Field margins in Spain; proposal of common descriptors

Los márgenes de los campos reciben muchas denominaciones locales (linderos, ribazos, etc.) y pueden ser motivo de preocupación para los agricultores por albergar especies arvenses que pueden devenir infestantes del cultivo. Pero su estudio también ha reflejado que pueden ser beneficiosos si albergan diversidad vegetal, la que atraería a su vez diversidad animal. Estudios recientes realizados en España arrojan resultados aparentemente contradictorios y por este motivo se realiza una descripción de la tipología de márgenes existentes en España. Se constata que las diferencias de anchura, altura y pendiente entre márgenes, el tipo de vegetación cercano, así como la intensidad de la perturbación que se ejerce en ellos son posiblemente los principales factores que explican porqué algunos márgenes albergan especies potencialmente nocivas (malas hierbas) y otros no.The field margins receive many local names and can cause trouble to farmers if they host weeds that can infest the nearby fields. But their study has shown that they be beneficial if they harbor vegetal diversity, which can attract animal diversity. Recent studies conducted in Spain show apparently contradictory results an due to this, a description of the margin types found in this country is shown in this communication. We confirm that differences in margins width, height and slope, the type of natural vegetation in the area and the disturbance intensity on the margins are probably the main factors explaining why some margins host potentially harmful plant species (weeds) and others do not

Saline ponds of Los Monegros

Guía de una de las excursiones científicas organizadas como actividad complementaria en el Congreso "Wetlands Biodiversity and Services: Tools for Socio-Ecological Development (Huesca, Spain. 14-18 September 2014)". 5 Pags.- 5 Figs.wetlands in semiarid regions are striking features of the landscape when they occur in deserts or other drylands where water deficit strongly constrains life. in the semiarid region of monegros, ne spain, about 149 saline wetlands or “saladas” occur in karstic depressions. the area is ~70 km southeast of the city of zaragoza, within the semiarid central ebro basin, ne spain. although the environmental concerns of european Union blocked the irrigation works in monegros for several years, and have enforced the exclusion of some areas from irrigation, the playa-lakes are being affected by the new infrastructures and dumping, land consolidation and intensive plow in non-irrigated lands.Peer reviewe

Using the response–effect trait framework to quantify the value of fallow patches in agricultural landscapes to pollinators

Questions What is the role of managed fallow habitats in providing resources for pollination services in agricultural landscapes? How is resource provision affected by fallow management and landscape structure? Can the resulting variation in the value of fallows to pollinators be explained using the response‐and‐effect trait framework? Location Four semi‐arid Mediterranean agricultural regions (NE Iberian Peninsula). Methods Landscape complexity, fallow field age and management practices were identified as the explanatory factors that interact which each other and affect the provision of resource for pollination communities. A trait‐based approach was taken to model the system. Plant traits were selected on the basis of their response to abiotic factors (response traits) and those that influence the interaction with pollinators (effect traits). Plant community characterization was calculated based on both taxonomic and functional indices. The linkages between the selected plant traits on contrasting fallows were analysed using community‐weighted mean redundancy analysis (CWM‐RDA). Results The presence of semi‐natural areas in the landscape was shown to enhance the value of fallows for pollinators, providing a source of diverse flower forms. In contrast, we found that field edges act as a relatively poor reservoir for flowering plant species in these areas. Land‐use practices promoting mid‐successional plant communities that support the coexistence of diverse life forms with overlapping flowering periods and a range of flower morphologies had the greatest potential to support a diverse pollinator community. Conclusions Early herbicide application (Feb) combined with shredding were identified as the best fallow practices for enhancing resources for pollinators. The construction of our framework will help policy makers to identify management recommendations that will result in the most beneficial plant communities for pollinators in fallows. Citing Literatur

Field margins in Spain: proposal of common descriptors

Trabajo presentado en el XV Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Malherbologia (SEMh), celebrado en Sevilla del 19 al 22 de octubre de 2015.[ES] Los márgenes de los campos reciben muchas denominaciones locales (linderos, ribazos, etc.) y pueden ser motivo de preocupación para los agricultores por albergar especies arvenses que pueden devenir infestantes del cultivo. Pero su estudio también ha reflejado que pueden ser beneficiosos si albergan diversidad vegetal, la que atraería a su vez diversidad animal. Estudios recientes realizados en España arrojan resultados aparentemente contradictorios y por este motivo se realiza una descripción de la tipología de márgenes existentes en España. Se constata que las diferencias de anchura, altura y pendiente entre márgenes, el tipo de vegetación cercano, así como la intensidad de la perturbación que se ejerce en ellos son posiblemente los principales factores que explican porqué algunos márgenes albergan especies potencialmente nocivas (malas hierbas) y otros no.[EN] The field margins receive many local names and can cause trouble to farmers if they host weeds taht can infest the nearby fields. But their study has shown that they be beneficial if they harbour vegetal diversity, which can attract animal diversity. Recent studies conducted in Spain show apparently contradictory results an due to this, a description of the margin types found in this country is shown in this communication. We confirm that differences in margins width, height and slope, the type of natural vegetation in the area and the disturbance intensity on the margins are probably the main factors explaining why some margins host potentially harmful plant species (weeds) and others do not.El estudio se ha financiado con fondos FEDER y del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Proyectos AGL2007-60828, AGL2010-22084-C02 y AGL2012-33736). Y. Pallavicini ha disfrutado de una beca FPI y X. Solé-Senan una beca de la Universitat de Lleida.N

The structural classification of field boundaries in Mediterranean arable cropping systems allows the prediction of weed abundances in the boundary and in the adjacent crop

Boundary structure can hinder or facilitate disturbance of the boundary vegetation by farming practices, such as herbicide and fertiliser drift and occasional cultivation; this may affect their potential role as a weed reservoir. It would be relevant for researchers, farmers and legislators to know whether relationships exist between boundary structure and weed abundance and frequency in boundaries and adjacent fields. In this study, we present a classification of arable field boundaries based on five descriptors: presence of a bank, width, percentage cover of woody and evergreen perennials (WEP), presence of a stonewall and presence of trees. Five types of boundaries are identified, ranging from structurally simple ones (flat, narrow, dominated by annual species) to structurally complex ones (presence of a bank, more than 3 m wide, dominated by WEP). Data from three Spanish regions were used to validate this classification, and the five boundary classes contained different plant communities. Structurally simple, flat and narrow boundaries contained many of the weed species found also in the field centre and with high abundance. More complex, wider boundaries with a slope and a WEP >60%, had a lower probability of hosting the main weeds present in the field centres. Assessment of weed frequency and abundance gave complementary information. The proposed classification of field boundaries may be easily used by farmers and allows adjustment of field margin management to risks posed by the field boundary, in terms of hosting common weeds of arable crops.We thank S. Murillo and R. Gurrucharri (Government of Aragon) for their help in choosing the boundaries and FEDER funds and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for supporting this work (Projects AGL2007‐60828, AGL2010‐22084‐C02‐02 and AGL2012‐33736). YP was supported by an FPI (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) scholarship. XS was supported by a UdL (Universitat de Lleida) scholarship.Peer reviewe