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Species Richness and Weed Abundance in the Vegetation of Arable Field Boundaries

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Species Richness and Weed Abundance in the Vegetation of Arable Field Boundaries Species richness andwee d abundance inth e vegetation of arable field boundaries David Kleijn Promotoren: dr. M.J. Kropff hoogleraar ind eonkruidkund e entoegepast e plantenoecologie in agro-ecosystemen. dr. F.Berends e hoogleraar inhe tnatuurbehee r end e plantenoecologie Co-promotor: dr. W. Joenje universitair docent MNo8^ . ^iJ- Species richness andwee d abundance inth e vegetation ofarabl e field boundaries David Kleijn Proefschrift ter verkrijging van degraa d van doctor op gezag vand erecto r magnificus van de Landbouwuniversiteit Wageningen, dr. C.M. Karssen, inhe t openbaar te verdedigen opwoensda g 3decembe r 1997 desnamiddag s te vier uur in deAula . U^lj^Cj ISBN 90-5485-772-2 BIBLIOTHEEK LANDBOUWUNIVERSITF; WAGENINGEN Abstract Kleijn, D. 1997. Species richness and weed abundance in the vegetation of arable field boundaries. PhD thesis,Wageninge n Agricultural University, Wageningen, 177 pp. In the modern arable landscape, the vegetation of perennial field boundaries have important ecological functions such as providing a habitat for farmland wildlife, providing overwintering sites for predatory insects, providing movement corridors, reducing soil erosion and acting as an agrochemical buffer. Inrecen t decades,plan t diversity inthes e linear landscape structures has declined severely. The present study aims at identifying the most important factors that control botanical species richness in herbaceous arable field boundaries. The field boundary vegetation is usually managed by farmers who consider the boundary to be a source of weeds. Therefore, research concentrated on factors that simultaneously increase species richness and reduce weed abundance in the boundary vegetation. Species richness was primarily affected by an accumulation of nutrients in the field boundary. Nutrients may reach the boundary in two ways: (i) by misplacement of fertilizer and (ii) by capture of arable nutrient resources (through root growth into the field) by plants in field boundaries. The high nutrient levels in the boundary resulted in an increased productivity of the vegetation and a dominance of tall, competitive species. Subsequently, low statured species disappeared from the habitat and species richness declined. The most common type of boundary management practiced by farmers did not include removal of the cut material after mowing which strengthens the eutrophication of arable field boundaries. Herbicide drift had adverse effects on species richness but the effects were less severe and consistent compared to the effects ofnutrients . The main factor promoting weed growth (in the study area primarily the clonal weeds Cirsium arvensean d Elymusrepens) wa s the presence of bare soil in the boundary. Bare soil may be created by cultivation activities of the farmer or by the smothering effects of cut material left lying in the boundary after mowing. Bare soil generally promotes the establishment of annual weed species. Furthermore, the perennial weed Elymus repens was found to be able to concentrate its biomass selectiveley in bare patches within the perennial vegetation. Additionally, bare soil was found to favour the establishment of tall competitive (early successional) species compared to later successional species which are indicative of more species rich plant communities. Theresult s ofthi s study suggest that boundaries that areno t regularly disturbed and low to moderately productive combine species richness with low weed abundance. This may be achieved by a regular and consistent mowing regime ofth eboundar y vegetation that includes removal of the cuttings. A boundary management approach is suggested which may be combined easily with other farming activities. Key words: Agricultural landscape, field boundary, field margin, crop edge, conservation headlands, vegetation composition, species richness, weeds, Elymus repens, herbicide drift, eutrophication. "I thought of the long ages ofth e past, during which the successive generations of this little creature had run their course - year by year being born, and living and dying amid these dark and gloomy woods, with no intelligent eye to gaze upon their loveliness - to all appearance such a wanton waste of beauty. Such ideas excite a feeling of melancholy. It seems sad that on the one hand such exquisite creatures should live out their lives and exhibit their charms only in these wild inhospitable regions, doomed for ages yet to come to hopeless barbarism; while on the other hand, should civilized man ever reach these distant lands, and bring moral, intellectual, and physical light into the recesses of these virgin forests, we may be sure that he will so disturb