Linking species traits to agroecosystem services: a functional analysis of weed communities

There is a growing interest in the use of functional approaches for the study of weed assemblages, to disentangle underlying processes determining their composition and dynamics. Functional approaches are based on the assumption that weed community composition and dynamics can be best explained by a set of species traits expressing their response to agricultural disturbance. This knowledge should help develop more sustainable, ecologically based weed management systems. Trait‐based data required for this kind of analysis are available from various sources, but most of them either cover mainly non‐weedy species or, in the case of weed‐focussed trait databases, they cover a limited number of species. In this work, we present a trait database for 240 weed species common throughout Europe, including not only response traits but also effect traits, that is linked to selected agroecosystem services and disservices. A case study is presented where our weed trait database is used in conjunction with appropriate statistical analysis to highlight the distribution of weed functional groups in soyabean crop communities from an experiment including different tillage and weed management systems. Finally, we discuss the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of this functional approach. By highlighting the links between weed species and agroecosystem (dis)services, this approach could be a useful resource for scientists, farm managers and policymakers.     

Increasing weed flora in Danish arable fields and its importance for biodiversity

A number of political initiatives have been implemented to meet growing concerns about negative side effects of the intensification of land‐use practice over the past 25 years. Declining species diversity and abundance and pollution of the environment have been reported worldwide. In order to assess the overall effect on wild flora of the changing management of arable land, national surveys are necessary. Surveys of the weed flora in Danish arable fields were conducted in 1987–89 and 2001–04. The frequency of common weed species in spring barley, spring rape, winter rye, winter wheat and grass leys was compared between time periods. Weed frequency increased overall during the interval. Species that are of particular importance as food sources for invertebrates and birds increased considerably in some of the crops. The frequency of some grass species increased remarkably, possibly because of increased areas of winter crops. Some perennial weeds also became more frequent, probably caused by less mechanical weed control and a reduction in the use of specific herbicides. The dominant weed species in 2001–04, with frequency higher than 10%, were largely the same as in 1987–89, but included three new species in 2001–04. Only a few species occurred less frequently in 2001–04 than in 1987–89 and only in some crops. As common weed species make up an important food reservoir for wildlife, new trends in the management of arable land in Denmark seem to have led to more biodiversity.     

The persistence of seeds of 16 weed species over six years in two arable fields

Summary Two experiments have investigated the persistence of 16 arable, annual broad-leaved weed species over 6 years in a silty loam and a clay soil. Small plastic beads were included as an 'inert' comparison. Seeds were broadcast in October on to plots at the start of the experiment, and these were either tine cultivated or ploughed annually thereafter. Plots were sown with either spring or winter wheat. As far as possible, weed seeding was prevented each year. For some species, the seed decline appeared to be slower on the ploughed plots than on the tined plots and in the winter wheat compared with the spring wheat. Seed decline also tended to be slower on the clay soil at Rothamsted than on the silty loam at Long Ashton. Some species declined rapidly (e.g. Brassica napus , Chrysanthemum segetum , Galium aparine , Galeopsis tetrahit ), with annual decline rates in excess of 58%, whereas others declined very little (e.g. Papaver rhoeas decline rate 9%). Most of the other species had decline rates between 20% and 40%. The results are discussed in relation to the development of population dynamics models to predict long-term consequences of alternative weed management strategies.     

Managing arable weeds for biodiversity

As a result of the recent intensification of crop production, the abundance and diversity of UK arable weeds adapted to cultivated land have declined, with an associated reduction in farmland birds. A number of questions need to be addressed when considering how these declines can be reversed. Firstly, can the delivery of crop production and biodiversity be reconciled by spatially separating cropping from designated wildlife areas? A number of subsidised environmental schemes in the UK take this approach and are focused on establishing vegetation cover on uncropped land. However, because of the lack of regular disturbance in these habitats, they are dominated by perennials and they therefore have limited potential for promoting the recovery of annual weed populations. A number of farmland bird species also rely on the provision of resources in field centres, and it is therefore likely that the recovery of their populations will rely on weed management options targeted at the cropped areas of the field. This raises two further questions. Firstly, is it possible to identify beneficial weed species that are relatively poor competitors with the crop and also have biodiversity value? Secondly, are the tools available to manage these species at acceptable levels while controlling pernicious weeds? A number of approaches are being employed to answer these questions, including predicting yield loss from weed competition models and exploiting herbicide selectivity. The further development of these tools is crucial if farmer opposition to managing weeds in crops is to be overcome. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

