About
Quadrat setup in a mixed-sward (red and white clover and perennial ryegrass)
Honeybee on white clover
Image © Ciara Ryan-Gerhardt
Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on red clover flower
Image © Ciara Ryan-Gerhardt
White clover pollen grains stained, under magnification
Image © Ciara Ryan-Gerhardt
Introduction
The ARID project aims to assess the impact of a changing climate on clover-pollinator interactions in agricultural grasslands in Ireland. We collect data on highly productive dairy farms in three regions of Ireland with distinct climatic conditions (Southwest, Northwest, and Southeast) .
We are investigating the flowering time of clover and the viability of its pollen. We also characterise which pollinators use clover and whether clover provides an additional resource to these pollinators.
Objectives
ARID will investigate the following questions:
- What are the range of pollinators that use clover in agricultural Irish grasslands?
- When are flowering genes turned on in clover?
- Is the pollen viability and quantity of clover affected by temperature and drought?
- What are the main abiotic environmental drivers of clover-pollinator interactions and clover growth?
Why clover?
Clover (Trifolium spp.)
Clover is part of the Fabaceae (pea) plant family that can take nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert it into ammonia or nitrate (a form plants can use). This process improves soil fertility, reduces atmospheric nitrous oxide emissions and the need for chemical fertiliser. There are recent government schemes (Multi-Species Sward and Red Clover Silage Scheme) encouraging farmers to include clover in their grass swards.
White clover is grown as a forage crop for cattle, while red clover is grown for silage, providing high quality fodder for cattle in winter. Clover flowers provide high-protein pollen for insect pollinators. They are a critical resource for a significant length of the season.
ARID investigates the role of red (T. pratense) and white (T. repens) clover in providing resources for pollinators on Irish farms.