Bird numbers indicate healthy farm biodiversity

RESULTS of over three years successive monitoring on

farms, as part of the Syngenta Conservation Agri-

culture & Sustainable Farm-ing initiative, has shown up to 1,000 per cent+ higher bird numbers over the winter on fields established with conservation agriculture systems, compared to conventional plough cultivations.

The independently monitored research is studying the field-scale agronomic, economic and environmental implications of

conservation agriculture establish-ment systems on contrasting light land, at East Lenham in Kent, and the heavy soils of Loddington in Leicestershire.

On the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) Allerton Project farm, at Loddington, areas established with conservation agri-

culture techniques recorded an

average 1,011 per cent more birds over the winter, compared to crops established with con-ventional plough-based tillage. At East Lenham in Kent, the average numbers of birds recorded on the ground over the past three winters was 145 per cent higher in fields established by direct drill/light till.

Bird numbers were monitored once a month on the different establishment system throughout the winter, with transects walked across each area to count birds on the ground. Numbers recorded were the annual average seen on each system.

Results of detailed monitoring over the years of the ongoing project has confirmed the trend towards improved soil health and biodiversity with conservation agri-

culture techniques, reported Syn-genta Sustainable Farming Manager Belinda Bailey.

“Bird numbers are likely to be attracted to more favourable winter-feeding resources associated with

min till or direct drill crop establishment systems, where food remains on or close to the surface. Higher bird activity is a very positive indicator of biodiversity in fields under conservation agriculture,” she highlighted.

GWCT ecologist John Szczur, responsible for the project’s bird monitoring in Kent, reported that numbers of all the insect and seed feeding bird species recorded were higher on the conservation agriculture plots at East Lenham last winter. That included over two and a half times as many skylarks and double the number of meadow pipits as on conventionally established plots. Snipe, grey partridge and red-legged partridge were only recorded on the direct drill areas or cover crops in the conservation agriculture system.

In previous years, GWCT mon-itoring has seen up to 55 skylarks on conservation agriculture est-ablished plots at Loddington compared to just four on the conventionally established areas.

Skylark numbers were sign-ificantly lower across all systems in the very wet winter of 2019-20, had recovered well on the conservation agriculture systems last year – although still with no

sightings on the conventionally established plots.

The Syngenta conservation agri-culture research has also given an

in-depth study of earthworm num-bers under different establishment systems, monitored by GWCT. Results have seen consistently higher numbers of earthworms – an important source of food for some bird species – under both direct drill and min till establishment, compared to conventional tillage.

Earthworm numbers have re-sponded most positively on the light soils in Kent, with an average 75 per cent more with direct drill over conventional tillage, but from a relatively smaller base. At Loddington, where earthworm num-bers were typically 10 times greater in the heavier soils, the increase from conservation agriculture was eight per cent.

Endogeic earthworms that typ-ically live below the top surface have fared particularly well under a min-till establishment system

at Loddington, highlighted Belinda Bailey.

“That could be because the system incorporates organic matter into the surface layers that makes it more accessible as food, without disturbing the worm’s habitat.”

Establishment using a direct drill or light tillage had also seen significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint of growing crops, she added.

“Reduced operational costs with the system has contributed to an average 36 per cent increase in overall net profit on the light land and 19 per cent increase on the heavy soils, compared to conventional tillage.”

Mrs Bailey pointed out that both farms involved with the project also have extensive ecological areas

and field margins positively man-aged to provide environmental resources.