The impact of landscape structure and sown grass margin strips on weed assemblages in arable crops and their boundaries

A paired-field study was made in southern England in arable fields, each with or without sown 6-m wide grass margin strips. Seven field pairs were located in each of small, intermediate and open landscapes, which were based on mean field size. Ground cover, plant species diversity and assemblages were assessed in crop centres, crop edges and non-crop field boundaries. The data were used to test for effects of sown grass margins, differences in field location, impacts on rare weed species and for landscape effects on weed assemblages. Significantly higher plant species diversity was found in boundaries protected by buffer strips. Annual weeds associated with field edges, notably Anisantha sterilis , were found at lower cover where perennial grass strips were present. Sown grass strips enhanced boundary plant diversity, particularly by increasing polycarpic species. Margin strips had a small influence on the weed flora of the crop edge, possibly reducing weed cover, but had no influence on floras of field centres. Field size and landscape context did not affect weed assemblages, which show marked field-to-field variability, though crop type was an important influence. Grass margins did not enhance rare arable weed species and may be a threat to them, if margins are sited where such species are known to occur in the seedbank. With this exception, grass strips are a positive influence on boundary flora diversity and reduce margin weeds in arable landscapes.     

Characterisation of Czech arable weed communities according to management and production area considering the prevalence of herbicide-resistant species

Herbicide resistance is a widespread issue that impacts management of conventional farms, but also has ramifications for the weed community assembly; it is therefore important to see how these species factor into the weed community assembly of farms throughout the countryside. This research analysed species richness and community diversity in 98 field relevés from 48 organic and 50 conventional farms evenly distributed between two major production regions of the Czech Republic and then evaluated the incidence of species which have been reported resistant in the Czech Republic and its neighbouring countries. Farms were selected independently of any acknowledged resistant species. Out of 164 species found in this survey, only eight species have had herbicide-resistant biotypes reported in the Czech Republic, while a total of 19 species had herbicide-resistant biotypes reported in neighbouring countries. Species with recorded resistance to PSII inhibitors in the Czech Republic tended to be found together and were mostly associated with the beet production region, characterised by low altitude: Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album, Echinochloa crus-galli and Solanum nigrum. Species with reported resistance to ALS and ACCase-inhibiting herbicides were not clearly associated with a particular region or farming type. Of the species which have had reported herbicide resistance in the neighbouring countries, several were found in conventional fields within the growing season and we recommend immediate screening for herbicide resistance in these species and more diligent action in management according to anti-resistance strategies: Bromus sterilis resistant to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides, A. retroflexus resistant to ALS-inhibiting herbicides or Avena fatua resistant to ACCase and ALS-inhibiting herbicides. This work is unique in that it is evaluating weed species diversity in organic and conventional farms and using the context to frame the prevalence of high-risk herbicide-resistant species; thereby putting the potential incidence of herbicide resistance into perspective at the landscape level.     

Functional diversity of cover crop mixtures enhances biomass yield and weed suppression in a Mediterranean agroecosystem

Functional diversity of cover crop mixtures is thought to improve biomass production and weed suppression, two key agroecosystem services in organic systems. To test this hypothesis, we selected eight cover crop species belonging to four functional groups: (i) vining growing large-seeded legumes (field pea, common vetch), (ii) erect growing small-seeded legumes (crimson clover, squarrosum clover), (iii) grasses (barley, oats) and (iv) Brassicaceae (radish, black mustard). Nine cover crop mixtures were designed to create a gradient of diversity in terms of number of species and number of functional groups. A control treatment and all monocrops were included in the trial. Regarding cover crop biomass, mixtures outyielded monocrops by an average of 37%. Both functional identity and composition (i.e. trait complementarity) influenced biomass production and weed suppression provided by cover crops. Regression analysis showed that increase in both species diversity and functional diversity in cover crop mixtures improved the provision of agroecosystem services. Results from this study show that complementarity of species functional traits in cover crop mixtures can be used as a strategy to ensure high biomass production and good weed suppression in changing agroecosystems.     

