Online Training Materials 14: Introduction to Arable Field ... · Online Training Materials 14:...

Online Training Materials 14:

Introduction to Arable Field Margins

www.NPMS.org.uk Email: [email protected]

Produced by Kevin Walker for the NPMS in July 2020

All Text, photos and drawings……. 1

Since 1940s changes in farming have caused dramatic changes to our ‘arable weed’ flora

Arable Field Margins

NPMS 2020 2

Increased use of herbicides has dramatically reduced the abundance / diversity of weeds within the crop (except those that have become tolerant)


3NPMS 2020

Increased mechanisation and use of fertilisers has increased yields leading to a reduction in abundance and diversity of arable weeds amongst crops


4NPMS 2020

Seed cleaning now removes seed contaminants so that weed seeds are not re-sown with the crop


5NPMS 2020

As a result once abundant weeds are now very rare sight…..cornflower, corncockle, corn marigold


6NPMS 2020

But many arable weeds survive in areas where crops are managed sympathetically

Conservation headland(cropped, no fertiliser or

herbicide)

Rare Arable Weed Margin(uncropped, no fertiliser or

herbicide)


7NPMS 2020

Uncropped margins with no herbicide / fertiliser (stubbles, RAWMs) have significantly more species than cultivated margins (e.g. conservation headlands) but all better than conventional crops!

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Cereal Cons. Head

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Cons. Head

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(CH2)

Overwinter

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Rare arable

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Walker et al. 2007. Biological Conservation 136: 260-270


8NPMS 2020

Or on light soils where fertility is much lower

Sandy soils (East Anglia)

Shaly soils (Cornwall)

Chalky soils (South East)


9NPMS 2020

Weed diversity is highest at field margins due to edge effects (presence of weeds in adjacent habitats, reduced effectiveness of weed control towards edges of crop, etc.)


10NPMS 2020

Spring sown crops are generally better than those sown in autumn as less intensively managed in winter/spring (therefore also better for birds and other wildlife!)


11NPMS 2020

For NPMS we just record the indicators present in the first metre of crop from crop edge (ignoring sown or uncultivated margins)


12NPMS 2020


13NPMS 2020

NPMS Arable Field Margin Indicators


14NPMS 2020

Aethusa cynapiumFool’s Parsley

Indicator: positive

Habitats: cereal crops and waste ground

Soils: dry, often slightly to strongly calcareous

Distribution: England, Wales and southern Scotland

Key ID character: hanging down bracteoles at base of each umbel (cluster of flowers)


©Andrew Gagg/Plantlife

15NPMS 2020

Alopecurus myosuroidesBlack-grass

Indicator: negative

Habitats: cereal crops where it can become highly invasive

Soils: wide range but mainly heavy soils

Distribution: southern half of GB but spreading due to herbicide resistance

Key ID character: Flowering spike narrow (timothy-like) and tapering towards the tip



16NPMS 2020

Anagallis arvensis Scarlet Pimpernel

Indicator: positive

Habitats: cereal crops, waste ground, dry grassland, sand dunes

Soils: dry sandy or calcareous

Distribution: throughout GB extending to Inverness

Key ID character: sprawling with orangey-red flowers (occasionally blue)




17NPMS 2020

Anthemis cotulaStinking Chamomile

Indicator: positive

Habitats: cereal crops

Soils: wide range but mainly heavy soils; largely replaced by A. arvensis on lighter soils

Distribution: southern half of GB; scattered elsewhere

Key ID character: strong smell distinguishes it from Scented Mayweed (Tripleurospermum inodorum). Told from Matricaria recutita by hairy leaves and solid receptacle and from A. arvensis by foetid smell and shape of scales between individual flowers.


