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Nature conservation by organic farming: Restoration of local populations of rare and endangered arable field plants on organic farms in Germany

Project


Project code: 2806OE254
Contract period: 01.05.2011 - 30.06.2015
Budget: 185,427 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research

Abundance and diversity of arable weeds have been strongly declining in many European regions. The main factors for reduced agro-biodiversity are herbicides, fertilizer treatments and other practices of modern agricultural management. In response to this biodiversity crisis several programs have been launched. A successful program was the field margins concept, but due to bureaucratic obstacles and short periods of agro-environmental schemes it has been abandoned in most parts of Germany. Arable weeds are highly dependent on the respective type of management, and thus future programs for conservation of rare arable weeds have to establish a close and innovative integration with sustainable farming practice. It is the aim of the current proposal to develop applied scientific knowledge on new methods for conservation of arable weeds within farming systems. The past decades have shown that species diversity is usually higher on organic farms, and that these farmers are more willing to support endangered arable weeds in their fields. However, remnant populations of the species are often not present on the respective farms, thus calling for transplantation from nearby populations. This type of restoration of agro-biodiversity will be explored by the research project. A survey has already shown the interest and the willingness of organic farmers to adopt such measures. Two complementary research teams in contrasting regions in Germany will test different approaches to reestablish arable weeds under various management systems and with different preconditions. The farmers’ practical knowledge will be included in a participatory approach. Two PhD theses will result from the project, but it is likely that a number of masters projects will be associated. The results will be communicated to organic farmers and conservation authorities, and they will be discussed within agroecological networks in Germany but also published in international ecological journals. The project 2806OE254 is carried out by the University of Kassel, Department of Organic Farming and Cropping Systems (Witzenhausen) in cooperation with the Bavarian Agricultural Research Institute (LfL), Institute of Agro-Ecology, Organic Farming and Soil Protection (project 2806OE355), and the Technische Universität München, Chair of Restoration Ecology (project 2806OE356). The research team in Witzenhausen focusses on different strategies to re-establish arable field plants on farms. The present composition of the weed vegetation will be investigated on three organic farms first. Fields with high and lower species diversity shall be identified. In close agreement with the farmers involved different methods will be tested in order to transfer diaspores from fields with high diversity to fields with lower species diversity. Among others “flowering plots” will be established to support the establishment of arable field plants. The result of the transfer will be investigated. Furthermore the research team is responsible to coordinate events to connect different actors, to set up a project homepage and a leaflet about the project. At its end a workshop shall be carried out. All tasks will be be done in cooperation with the reearch teams in Freising.

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