The response of four spring-sown combinable arable crops to weed competition

The response of four spring-sown combinable arable crops [Pisum sativum (peas), Hordeum vulgare (barley), Vicia faba (beans), Brassica napus (oilseed rape)] to competition from cultivated oats (Avena sativa), mimicking wild-oats (Avena fatua), was studied in three field experiments (1989–91). Reductions in crop growth and yield per oat plant m^?2 were calculated from regressions of weight (yield) against oat numbers. Competitive effects from the oats were greatest in 1991, the year with the highest rainfall. The oats had least effect on the barley and rape (yield loss per oat plant m^?2=0–2.3%), and most effect on the peas and beans (0.34–7.18%). Samples harvested during the summer showed how the crops' responses to competition from oats changed as they matured. Data was also collected on the effects of the crops on the oats. The results are discussed in relation to the development of threshold-based systems of weed management. La réponse de quatre cultures de printemps à la compétition des mauvaises herbes La réponse de quatre cultures de printemps [Pisum sativum (pois), Hordeum vulgare (orge), Vicia faba (féverolle), Brassica napus (colza)] à la compétition de l'avoine cultivée (Avenasativa) prise comme modèle de folle avoine (Avena fatua) a étéétudiée lors de trois expérimentations au champ (1989–91). Les réductions de croissance et de rendement des plantes cultivées en fonction de la densité de I'avoine ont été calculées par des régressions entre le poids (rendement) et le nombre de pieds d'avoine m^?2. L'effet compétitif de I'avoine fut le plus important en 1991, période oò les précipitations furent les plus élevées. L'effet de I'avoine était le moins important sur 1'orge et le colza (la perte de rendement par pied d'avoine m^?2était comprise entre 0 et 2,3%) et le plus important sur le pois et la féverolle (0.34–7.18%). Des échantillons récoltés pendant l'été ont montré comment les réponses des plantes cultivées a la compétition de 1'avoine se sont modif iées au cours de la maturation. Des données sur les effets des plantes cultivées sur les avoines ont aussi été recueillies. Les résultats sont discutés en relation avec le développement de systàmes de lutte contre les mauvaises herbes basés sur les seuils de nuisibilité. Unkrautkonkurrenz in vier Sommerkulturen Die Konkurrenz von Saat-Hafer (Avena sativa) als Modell für Flag-Hafer (Avena fatua) wurde in 4 Sommerkulturen [Erbse (Pisum sativum), Gerste (Hordeum vulgare), Acker-Bohne (Vicia faba) und Raps (Brassica napus)] in 3 Freiland-versuchen (1989–91) untersucht. Die Wachtums-und Ertragsreduktion je nach der Hafer-Dichte wurde nach der Gewichts- bzw. Ertragseinbuße berechnet. Die Konkurrenz durch den Hafer war 1991, dem Jahr mil dem höchsten Niederschlag, am gröBten: auf Gerste und Raps war sie am geringsten (0 bis 2.3 % Ertragsverlust pro Hafer-Pflanze m^?2), auf Erbse und Acker-Bohne (0.34 bis 7.18 %) am stärksten. Durch Messungen der Biomasse wahrend der Vegetationsperiode konnte gezeigt werden, wie sich die Konkurrenz durch den Hafer bis zur Abreife änderte. Auch die Kulturpflanzenkonkurrenz auf den Hafer wurde bestimmt. Die Bedeutung der Ergebnisse für die Entwicklung von Bekämpfungssystemen auf der Grundlage von Schadensschwellen werden diskutiert.     

