Weed Seed Banks in Intensive Farmland and the Influence of Tillage, Field Position, and Sown Flower Strips

Abstract

Agricultural intensification has caused once diverse arable fields to become species-poor. Their seed banks, which are fundamental for re-establishment and maintenance of plant communities in such repeatedly disturbed environments, are now largely depleted. In order to advise farmers on the successful implementation of agri-environmental measures, as well as reduce potential subsequent costs of continued weed control, understanding seed bank dynamics in relation to aboveground vegetation is essential. We (1) investigated the change in seed bank composition in the field edge and the interior, and (2) analyzed the seed bank in flower strips and adjacent fields in relation to the aboveground vegetation on intensively managed arable farms across Germany. Low-tillage systems contained more plant species and higher seed densities in the seed bank than regularly ploughed fields. Species diversity at the field edge was higher than in the field interior, with a continuous decrease in the number of species and seed density within the first 2 m from the edge. Flower strips can lead to an enrichment of the seed bank, but it is driven by the strong rise in a few common species such as Chenopodium album. To cultivate successful flower strips, we recommend close onsite monitoring, as well as rapid intervention in the case of weed infestation.

Effect of long-term tillage and residue managements on weed flora and its impact on winter wheat development

“…As previously observed in the literature, RT increases the seedling density of seedbank on the upper soil layer compared with CT. However, the quantity of weed seedling within soil depth 10-25 cm was found to not be statistically different between CT and RT, which result is in line with other studies (Cardina et al, 2002;Schnee et al, 2023). This effect was confirmed independently for the two dominant weeds (ALOMY and MATCH).…”

“…These differences are mainly explained by complex interactions with other factors such as: differences in the duration of the experiment, the history of the field, and the species present (Nichols et al, 2015). However, it is commonly reported that reducing tillage increases weed density and favours grass populations (Nichols et al, 2015;Schnee et al, 2023;Travlos et al, 2018;Trichard et al, 2013). On the other hand, residue restitution can influence weed dynamics by changing nutrient dynamics, soil temperature or soil moisture (Liebman and Mohler, 2001;Nichols et al, 2015).…”

Recommendations for effective insect conservation in nature protected areas based on a transdisciplinary project in Germany

“…Promising are the diversification of crop plants to increase biodiversity by crop rotation, simultaneous sewing of various crops on the same field, or intercropping [3,9,30,46]. These methods are also beneficial for soil quality and could thereby reduce the need for tillage that can also lower biodiversity [52]. NPA should be interconnected to form functional connectivity between populations.…”