Interactions between weeds of winter wheat under different fertilizer, cultivation and weed management treatments

McCloskey, M; Firbank, L. G.; Watkinson, Andrew R.; Webb, David J.

doi:10.1046/j.1365-3180.1998.00067.x

Cited by 22 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…In parallel with the increase in pesticide use, inorganic fertilizers are also applied much more frequently, particularly in grass leys. Although increased nutrient status is a major problem in grassland habitats (Marrs 1993), there seems to be little evidence that increased nitrogen use affects diversity or numbers of non‐crop plants directly in current high‐intensity arable systems (McCloskey et al . 1997; Kleijn et al .…”

Section: Causes Of Population Declinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post‐war changes in arable farming and biodiversity in Great Britain

Robinson¹,

Sutherland²

2002

Journal of Applied Ecology

1,292

847

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Summary 1.Agriculture represents the dominant land use throughout much of western Europe, and a significant part of European biodiversity is associated with this habitat. We attempted to quantify the changes in agriculture and biodiversity in Britain since the 1940s. 2. There have been widespread declines in the populations of many groups of organisms associated with farmland in Britain and north-west Europe. The declines have been particularly marked amongst habitat specialists; many of the taxa still common on farmland are habitat generalists. 3. Farming practices have become increasingly intensive in the post-war period, with a dramatic reduction in landscape diversity. Since 1945, there has been a 65% decline in the number of farms, a 77% decline in farm labour and an almost fourfold increase in yield. Farms have become more specialized; the greatly increased use of machinery has made operations quicker and more efficient, but has resulted in the removal of 50% of the hedgerow stock. Autumn sowing of crops has become predominant, with winter stubbles now far less prevalent. The number and extent of chemical applications has increased greatly, but the net amount applied, and their persistence, has decreased in recent years. 4. Intensification has had a wide range of impacts on biodiversity, but data for many taxa are too scarce to permit a detailed assessment of the factors involved. Reduction in habitat diversity was important in the 1950s and 1960s; reduction in habitat quality is probably more important now. 5. As a case study, the declines in populations of seed-eating birds populations were assessed in relation to changing agricultural management. Generally, the declines were likely to be caused by a reduced food supply in the non-breeding season, although other factors may be important for particular species. 6. Agriculture will face a number of challenges in the medium term. While research into the mechanisms underlying species and habitat associations, and their interaction with scale, will be critical in under-pinning management, consideration of farmer attitudes and socio-economic factors is likely to be as important. Biodiversity may benefit from integrated farming techniques but these need to incorporate environmental objectives explicitly, rather than as a fringe benefit.

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Section: Causes Of Population Declinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post‐war changes in arable farming and biodiversity in Great Britain

Robinson¹,

Sutherland²

2002

Journal of Applied Ecology

1,292

847

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The low impact of varying nitrogen levels reported here and in other experiments (McCloskey et al . 1996, 1997) would appear to be in contrast with the results of long‐term studies that have demonstrated major effects of nutrient levels on community and population dynamics (Crawley & Rees 1996; Jørnsgård et al . 1996).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…These include measuring and modelling differential responses of species to the same sets of environmental conditions and interactions between species. As weed populations within fields are generally maintained at low densities through control, we would expect interactions between species to play a minor role in determining dynamics (McCloskey et al . 1997).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The population dynamics of Anisantha sterilis in winter wheat: comparative demography and the role of management

Smith

Freckleton

Firbank

et al. 1999

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary 1. We report on a 3‐year field study designed to monitor the detailed population dynamics of Anisantha sterilis in winter wheat, as well as to explore the consequences of changing broad‐scale patterns of management, in the form of reduced fertilizer inputs. 2. In the absence of herbicides, population dynamics were dominated by density‐dependent population growth. Unusually, this occurred mainly through density‐dependent recruitment. This was estimated to reduce population growth rates by 50‐fold, compared with the effects of density‐dependent competition between plants for resources. Density‐dependent recruitment also tended to buffer populations against year‐to‐year variations in emergence levels. 3. Little evidence for temporal variations in allometric seed production, the strength of competition between plants for resources or maximal mean plant performance was found in this study, or in comparison with previously published data. 4. No aspect of the life cycle was significantly affected by variation in the level of applied nitrogen fertilizer. In the case of competitive interactions we postulate that this lack of effect results from reduced intraspecific competitive effects as a consequence of decreased maximal plant size under low nitrogen conditions. The highly competitive nature of the environment in which A. sterilis occurs means that such changes tend to mask the effects of changing nitrogen levels. 5. Estimates of the effects of cultivation, on the other hand, indicated that seed germination, and hence population growth, was reduced by up to 90% when ploughing was employed rather than minimum tillage. While to some extent the effects of variation in the form of cultivation on population numbers may be buffered by density‐dependent recruitment, this effect outweighs any effects of nutrients or spatial or temporal variability in population dynamics. 6. Using previously published models for the dynamics of Alopecurus myosuroides, Avena sterilis and Avena fatua, we show that the response of populations of Anisantha sterilis to cultivation is very different from that of other grass weeds. In addition we show how single species models for population dynamics may be used to predict the responses of weed assemblages to changes in forms of management.

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“…The effects of these agronomic tools on crop yields and weed populations, referred to as indirect and cultural control, are frequently investigated in weed research (e.g. Gill et al, 1997;McCloskey et al, 1998;Barberi & Lo Cascio, 2001).…”

Section: The Production Of Ecological Goods In Arable Situationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards multifunctional agriculture – weeds as ecological goods?

et al. 2003

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Summary Agricultural land use has production, ecological, aesthetic and social functions. Certainly, in Europe, the concept of agricultural land use as being multifunctional seems to be increasingly accepted. Ecological goods and services can be rewarded as results or as actions – the differences between these ways are described and an outcome‐based rewarding system is elucidated for the creation of incentives for innovation and taking responsibility. The principle requirements for ecological goods are summarized. The contribution of agricultural land use to plant biodiversity is the most appropriated factor for an outcome‐based rewarding system. The various types of vegetation connected with agricultural land use can be used as recognizable ecological goods. The reasoning behind defining specific arable goods is shown. Information about creating the supply is available from the research performed on weed control in different arable systems. As the majority of ecological goods are public goods, mechanisms adapted from market situations for private goods must be stimulated and organized. The decision as to which ecological goods should be stimulated could be transferred to a decentralized and region‐specific public committee in which the relevant stakeholders are represented. Implementation exercises undertaken in a region of the German Federal State of Lower Saxony are introduced.

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Interactions between weeds of winter wheat under different fertilizer, cultivation and weed management treatments

Cited by 22 publications

References 11 publications

Post‐war changes in arable farming and biodiversity in Great Britain

Post‐war changes in arable farming and biodiversity in Great Britain

The population dynamics of Anisantha sterilis in winter wheat: comparative demography and the role of management

Towards multifunctional agriculture – weeds as ecological goods?

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