Broadbalk Wilderness

Experiment Code: R/BK/1W
Experiment Site: Rothamsted
Objectives: To see the effects on the soil and vegetation of abandoning arable cropping
Description: Part of the Broadbalk wheat experiment was fenced off and allowed to naturally revert to woodland in 1882. In 1900 it was divided into two halves, one remained as regenerating woodland, in the other half all woody species were removed ('stubbed') each year, to allow open ground vegetation to develop. In 1957 the stubbed section was divided into two, one half remained stubbed, the other was mown for three years, then grazed by sheep from 1960-2000, and since 2001 has been mown each year (herbage is not removed).
Date Start: 1882
Date End: Ongoing

Key Contacts

Andrew Gregory
Role: Principal Investigator
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7123-0784
Organisation: Rothamsted Research
Address: West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom
Margaret Glendining
Role: Data Manager
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6466-4629
Organisation: Rothamsted Research
Address: West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom
Sarah Perryman
Role: Data Manager
Organisation: Rothamsted Research
Address: West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom

Funding

The e-RA database, including the published datasets generated from it, is part of the Rothamsted Long-Term Experiments - National Bioscience Research Infrastructure (RLTE-NBRI) , which also includes the Long-Term Experiments, the Sample Archive and Rothamsted's environmental monitoring activities including the weather stations and its role in the UK Environmental Change Network.
The RLTE-NBRI is supported by the Lawes Agricultural Trust and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Grants BBS/E/C/00005189 (2012-2017); BBS/E/C/000J0300 (2017-2022); BBS/E/RH/23NB0007 (2023-2028)).

Experimental Design

Description

Small site (0.2ha). One half is naturally regenerating woodland. The other half is divided into two, one half native permanent grassland mown each year, the other is 'stubbed' (all woody plants are removed).

Design

Period: 1882 - Now
Experiment Design Type: Demonstration strip design
Number of Plots: 3
Number of Replicates: 1

Crops

Crop	Years Grown
Naturally Regenerating Woodland
Grass
Native Open Ground Vegetation, No Woody Species (stubbed)

Measurements

Variable	Unit	Collection Frequency	Material	Description	Crop
Soil Organic Carbon	t/ha	very infrequently	Soil	Measured in 1881, 1904, 1964 and 1999.
Plant Biomass	t/ha	very infrequently	SpecifiedCrop	Measured in 1881, 1904, 1964 and 1999.	Naturally regenerating woodland

Site: Broadbalk Wilderness - Rothamsted

Experiment Site: Rothamsted
Description: The site was part of the Broadbalk wheat experiment, and had grown unmanured winter wheat since autumn 1843. Large amounts of chalk had been applied to the soil in the late 18th - early 19th centuries, and the surface soil pH is still neutral. In 1882 the site was fenced off and all cropping abandoned. In 1900 it was divided into two halves: one half remained untouched (regenerating woodland). The other half had all woody species removed annually (stubbed), to allow open ground vegetation to develop. In 1957 the stubbed section was divided into two, one half remains as 'stubbed', the other half was mown for three years, grazed by sheep each year from 1960-2000, mown since 2001 (herbage not removed).
Management: In 1900 it was divided into two halves: one half remained untouched (regenerating woodland). The other half had all woody species removed annually (stubbed), to allow open ground vegetation to develop. In 1957 the stubbed section was divided into two, one half remains as 'stubbed', the other half was mown for three years, grazed by sheep each year from 1960-2000, mown since 2001 (herbage not removed). No fertilizer or manure is applied.
Visit Permitted?: Yes
Visiting Arrangments: Contact Dr Andrew Gregory
Elevation: 128 Metres
Geolocation: 51.809835, -0.375295

Soil

Type: Chromic Luvisol
Silty clay loam surface overlying clay-with-flints, over chalk at a depth of several metres.

