Is energy cropping in Europe compatible with biodiversity? – Opportunities and threats to biodiversity from land-based production of biomass for bioenergy purposes

Pedroli, Bas; Elbersen, B.S.; Frederiksen, Pia; Grandin, Ulf; Heikkilä, Risto; Krogh, Paul Henning; Izakovičová, Zita; Johansen, Anders; Meiresonne, Linda; Spijker, J.H.

doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2012.09.054

Cited by 133 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Against this background, some authors conclude that the best and most productive soils must be reserved for food production. However, since energy plants, especially those for the production of first-generation biofuels (maize, canola, soybean, sugarcane, sunflower), develop only on good soil, land use conflicts, the risk of indirect land use change, and competition regarding freshwater resources cannot be excluded [46,47]. Second-generation feedstocks do not place such strict requirements on soil quality, but can significantly limit the availability of water for the production of food crops.…”

Section: The Role Of Future Food Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A conversion of these habitats into monocultures to produce biomass would diminish their capacity to provide the services outlined above. If this capacity should be maintained, alternative environmentally sound methods of cultivation for biomass cropping, such as low-input, high-diversity polycultures, are needed for the production of biomass [36,47].…”

Section: The Role Of Future Food Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pathways to Shape the Bioeconomy

2017

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Abstract:In view of the increasing depletion of fossil fuel resources, the concept "bioeconomy" aims at the gradual replacement of fossil fuels by renewable feedstock. Seen as a comprehensive societal transition, the bioeconomy is a complex field that includes a variety of sectors, actors, and interests and is related to far-reaching changes in today's production systems. While the objectives pursued-such as reducing dependence on fossil fuels, mitigating climate change, ensuring global food security, and increasing the industrial use of biogenic resources-are not generally contentious, there is fierce controversy over the possible pathways for achieving these objectives. Based on a thorough literature review, the article identifies major lines of conflict in the current discourse. Criticism of the prevalent concept refers mainly to the strong focus on technology, the lack of consideration given to alternative implementation pathways, the insufficient differentiation of underlying sustainability requirements, and the inadequate participation of societal stakeholders. Since today it cannot be predicted which pathway will be the most expedient-the one already being taken or one of the others proposed-this paper suggests pursuing a strategy of diversity concerning the approaches to shape the bioeconomy, the funding of research topics, and the involvement of stakeholders.

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Section: The Role Of Future Food Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Role Of Future Food Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathways to Shape the Bioeconomy

2017

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“…There is a discrepancy between the findings of coarse-scale/modelling studies (mostly indicating negative impacts) and finescale field-based studies (mostly suggesting positive effects in comparison with traditional agricultural crops). The biodiversity effects of energy crop cultivation can also significantly differ from climatic regions and crop types [31] and specific regional circumstances, such as landscape pattern and structure [24,32]. Therefore, farming system-based approaches are more relevant to answer this question.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

To integrate or to segregate food crop and energy crop cultivation at the landscape scale? Perspectives on biodiversity conservation in agriculture in Europe

Dauber

Miyake

2016

Energ Sustain Soc

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Biodiversity is severely declining in intensively managed agriculture worldwide. In response, land-management strategies for biodiversity conservation on farmland are in debate, namely ecological intensification and land sparing vs. land sharing. In parallel, there is a recent food vs. energy debate stimulated by an increasing competition for land resources. Despite clear overlaps between these two debates, they were rarely connected in previous research. This paper aims to stimulate a discussion by providing a contextual link between biodiversity conservation strategies and options for future energy crop deployment. Therefore, nine conceptual land-use scenarios are developed, and then, the potential biodiversity implications are discussed based on the findings from past and ongoing research. These scenarios include the integration and segregation of both food and energy crops on lands with a range of productivity and suitability for agricultural production. We assume that the clear segregation between food crops on productive land and energy crops on marginal land is less likely to be a solution of mitigating the problems related to the biodiversity decline, especially in the European agricultural landscape context. In contrast, the integration of food and energy crop production systems at the farm to landscape scale has greater potential for ecological intensification, although conflicts with traditional nature conservation targets may arise. We conclude that broadening the perspectives of biodiversity conservation in agriculture is crucial, and the inclusion of energy crop production into the recent debates on biodiversity conservation strategies is helpful.

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“…The rapid expansion of bioenergy crops and their relationship with farmland biodiversity in temperate climates have generated increasing interest and concern in recent years (Semere and Slater 2007;Pedroli et al 2013;Everaars et al 2014;Bourke et al 2014), particularly given that biodiversity in such areas has declined markedly for decades due to agricultural intensification (Benton et al 2002;Tscharntke et al 2012). Second-generation biomass energy crops offer intriguing opportunities to improve spatial and structural heterogeneity in agro-ecosystems by providing areas of tall perennial crops with low mechanical and chemical input (Bellamy et al 2009;Bourke et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioenergy crops and farmland biodiversity: benefits and limitations are scale-dependant for a declining mammal, the brown hare

et al. 2017

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Biomass energy crops are prompting major landuse changes in agricultural and marginal land in an effort to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Miscanthus × giganteus, a perennial giant grass, is one of the main such crops in Europe but few studies exist of its interaction with farmland wildlife, particularly mammals. Understanding ecological impacts of bioenergy planting schemes is vital for mitigating potential negative effects on already declining farmland biodiversity and for maximising any benefits from these low-management, structurally diverse crops. We assessed in a mixed farming area in the UK the impact of Miscanthus crops on the brown hare (Lepus europaeus), a widespread but declining farmland species of conservation concern. We intensively radio-tracked hares in Miscanthus blocks of contrasting size and analysed hare diet for evidence of the consumption of Miscanthus. Home ranges differed starkly averaging 10.5 versus 49.6 ha in the small and the large Miscanthus blocks, respectively. Despite entirely avoiding the crop as food, hares appeared able to exist and even thrive in areas planted with Miscanthus though their populations may be significantly limited by reduced food availability and increased energy use where dense Miscanthus is planted over a wide area. As a component of a mixed farming landscape, Miscanthus may provide biodiversity benefits by increasing spatial heterogeneity and refuge areas for declining farmland species like brown hares but any effect is likely to be strongly scale-dependant.

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Is energy cropping in Europe compatible with biodiversity? – Opportunities and threats to biodiversity from land-based production of biomass for bioenergy purposes

Cited by 133 publications

References 39 publications

Pathways to Shape the Bioeconomy

Pathways to Shape the Bioeconomy

To integrate or to segregate food crop and energy crop cultivation at the landscape scale? Perspectives on biodiversity conservation in agriculture in Europe

Bioenergy crops and farmland biodiversity: benefits and limitations are scale-dependant for a declining mammal, the brown hare

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