18NPMS 2020

Capsella bursa-pastoris Shepherd’s-purse

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable, waste ground, gardens

Soils: wide range

Distribution: throughout GB; very common

Key ID character: triangular, heart-shaped fruits



19NPMS 2020

Cerastium glomeratumSticky Mouse-ear

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable, waste ground, gardens

Soils: wide range

Distribution: throughout GB

Key ID character: told from Common Mouse-ear C. fontanum by flowers being held in tight clusters and presence of glandular hairs on the stem



20NPMS 2020

Chaenorhinum minus Small Toadflax

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable, waste ground, ballast of railway lines, disturbed calcareous grassland

Soils: dry, calcareous

Distribution: throughout GB north to Inverness

Key ID character: solitary pale blue, toadflax flowers; leaves very narrow, sticky and downy


21NPMS 2020

Chenopodium album Fat-hen

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable and root crops, waste ground

Soils: wide range

Distribution: throughout GB; very common

Key ID character: very variable in appearance; leaves grey-green, diamond shaped; flowers in ball-like clusters on long flowering stem (note there are many very similar-looking species that are generally recorded as Fat-hen)



22NPMS 2020

Cirsium arvenseCreeping Thistle

Indicator: negative

Habitats: ubiquitous, in almost every habitat!

Soils: wide range

Distribution: throughout GB; extremely common

Key ID character: far-creeping with small, pale-pink flowers in open clusters. Tall, unwinged and spineless stem; leaves very spiny!


©Beth Newman/Plantlife

23NPMS 2020

Euphorbia exiguaDwarf Spurge

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable, disturbed calcareous grassland

Soils: dry, calcareous

Distribution: southern half of GB; scattered elsewhere

Key ID character: tiny, with very narrow, untoothed leaves. The tiny flowers are exceeded by long, narrow bracts.


24NPMS 2020

Euphorbia helioscopiaSun Spurge

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable and root crops, waste ground

Soils: wide range

Distribution: throughout GB; common

Key ID character: upper bracts which cup the flowers are joined in pairs; leaves dark green, downy and narrow



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25NPMS 2020

Fumaria sp. Fumitory

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable, waste ground, disturbed grassland

Soils: wide range, generally dry

Distribution: there are 8 native species of fumitory in GB (see next slide)

Key ID character: sprawling herbs with tubular two-lipped flowers that are either white, pale-pink or purple. The flowers have transparent, paper-like bracts, the shape of which is important for identifying the species


26NPMS 2020

Fumaria sp.continued

There are 8 native species of fumitory in GB; the two most likely to be encountered on arable field margins are F. officinalis and F. muralis. In western Britain F. bastardii and F. capreolata are common in some areas whereas F. purpurea and F. occidentalis are rare. Three species are more or less confined to chalky soils where they are locally abundant – F. densiflora is the the most widespread. F. parviflora and F. vaillantii are more local.

capreolata occidentalis purpurea

vaillantii parviflora densiflora


27NPMS 2020

Galium aparine Cleavers

Indicator: negative

Habitats: ubiquitous in cultivated and disturbed habitats

Soils: wide range, generally dry

Distribution: common throughout the UK

Key ID character: leaves in whorls of 6-8. Stems four-angled. The edges of both covered in backward-pointing bristles that stick to clothing


©Lu

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28NPMS 2020

Glebionis(Chrysanthemum) segetum Corn Marigold

Indicator: positive

Habitats: cereal and root crops

Soils: light sandy or loamy soils

Distribution: formerly widespread throughout the UK but has declined dramatically since the 1940s – now very scattered but locally abundant

Key ID character: the solitary flowerheads are large and golden-yellow


29NPMS 2020

Kickxia elatineSharp-leaved Fluellen

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable land

Soils: light soils, often chalky, often growing with K. spuria

Distribution: widespread but local in southern England and Wales

Key ID character: leaves triangular in outline with arrow-shaped bases; flowers stalks hairless


30NPMS 2020

Kickxia spuria Round-leaved Fluellen

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable land

Soils: light soils, often chalky, often growing with K. elatine

Distribution: widespread but local in southern England and Wales

Key ID character: leaves oval; flower stalks woolly


31NPMS 2020

Lamium amplexicauleHenbit Dead-nettle

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable land, waste ground

Soils: light dry soils

Distribution: widespread but local throughout the UK

Key ID character: whorls of pink-purple 2-lipped flowers with leaf-like bracts joined around the stem