Soil Properties

Variable	Value	Reference Year	Is Estimated	Is Baseline
Soil pH	7.7 ()	1999	NO	NO
Clay content	(%)		NO	NO

Datasets available

Title (hover for a longer description)	Year of Publication	Identifier	Version
Soil data
Broadbalk Wilderness accumulation of organic carbon	2015	10.23637/KeyRefOABKWoc	01

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License

These media (images and videos) are available under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence (4.0) with attribution to Rothamsted Research.

Images

Key References

2016

J. Storkey , A.J. Macdonald , J.R. Bell , I.M. Clark , A.S. Gregory , N.J. Hawkins , P.R. Hirsch , L.C. Todman and Whitmore, A.P.(2016) "The Unique Contribution of Rothamsted to Ecological Research at Large Temporal Scales.", Advances in Ecological Research (eds: A.J. Dumbrell , R.L. Kordas and G. Woodward - Academic Press), Vol 55, Chapter 1, pp. 3-42
DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2016.08.002

2008

Jenkinson, D.S. , Poulton, P.R. and Bryant, C.(2008) "The turnover of organic carbon in subsoils. Part 1. Natural and bomb radiocarbon in soil profiles from the Rothamsted long-term field experiments", European Journal of Soil Science, 59, 391-399
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2389.2008.01025.x

2003

Poulton, P.R. , Pye, E. , Hargreaves, P.R. and Jenkinson, D.S.(2003) "Accumulation of carbon and nitrogen by old arable land reverting to woodland", Global Change Biology, 9, 942-955
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2486.2003.00633.x

2002

Blake, L. and Goulding, K.W.T.(2002) "Effects of atmospheric deposition, soil pH and acidification on heavy metal contents in soils and vegetation of semi-natural ecosystems at Rothamsted Experimental Station, UK", Plant and Soil, 240, 235-251
DOI: 10.1023/A:1015731530498
Pye, E.(2002) "Investigation of woodland regeneration within two Wilderness areas. PhD thesis", University of Hertfordshire.

2001

Harmer, R. , Peterken, G. , Kerr, G. and Poulton, P.(2001) "Vegetation changes during 100 years of development of two secondary woodlands on abandoned arable land", Biological Conservation, 101, 291-304
DOI: 10.1016/S0006-3207(01)00072-6

1999

Blake, L. , Goulding, K.W.T. , Johnston, A.E. and Mott, C.J.B.(1999) "Changes in soil chemistry accompanying acidification over more than 100 years under woodland and grass at Rothamsted Experimental Station, UK", European Journal of Soil Science, 50, 401-412
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2389.1999.00253.x

1996

Poulton, P.R.(1996) "Geescroft Wilderness, 1883-1995", NATO Advanced Research Workshop, Evaluation of soil organic matter models using existing long-term datasets, NATO ASI Series I: Global Environmental Change, (Powlson D. S. , Smith P. and Smith J.U. (eds) - Springer-Verlag, Berlin), Vol 38, 385-389
Kerr, G. , Harmer, R. and Moss, S.R.(1996) "Natural colonisation: a study of Broadbalk Wilderness", Aspects of Applied Biology, 25-32

1971

Jenkinson, D.S.(1971) "The accumulation of organic matter in soil left uncultivated", Part 2 , 113-137
Get from eRAdoc: ResReport1970p2-113-137

1965

Garner, H.V. , Witts, K.J. , King, D.W. , Jenkinson, D.S. , Yuen, P.H. and Skinner, F.A.(1965) "Broadbalk Wilderness", , 218-223
Get from eRAdoc: ResReport1964-219-224
DOI: 10.23637/ERADOC-1-50229

1915

Brenchley, W.E. and Adam, H.(1915) "Recolonisation of cultivated land allowed to revert to natural conditions", Journal of Ecology, 3, 193-210
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2255489

1895

Lawes, J.B.(1895) "Upon some properties of soils, which have grown a cereal crop and a leguminous crop for many years in succession. ", Agricultural Students' Gazette, New Series, 7, 65-72 (Series 1/91)