What is actually a ditch?
Ditches are found everywhere, and humanity needs them. Yet they are often ignored, both in land management and in research. But what does it mean when we disregard them? Could it have consequences?
Many researchers ignore ditches and channels because they are small and seemingly insignificant. In reality, however, they play an important role – for different cycles, for ecology, for archaeology, for cultural geography, and for physical science.
The definition of a ditch turns out to be far from straightforward.
want to get people to notice ditches, both the “good” and the “bad” that ditches bring with them.
According to Mike, it is clear that a ditch has negative or positive effects depends on who you are:
Ditches contribute to so many different ecosystem services that it is simply impossible to claim they are wholly one thing or the other. The reality is more complex.
Humanity needs ditches. Without them we would not be able to produce as much food, and and our forests rely on them for their productivity. But in general, we could take better care of our ditches.
Read the study
Co-authors from SLU
Magdalena Bieroza, Department of Soil and Environment
Peta Zivec, Department of Forest Ecology and Management
Eliza Maher Hasselquist, Department of Forest Ecology and Management
Mike Peacock, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment
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