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Why scientists watched grass grow for 170 years
Scientists at Rothamsted Research in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, have been running the Park Grass Experiment for 170 years, making it the world's oldest continuous study of permanent grassland. Begun in 1856 by founders Sir John Bennet Lawes and Joseph Henry Gilbert to examine how fertilisers and manure affect hay yields, the study has evolved far beyond its original purpose, now underpinning modern research into soil health, biodiversity and climate change using techniques the Victorians could never have anticipated, such as DNA analysis.
The experiment covers just under three hectares divided into plots treated with different nutrients, allowing researchers to compare their effects on grass growth, soil composition and diversity. Crucially, the founders preserved crop and soil samples alongside weather records, creating an archive – including 170-year-old grass – that lets scientists track long-term environmental change, such as the sharp decline in airborne nitrogen and sulphur deposits since Britain changed how it generates power and fuels vehicles. Researchers including soil scientist Andy Gregory and data curator Dr Sarah Perryman say the site remains "cutting edge" rather than a museum piece, with future work focusing on how climate change and shifting weather patterns, such as drier springs, are affecting yields.
In short
- Rothamsted's Park Grass Experiment has run since 1856, the oldest of its kind.
- Preserved soil, grass and weather archives reveal long-term environmental change.
- Research now focuses on climate change's impact on grassland yields.
Explained simply
The Park Grass Experiment at Rothamsted Research in Harpenden has been running since 1856, making it the world's longest continuous study of permanent grassland. It began when two scientists, Sir John Bennet Lawes and Joseph Henry Gilbert, wanted to understand how fertilisers and manure affected hay yields. Nearly 170 years on, the same patches of grassland are still being monitored.
The experiment works by dividing the site into plots that receive different combinations of nutrients, allowing scientists to compare how these affect the grass and soil. What makes it extraordinarily valuable is that the original founders kept detailed records alongside samples of soil and crops, creating an archive stretching back nearly two centuries. Researchers can now use modern techniques like DNA analysis to examine these historical samples and understand how the grassland has changed over time.
The study has become crucial for understanding modern environmental challenges. Researchers use it to track long-term shifts in the environment, such as how air pollution from nitrogen and sulphur has declined since Britain changed its power generation and transport. Scientists say the experiment continues to reveal how climate change and shifting weather patterns affect grassland productivity, making it an active research tool rather than a historical curiosity.
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