Potentials and Pitfalls of Solar Fields for Wildlife in Farmlands

This thesis examines whether solar fields in agricultural landscapes help or harm vertebrate wildlife in an intensive agricultural landscape.
Bat species had lower species diversity and activity in solar fields compared to intensive grasslands and extensive meadows, suggesting reduced habitat quality overall. However, over mammals species showed a more mixed results: European hares used solar fields more than controls, mainly as daytime refuge rather than foraging ground, filling a role usually played by hedgerows. Roe deer and hedgehogs also showed preferential use in some cases.
For birds, richness was low inside panel-covered areas but comparable to surrounding habitats at field perimeters. Larger fields, south-facing panels, and mowing-based management predicted higher richness, suggesting perimeter zones could be designed as biodiversity-rich buffers around lower-quality panel interiors.
Overall, current solar field design creates pressure on wildlife, but targeted management and layout changes could turn them into valuable alternative habitats.