Reviewing change in the arable flora of Europe: a meta‐analysis

Changing agricultural practices have dramatically altered the arable flora of Europe since the Second World War. We conducted a meta‐analysis of the available literature to assess the dynamics of species richness and species traits in the arable flora across Europe during this time period. We found a total of 32 publications, yielding 53 data sets with an average number of 252 studied plots per data set. Average species number per plot of arable plants across all data sets declined by about 20%. However, twelve data sets showed an increase in average species number per plot, including all studies starting after 1980. Plant species preferring nutrient‐rich sites, neophytes and monocotyledons generally increased since 1980, while characteristic or threatened species of arable weed communities further declined. This temporal development of the European arable flora suggests that the changes happening in agricultural management since the 1980s, such as organic farming and reduced pesticide input, may have helped slow the decline of the arable flora in terms of species number, but not in terms of characteristic or threatened arable weeds. Hence, more specific measures are necessary to stop decline of the latter, making sure that these measures are advantageous for rare and characteristic arable species, but not for harmful weeds.     

The host range of beet yellowing viruses among common arable weed species

Twenty common arable weed species were inoculated using Myzus persicae to transmit beet yellows virus (BYV), beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV), and an isolate of beet western yellows viruses (BWYV) that did not infect beet. The viruses were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in which monoclonal antibodies distinguished between BMYV and BWYV, and by aphid transmissions to indicator host plants. Spergula arvensis, Stellaria media, Lamium purpureum and Papaver rhoeas were susceptible to all three viruses whereas Senecio vulgaris, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Anagallis arvensis and Chrysanthemum segetum were susceptible to both BMYV and BWYV, and Matricaria perforata, Raphanus raphanistrum, Veronica persica, Urtica urens and Viola arvensis were susceptible to BWYV only. Atriplex patula, Chenopodium album and Portulaca oleracea were susceptible to BYV only. Myosotis arvensis, Silene alba, Poa annua and Solanum nigrum were not susceptible to any of the viruses. Portulaca oleracea was shown for the first time to be a host of BYV, and C. segetum a host of BMYV and BWYV. In spring 1991, 8% of weeds sampled in a field of autumn-sown oilseed rape contained BWYV. Tests on weeds collected from an area of 'set-side' adjacent to sugar beet showed that 3% contained BMYV and 3% BWYV. No sampled weeds were infected with BYV. The role of weeds in the epidemiology of sugar beet virus yellows is discussed.     

Development of arable weed seedbanks during the 6 years after the change from conventional to organic farming

All of the arable land of a farm in southern Germany was investigated during an 8-year period, starting 2 years before and ending 6 years after the change to organic farming. The first 3 years after the conversion, the total seed number in the soil increased from 4050 to 17 320 m⁻². From the fourth to the sixth year, it dropped back to 10 220 m⁻². The number of seeds increased particularly at sites with a low crop cover and a high density of weed plants at the soil surface. The increase predominantly occurring on the more fertile soils may have been caused by the rotation commencing with less competitive crops. Crops which increased the seedbank by 30–40% were winter cereals, sunflowers and lupins. Potatoes and sown fallow caused no significant change and grass–clover mixtures even reduced the number of seeds by 39%. Among 44 species occurring frequently enough for statistical analysis, 31 increased and only 3 decreased. The change of management particularly increased summer annual, perennial and dicotyledonous weeds. This can be attributed to both operations which are characteristic of organic farming (e.g. replacing herbicide applications by mechanical weed control) and to general modifications of the management practice which may also occur in non-organic farming systems (increasing the percentage of broad leaved and spring sown crops in crop rotation). The present study confirms investigations into the aboveground vegetation that indicate that arable organic farming favours plant species diversity and provides evidence that the conversion need not encourage the dominance of a few noxious weeds.     

The probability of maize biomass contamination with weed seeds

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Anaerobic digestion in biogas reactors generates a semi-solid leftover, the digestate, which is frequently used as a crop fertiliser. If weed seeds in the...     

