Can agri-environmental measures benefit plant biodiversity? An experimental test of the effects of agri-environmental measures on weed diversity
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Published source details
Chateil C., Abadie J.C., Gachet S., Machon N. & Porcher E. (2007) Can agri-environmental measures benefit plant biodiversity? An experimental test of the effects of agri-environmental measures on weed diversity. Vingtième conférence du columa journées internationales sur la lutte contre les mauvaises herbes, Dijon, 356.
Published source details Chateil C., Abadie J.C., Gachet S., Machon N. & Porcher E. (2007) Can agri-environmental measures benefit plant biodiversity? An experimental test of the effects of agri-environmental measures on weed diversity. Vingtième conférence du columa journées internationales sur la lutte contre les mauvaises herbes, Dijon, 356.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Provide buffer strips alongside water courses (rivers and streams) Action Link |
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Pay farmers to cover the cost of conservation measures (as in agri-environment schemes) Action Link |
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Reduce tillage Action Link |
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Provide buffer strips alongside water courses (rivers and streams)
A replicated site comparison study in 2005 and 2006 in Seine-et-Marne, France (Chateil et al. 2007) found that the number of plant species was higher on farms that did not have buffer strips (mostly along rivers to prevent water pollution), relative to farms that did include these measures. The numbers of plant species in this comparison are not given, and the number of farms with and without these buffer strips not specified. Twenty-six fields from 17 farms were sampled three times in 2005 (April, June, September). Sixty-four fields from 31 farms (including all those surveyed in 2005) were sampled twice in 2006 (April and July). Plants were recorded in ten permanent, regularly spaced, 1 m2 (0.5 x 2 m) quadrats along the permanent margins of each field.
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Pay farmers to cover the cost of conservation measures (as in agri-environment schemes)
A replicated site comparison study in 2005 and 2006 on 31 farms in Seine-et-Marne, France (Chateil et al. 2007) found that agri-environment measures did not benefit plant diversity. The number of plant species was higher on farms with one or two agri-environment measures than those with none at all, but farms with between three and seven different agri-environment measures had generally fewer plant species than farms with very few measures. Plant diversity (Simpson’s diversity index) was unaffected by the number of agri-environment measures per farm. Twenty-six fields from 17 farms were sampled three times in 2005 (April, June, September). Sixty-four fields from 31 farms (including all those surveyed in 2005) were sampled twice in 2006 (April and July). Plants were recorded in ten permanent, regularly spaced, 1 m2 (0.5 x 2 m) quadrats along the permanent margins of each field.
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Reduce tillage
A replicated site comparison study in 2005 and 2006 on 31 farms in Seine-et-Marne, France (Chateil et al. 2007) reported in the text that the number of plant species was higher on no-till farms than conventional farms, but the data presented on a graph in this paper appeared to show no difference, with five plant species on both types of farm. Twenty-six fields from 17 farms were sampled three times in 2005 (April, June, September). Sixty-four fields from 31 farms (including all those surveyed in 2005) were sampled twice in 2006 (April and July). Plants were recorded in ten permanent, regularly spaced, 1 m2 (0.5 x 2 m) quadrats along the permanent margins of each field. The difference between different ploughing systems was only found in 2006.
