Weed flora in paved areas in relation to environment, pavement characteristics and weed control

Abstract

By 2015, all herbicide use on public pavements in Flanders (northern region of Belgium) will be phased out. Currently, little is known about weed flora in these pavements or their interactions with different weed control methods. The objectives of this study were to explore the species composition of pavements in relation to various abiotic factors and applied weed control methods. A vegetation survey was conducted on 163 public pavements constructed with small paving elements across Flanders. Botanical composition was determined, and a score for street scene perception was calculated. For each pavement, a set of environmental conditions and technical characteristics was determined, and data on the applied weed control methods were collected. Apart from Musci (mosses), the most important plant species were Poa annua, Sagina procumbens, Conyza canadensis, Taraxacum officinale and Plantago major. Weed species composition and street scene perception were affected by intensity of use, joint width and light intensity. Weed prevention measures may be built into the construction of pavements by manipulating light, joints and use in their design. Repeated use of a single weed control method caused shifts in weed flora. This suggests that more optimal weed control on pavements is likely to be achieved by alternating weed control methods

Green Roofs and Green Walls for Biodiversity Conservation: A Contribution to Urban Connectivity?

“…However, like roofs, they show very extreme environmental conditions, with flora adapted to a hostile environment that includes limited nutrients, water, and soil accumulation due to highly compacted and thin substrates, extreme light and temperature conditions, a variable soil pH, changing water conditions, eutrophication, and disturbances (trampling, intensive management, pets) [88][89][90][91]. Locally, even in this harsh environment, the heterogeneity of abiotic conditions can enhance species diversity [92].…”

“…The most common annual species show very competitive strategies for reproduction, such as non-seasonal reproduction, fast germination, and the absence of seed dormancy. Like the flora on stone walls, plant cover is also highly fragmented (e.g., joints between paving-stones) [90,91].…”

Integrating preventive and curative non‐chemical weed control strategies for concrete block pavements

“…The paving types with narrow joints (porous pavers and conventional pavers) and hence a small open area were less covered with weeds than the pavings with enlarged joints or pavings with draining holes. The draining property of the pavings did not influence the effect of joint width that has been observed before in conventional pavings in situ (Melander et al ., ; Fagot et al ., ). Within paving types with narrow joints, weed coverage was lower in porous pavers than in conventional pavers.…”

Spontaneous urban vegetation and habitat heterogeneity in Xi’an, China

“…Species in highly trampled areas, such as P. annua and Plantago spp. form a small-set of trampling-tolerant species or genera, that are commonly found in such environments across the northern hemisphere (Fagot et al, 2011;Lundholm, 2011;Woodell, 1979). Sites farther from the city center tended to have more species considered agricultural weeds (e.g.…”