Response and effect traits of arable weeds in agro‐ecosystems: a review of current knowledge

Integrating principles of ecological intensification into weed management strategies requires an understanding of the many relationships among weeds, crops and other organisms of agro‐ecosystems in a changing context. Extensively used during the last two decades in weed science, trait‐based approaches have provided general insights into weed community response to agricultural practices, and recently to understanding the effect of weeds on agro‐ecosystem functioning. In this review, we provide a holistic synthesis of the current knowledge on weed response and effect functional traits. Based on the literature and recent advances in weed science, we review current knowledge on (i) weed functional groups and ecological strategies, (ii) weed functional response traits to cropping systems and (iii) weed functional effect traits affecting agro‐ecosystem functioning. For each functional trait, we explicitly present the assumptions and evidence on the linkage between trait values and ecological functions, in response to either management practices, for example tillage, sowing and herbicides, or biotic interactions, for example crop–weed competition and pollination. Finally, we address and discuss major research avenues that may significantly improve the use of traits and the knowledge of functional diversity in weed science for the future, especially to design and implement more environmentally sustainable weed management strategies.     

Temperature influences postdispersal predation of weed seeds

Temperature is a key factor for the living organisms on earth. It influences weed management practices, either directly or indirectly. Field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of temperature on the postdispersal seed predation of four important weed species (Cuscuta compestris, Stellaria media, Taraxacum officinale and Veronica persica) in two lucerne fields in Mashhad and Chenaran, north‐eastern Iran. These two cities have the same climate: temperate and cold alpine but the temperature varies between them. Wire mesh cages were used to determine the relative importance of birds in predation and pitfall traps were used to detect the species and the activity density of invertebrate predators. The results showed that the predation preference of different weed species was significantly different between and within fields. Seed predation fluctuated widely throughout the sampling periods, matching the periodic forage harvest and regrowth cycle of lucerne. Despite the level of seed predation fluctuating, it declined toward the last sampling periods. Using wire mesh exclusion cages showed no significant effect of birds on weed seed predation in both fields. Ants, crickets and carabid beetles were the invertebrate seed predators that were caught in the pitfall traps. There were significant correlations between the mean temperature and predator activity densities and also between the predated seeds and the mean air temperature in both locations. The results of this study indicate the significant effect of temperature on postdispersal weed seed predation. Therefore, with respect to climate change and increasing global warming, it would be possible to focus on postdispersal seed predation in weed management in the future.     

Burial rates of surrogate seeds in arable fields

The probability of seed consumption by surface-dwelling predators depends on the duration of seed exposure on the soil surface. We investigated seed burial using painted ceramic beads as surrogate seeds. Fifty beads of three size classes each were applied to small arenas within crop fields and their fates were followed from August to October. New sets of beads were applied as soon as most beads had disappeared from the soil surface. Bead availability on the soil surface declined immediately after placement, and then declined steadily over time, with increased loss during rain and management practices. Smaller beads were incorporated into the soil/litter matrix more easily than larger beads. Bead burial differed considerably among crop environments, with more burial in forage crops (red clover, lucerne) than in row crops (soyabean, maize). The fact that seed availability differed among crop environments suggests that it can be manipulated to maximise predation risk.     

Management practices influence the competitive potential of weed communities and their value to biodiversity in South African vineyards

Weeds have negative impacts on crop production but also play a role in sustaining biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. This trade‐off raises the question of whether it is possible to promote weed communities with low competitive potential but high value to biodiversity. Here, we explored how weed communities respond to different vineyard management practices in South Africa's Western Cape, aiming to identify whether any specific practices are associated with more beneficial weed communities. Eight weed community characteristics representative of abundance, diversity and functional composition were used as indicators of competitive potential and biodiversity value. We explored how these responded to farm management strategy (organic, low input or conventional) and weed management practices (herbicides, tillage, mowing or combinations of these) using ordination and mixed models. Mown sites were associated with weed communities of high biodiversity value, with higher weed cover in both winter and summer, higher diversity and more native weeds. Mowing also promoted shorter weeds than either tillage or herbicides, considered to be less competitive with grapevines. However, high summer weed cover may be problematic where competition for water is critical, in which case tillage offers a method to limit summer weed cover that did not adversely affect diversity or native weeds. In contrast, herbicide‐treated sites had characteristics indicative of a lower biodiversity value and higher potential for competitiveness with few native weeds, lower diversity and relatively tall, small‐seeded weeds. Mowing in winter combined with tillage in spring may thus optimise the biodiversity benefits and production costs of Western Cape vineyard weeds.