Biological Flora of the British Isles: Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.

Abstract

Summary1. This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Cirsium arvense that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles: distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, responses to environment, structure and physiology, phenology, floral and seed characters, herbivores and disease, history, conservation and management. 2. Cirsium arvense, creeping thistle (Californian thistle, Canada thistle), one of the world's most troublesome and persistent weeds, is native to Europe and the east northern hemisphere but introduced to North America and the southern hemisphere. Latitudinal distribution north or south is limited by low winter and summer maximum temperatures and by a long day requirement for flowering. 3. Cirsium arvense is believed to have originated in the temperate Middle East and its spread has closely followed human migration and agricultural activity. Colonization of new sites is by seed which establishes best in bare or disturbed ground, mirroring its prehistoric ecology as an opportunist pioneer of bare ground and organic residues. It is now a widespread and scheduled agricultural weed in both arable crops and pastures and also a constituent in over 70 British (National Vegetation Classification) plant communities, occurring mainly on waste neglected land, roadsides, hedgerows and disturbed areas. 4. Its presence in crops leads to yield losses and in pastures seriously interferes with utilization due to the deterrent effect of the leaf spines on grazing animals. This has led to a long history of investigation into control measures: mechanical, chemical, biological and integrated, which are summarized. Combination treatments and integrated control have achieved some success but effective control requires follow-up procedures over a number of seasons. Climate change studies suggest C. arvense could grow better and be more difficult to control in future. 5. Success and persistence derives from an extensive, far-creeping and deep rooting system which ensures survival and rapid vegetative spread under a wide range of soil and management conditions, and a means of escape from sub-aerial control treatments. New adventitious buds capable of shoot development can arise at any point along the horizontal roots, even when these are cut into pieces or damaged. Root buds remain dormant until released from dormancy through damage or decay of the aerial shoots. Carbohydrate root reserves, stored in swollen cortical tissue, fall to a minimum just before flowering and are then replenished for perennation during the subsequent winter. Strategies for control aim to treat the plant when root carbohydrate reserves are at a minimum, to exhaust these reserves and to prevent replenishment for further perennation. 6. Balanced against its difficulty as a weed, C. arvense has significant conservation value as a host to numerous insects, many attracted by copi...

Impacts of Solidago Gigantea, Prunus Serotina, Heracleum Mantegazzianum and Fallopia Japonica Invasions on Ecosystems

“…The invasion mechanisms of P. serotina and H. mantegazzianum differ from those of S. gigantea and F. Japonica. In fact, the invasion mechanisms of P. serotina and H. mantegazzianum have some similarities in fruit seed production but H. mantegazzianum is more fecund and P. serotina has more flowers (Pairon et al, 2006;Pysek and Pysek, 1995;Tiley et al, 1996). Three major characteristics of the impact of the four species on soil properties are: (i) the invasion of S. gigantea induces changes in soil properties mainly in the topsoil (0-10 cm) compared to the soils under the native vegetation, i.e., increased phosphorus availability , and changes in soil organic matter dynamics mainly in active particulate organic matter and C respiration (Koutika et al, 2007); (ii) after invasion by P. serotina, soil properties change compared to soil under the native vegetation with an increase of C in particulate organic matter fraction and C respiration in the topsoil (Koutika et al, 2007); (iii) in contrast to the other two species, the invasions of H. mantegazzianum and F. japonica reduced the soil C respiration and created soil organic matter which decomposed slowly (Koutika et al, 2007).…”

“…mantegazzianum has higher gene flow between the invasive species ranges, possibly due to more frequent independent introductions (Jahodova, 2007). H. mantegazzianum does not reproduce vegetatively, but only by seeds (Pysek and Pysek, 1995;Tiley et al, 1996). Moravcovà et al (2005) found that 90% of H. mantegazzianum seeds germinated regardless of the vigour of the mother plant or where it was produced on the plant.…”

“…Moravcovà et al (2005) found that 90% of H. mantegazzianum seeds germinated regardless of the vigour of the mother plant or where it was produced on the plant. The authors concluded that the high fecundity and opportunistic behaviour associated with high percentages of germination of coldstratified seed, as well as high seed production compared to other species (Pysek and Pysek, 1995;Tiley et al, 1996), may account for the successful invasion of H. mantegazzianum in Central Europe, where the species has negative effects on biodiversity, the economy and public health.…”

Animal health aspects of adaptation to climate change: beating the heat and parasites in a warming Europe

“…However, lengthening the grazing season without increasing the hectarage of land grazed may negatively affect sward quality and herbage utilisation (Roca-Fernandez et al, 2011), especially later in the grazing season (Kanneganti and Kaffka, 1995). Climate change may also negatively influence herbage utilisation through increased growth rates of unwanted plants at pasture (Tiley, 2010) and unpredictable rainfall patterns/ periods of drought. Unless animals are supplemented at pasture, a relatively lowered energy intake, over lengthened grazing seasons, may constrain the immune system of hosts.…”

‘Candidatus Phytoplasma cirsii’, a novel taxon from creeping thistle [Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.]

“…is a dicotyledonous perennial herb, native to Europe and temperate Asia, which has been introduced to North America and the southern hemisphere (Tiley, 2010). It occurs in agricultural areas, ruderal and urban areas, as well as wetlands.…”