impact on biodiversity, especially on farmland birds. We investigated the habitat use of birds on a high‐mounted agrivoltaic trial plot with chive culture (Allium schoenoprasum) in northern Germany. Over a one‐year period, we surveyed bird use on the agrivoltaic plot, in three neighboring plots (without agrivoltaic but also cultivated with chives of different age‐classes) and an intervening tree row at two‐week intervals using standardized bird counts. Additionally, we detected bird use within the agrivoltaic plot and an adjacent control plot by camera traps. The results of the bird counts showed no significant differences in the number of species per visit between the agrivoltaic and the other chive plots (except the tree row) as well as in the number of observations per visit between agrivoltaic and any of the other plots. However, the direct comparison of agrivoltaic and control showed that the number of species and observations per visit were higher on the agrivoltaic. Camera trapping revealed no difference between agrivoltaic and control in terms of the number of bird species and detections per camera trap. Most of the species with high presence on the agrivoltaic were widespread, common species, adapted to anthropogenic structures, like White Wagtail and Black Redstart. In contrast, the Yellow Wagtail, a species of open landscapes, showed a higher visit frequency and use intensity on the control. Overall, the investigated agrivoltaic did not appear to prevent habitat use of most farmland birds—apart from bird species of open landscapes. However, there is a considerable need for further research on the effects of agrivoltaic on birds and biodiversity.
KW - avifauna
KW - renewable energies
KW - photovoltaic
KW - camera traps
KW - biodiversity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105013576477&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ece3.71864
DO - 10.1002/ece3.71864
M3 - Article
VL - 15
SP - 1
EP - 11
JO - Ecology and Evolution
JF - Ecology and Evolution
SN - 2045-7758
IS - 8
M1 - e71864
ER -