the nicely-balanced relations of organic and inorganic nature as to cause the disappearance, and finally the extinction, of these very beings whose wonderful structure and beauty he alone is fitted to appreciate and enjoy. This consideration must surely tell us that all living things were not madefo r man." Alfred Rüssel Wallace, 'The Malay Archipelago', 1869 Voorwoord Ruim vijfjaa r geleden was ik namij n afstuderen opdeeltijdbasi s werkzaam bij de toenmalige vakgroep VPO. Op mijn fietsje verzamelde ik op grote schaal zaden van graslandsoorten in de omgeving van Wageningen. De uit deze zaden ontsproten planten hebben me in de tussenliggende periode aardig bezig weten te houden en onderzoek hieraan vormt een groot deel van dit proefschrift. Bij dit onderzoek zijn een groot aantal mensen behulpzaam geweest en hebben mij het werk lichter en leuker gemaakt. Bij deze wil ik al deze mensen bedanken. Voor een aantal mensen kom ik er niet zo makkelijk vanaf. Wouter Joenje is grotendeels verantwoordelijk voor het fenomeen 'plantenecoloog Kleijn'. Wouter, bedankt dat je een afgestudeerde plantenveredelaar de kans gaf zich te verdiepen in een nieuw, uitdagend vakgebied. Martin Kropff erfde in 1995, als kersverse Prof Onkruidkunde en Toegepaste Plantenoecologie in Agro-ecosystemen, een bende eigenwijze aio's met vrijwel afgeronde onderzoeken en het hart op de tong. Met inzet en groot enthousiasme behartigde hij sinds die tijd mijn belangen en managede hij me door de tweede fase van de promotie. Dank! Frank Berendse, als promotor op iets grotere afstand (250m), zag toe op de meer fundamenteel ecologische kant van het onderzoek en zorgde ervoor dat ik altijd kritisch naar de natuurkwaliteit van 'mijn' akkerzomen bleef kijken. Devel e inhoudelijke overleggen met Jan van Groenendael over proefopzetten, resultaten en conceptartikelen waren zeer stimulerend en dit proefschrift is er beduidend beter door geworden. Zonder Ineke Snoeijing was een groot deel van dit werk nooit uitgevoerd en het feit dat ik tijdens mijn vakanties het werk volledig kon vergeten was grotendeels te danken aan de wetenschap dat zij alles onder controle had. Bedankt! Marein Verbeek fietste achterwielen aan gort, versleet telefoontoestellen en sleet de knieën uit menig spijkerbroek bij zijn geslaagde poging om de vegetaties van dehedendaags e akkerzomen inkaar tt ebrenge n en gegevens lost e peuteren bij boeren diehaas t niett etracere n waren. Leonieva n der Voort nam gedurende een lange zomer zeldzame akkeronkruiden onder het mes. Mijn kamergenoot Peter Schippers wil ik bedanken voor het onverstoorbaar aanhoren van mijn tirades tegen computer soft- en hardware in het bijzonder, en meer in het algemeen tegen alle personen die weigerden de, mijns inziens toch duidelijk aanwezige, genialiteit van mijn werk int e zien. De keren zijn niet te tellen dat ik bij Eddie Kremer ben binnengelopen vanwege niets, wissewasjes, software problemen, GENSTAT vraagjes, ransuilen kijken of het bespreken van de gang van zaken op de Vakgroep of Universiteit. Hopelijk vond hij dat ook leuk. De morele steun van mijn huisgenoten gedurende mijn promotie moet zeker niet onderschat worden. Casper Vroemen ("Artikel geaccepteerd? Tja, dat gaat je een avondje kroeg kosten"), Lia van den broek ("Mooi, zullen we het nu dan weer over iets interessants hebben?") en Ivo Raemakers ("Hoezo natuur?"), dankzijjulli e wasrelativere n gelukkig bijzonder eenvoudig. Met Rob van Tol heb ik heel wat frustaties weggefietst, gezwommen en gedronken. Proost! Pap en Mam, de wetenschap dat jullie er altijd voor me zijn, vormt een fantastische basis in mijn leven. Geerdien, metjo u aan m'n zij durf ikno g wel drie promoties aan. Hulde!! David iJU0&~2öi t 23££ Stellingen behorende bij het proefschrift ''Species richness and weed abundance in the vegetation of arable field boundaries ', door David Kleijn. 1. Als men in Nederland op korte termijn de soortenrijkdom van akkerzoomvegetaties substantieel wil verhogen zal men, naast het invoeren van hetjuist e beheer, niet kunnen ontkomen aan het introduceren van soorten. Dit proefschrift. 2. Maatregelen gericht ophe t tegengaan van drift van herbiciden zullen weinig effectief zijn in het behouden van botanische diversiteit zolang de voedselrijkdom van de akkerzoom niet wordt teruggebracht. Dit proefschrift. 3. Het gebruik van herbiciden in akkerzoom­ vegetaties bevoordeelt de akkeronkruid-soorten in deze habitat. Dit proefschrift. 4. Het bekritiseren van andermans natuurbeleid gaat ons nog het beste af. 5. Natuurbeheerders laten concurreren (Programma Beheer 1997) leidt tot optimalisering van het behalen van marginale natuurdoeltypen. 6. Het is nutteloos te discussiëren over de beste onderzoeksmethode zonder deze in de context van een duidelijke vraagstelling te plaatsen. 7. De moeilijkste opgave van onze tijd ligt in het overtuigd zijn van de betrekkelijkheid van de
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