Highfield Conversion Experiment
- Local identifier
- R/CS/767
- Years operational
- 2008—
- Objective
- To study the effects of changes in agricultural land use and management on crop production and soil physical, chemical and biological parameters, including soil organic matter and structure, soil fauna and microbial diversity; originally long-term grass (>100 years)
- Description
- In 2008 two plots (continuous grass and arable) within each block of the Highfield Ley-Arable experiment were split to establish grass, arable and bare-fallow treatments within each. Adjacent long-term bare-fallow areas were also included in the experiment. Soil samples are taken regularly and yields are taken annually. Many archived samples are available. It is the only site at Rothamsted available for studying the effects of converting long-term grass to arable and bare-fallow treatments on Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), fertility, soil resilience and recovery. The experiment has support from several groups within Rothamsted, providing a resource for multidisciplinary research, from analytical chemistry, soil physical structure, GHG emissions and nitrification potential, microbial and mesofauna community responses to management change. It is probably unique in that it examines soil resilience and restoration through plants.
- Data Access Statement
- Available to any researcher on request
- Data license
- CC BY
- Data policy
- Yes (not online)
- Organization
- Rothamsted Researchresearch organisation
- People
Site: Highfield
- Type
- research station field
- Location
- HarpendenHertfordshireUnited Kingdom
- Geographic location
- 51.804307, -0.36268
- Elevation
- 130 Metres
- Visits permitted?
- Yes
- Visiting arrangements
- By arrangement with Dr Andy Macdonald
- History
- Previously part of the Highfield Ley-Arable experiment. The site was originally permanent grassland. The bare fallow plots were started in 1959 and maintained by regular tilling. The arable plots were converted from grassland to continuous arable (wheat) in 1949.
- Soil type
- luvisol
- Soil properties
Variable Depth Value (range) Units Ref year Estimated? Baseline? soil total carbon 0 – 10 Centimetres (0.97 – 5.39) Percent 2008 total soil nitrogen 0 – 10 Centimetres (0.097 – 0.454) Percent 2008 soil organic carbon 0 – 10 Centimetres (0.38 – 3.01) gram per cubic centimetre 2008 - Climatic type
- temperate oceanic climate
Design period: (2008—)
- Design Type
- Randomized complete block design
- Design description
- In October 2008, 10 × 6 m areas within the existing bare fallow, arable and grassland plots on the Highfield/Geescroft site of Rothamsted farm were converted to one of the alternative treatments. Plots were subdivided in a randomized block design to provide three plots for each permanent and conversion treatment. All plots except those remaining as permanent grassland were ploughed (standard depth, 23 cm)
- Number of blocks
- 3
- Number of plots
- 27
- Number of harvests per year
- 1
- Crops
Crop Years grown fallow grass wheat - Factor
- Factor name
- Factor levels
- cropping system Plot application: Sub plot
permanent grass
permanent grass converted to arable
permanent grass converted to bare fallow
arable converted to grass
continuous arable
arable converted to bare fallow
bare fallow converted to grass
bare fallow converted to arable
continuous bare fallow
Related publications
- Hirsch, P.R., Jhurreea, D., Williams, J.K. et al. Plant Soil (2017) 412: 283. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3068-x [In English]
- Hirsch, P.R. et al. Soil Biology and Biochemistry (2009) 41: 2021-2024 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.07.011 [In English]