Impact van Agri-PV op bodemgezondheid en boven- en ondergrondse biodiversiteit: Werkpakket R7 van project Sunbiose

In Work Package R7 of the Sunbiose project, the effects of agri‑PV on soil health and biodiversity were examined in three cropping systems (grass–clover, pear orchard, and soft fruit - raspberry). Overall, slightly negative effects or no clear changes were observed. Under the solar panels, vegetation growth was generally somewhat reduced due to lower light availability and altered water distribution, which in turn affected soil structure and soil life. Below‑ground biodiversity (including nematodes, microbial communities, and earthworms) showed a slight decline, but these effects were small compared to the large overall variability. Similar patterns were found for above‑ground biodiversity: in general, less well‑developed or less flowering vegetation resulted in a slight reduction in insect abundance. Agri‑PV offers good opportunities for an increase in biodiversity in crop production systems, provided that system design and field management explicitly take this into account, e.g., through sufficient light availability, maintaining soil structure, and active nature‑inclusive management.