32NPMS 2020

Matricaria (recutita) chamomillaScented Mayweed

Indicator: positive


Soils: light, dry soils

Distribution: widespread throughout the UK, locally abundant in some areas

Key ID character: aromatic with hollow receptacles; the ray florets often pointing downwards. Told from Anthemis by hollow receptacles and hairless leaves. Scentless Mayweed Tripleurospermum inodorum has no smell


33NPMS 2020

Medicago lupulinaBlack Medick

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable land, grassland

Soils: dry, neutral or calcareous

Distribution: widespread throughout the UK

Key ID character: told from Lesser Trefoil Trifolium dubium and Hop Trefoil T. campestre by the small point (mucro) at the tip of each leaf segment



34NPMS 2020

Persicaria lapathifoliaPale Persicaria

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable land, disturbed soil, waste ground, lake margins

Soils: wide range


Key ID character: told from Redshank Persicaria maculosa by the presence of glandular hairs on the flower stalk




35NPMS 2020

Reseda luteaWild Mignonette

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable land, disturbed grassland, tracksides

Soils: light, calcareous

Distribution: widespread in England, Wales and southern Scotland

Key ID character: unlike Weld Reseda luteola the leaves are divided into narrow lobes


©Beth Newman/Plantlife

36NPMS 2020

Sherardia arvensisWild Madder

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable land, disturbed grassland, tracksides

Soils: light, calcareous

Distribution: widespread throughout the UK but very local in northern England and Scotland

Key ID character: Small scrambling herb with tiny pale-pink flowers and whorls of 4-6 leaves with prickly edges


37NPMS 2020

Silene latifoliaWhite Campion

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable land, waste places, hedgebanks

Soils: deep well-drained

Distribution: widespread throughout the UK but often local

Key ID character: Large white flowers 25-30 mm across with softly hairy stems and leaves



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38NPMS 2020

Sonchus arvensisPerennial Sowthistle

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable land, waste places, hedgebanks, grassland, coastal habitats

Soils: fertile


Key ID character: Very tall plant with large yellow flowers; the shiny leaves are lobed with few spines along the edges and rounded clasping bases


39NPMS 2020

Sonchus oleraceusSmooth Sowthistle

Indicator: positive

Habitats: ubiquitous weed of disturbed ground

Soils: wide range


Key ID character: very similar to Spiny Sowthistle S. asper; differs in having dull green leaves with pointed bases –S. asper has shiny leaves that are more prickly and with rounded bases


©Plantlife

40NPMS 2020

Stellaria mediaCommon chickweed

Indicator: negative

Habitats: ubiquitous weed of disturbed habitats

Soils: fertile

Distribution: very common throughout the UK

Key ID character: petals and sepals of equal length and petals divided to base



41NPMS 2020

TripleurospermuminodorumScentless Mayweed

Indicator: positive

Habitats: arable land, waste places, tracks

Soils: fertile


Key ID character: differs from Chamomiles Anthemis and Scented Mayweed Matricaria chamomilla in being scentless



42NPMS 2020

Urtica dioicaCommon Nettle

Indicator: negative

Habitats: ubiquitous in all habitats

Soils: wide range

Distribution: very common throughout the UK

Key ID character: Annual Nettle (Urtica urens) is much smaller with more compact flower spikes and a more powerful sting.



43NPMS 2020

Vicia hirsutaHairy Tare

Indicator: positive

Habitats: rough and disturbed ground including hedgebanks, arable land, coastal habitats, road and railway banks

Soils: dry, neutral to calcareous


Key ID character: Smooth Tare (V. tetrasperma) and Slender Tare (V. parviflora) have hairless pods and calyx lobes unequal in length.


©A

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44NPMS 2020

Viola arvensisField Pansy

Indicator: positive


Soils: light, well drained


Key ID character: Flowers usually yellow or cream (rarely with blue). Wild Pansy V. tricolor has larger flowers usually with some blue or violet (rarely all yellow).

Arable Field Margins©Andrew Gagg/Plantlife


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