Broadbalk Wilderness
- Experiment Code: R/BK/1W
- Experiment Site: Rothamsted
- Objectives: To see the effects on the soil and vegetation of abandoning arable cropping
- Date Start: 1882
- Date End: Ongoing
- Key Contacts: Andrew Gregory, (Principal Investigator), 0000-0001-7123-0784 , Margaret Glendining, (Data Manager), 0000-0002-6466-4629 , Sarah Perryman, (Data Manager),
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).
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)).
Keywords
- broadbalk long-term experiment, ecological succession, rothamsted research, soil organic carbon, woodland
Datasets available
| Title (hover for a longer description) | Year of Publication | Identifier | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
Soil data | |||
| Broadbalk Wilderness accumulation of organic carbon | 2015 | https://doi.org/10.23637/KeyRefOABKWoc |
01 |
- List all eRA datasets
- Additional data is available through e-RAdata. Please register for access
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 |
Experiment Design
Use the arrows to navigate between periods
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
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: https://doi.org/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: https://doi.org/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: https://doi.org/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: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015731530498
- - Pye, E. (2002) "Investigation of woodland regeneration within two Wilderness areas. BSc project report (Environmental Sciences)", 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: https://doi.org/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: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2389.1999.00253.x
1996
- - Kerr, G., Harmer, R. and Moss, S. R. (1996) "Natural colonisation: a study of Broadbalk Wilderness", Aspects of Applied Biology, 25–32
- - 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
1971
- - Jenkinson, D. S. (1971) "The accumulation of organic matter in soil left uncultivated", Rothamsted Experimental Station Report for 1970 , 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", Rothamsted Experimental Station Report for 1964 , , 218–223 Get from eRAdoc: ResReport1964-219-224 DOI: https://doi.org/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)
