Identification

Title

Abundance of weeds in lowland arable fields, 2006-2009 - RELU Management options for biodiverse farming

Abstract

This data collection results from abundance surveys of 7 species of weeds in ca. 500 lowland arable fields in 49 farms over three years. Each field was divided into large grids of 20x20 metre cells, and the density of seven species was estimated three times a year. The study is part of the NERC Rural Economy and Land Use (RELU) programme. In the context of changing external and internal pressures on UK agriculture, particularly those associated with the ongoing reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy, it is imperative to determine whether all of the various dimensions of sustainability - including the relevant economic and environmental objectives as well as social and cultural values - can be integrated successfully at the farm and landscape levels. Although the ways in which economic, technological, and regulatory changes are likely to affect the profitability and management of farms of varying size are reasonably well understood, there is not the knowledge or understanding to predict the resulting effects on biodiversity. For example, the effect of changes in arable farming practices on field weeds and, in turn, on habitats and food supply required to sustain farm birds is a case in point. This knowledge is critical, however, if we are to understand the ecological consequences of changes in agricultural policy. Furthermore, it is also important if we are to design and justify changes in farming methods that can not only enhance nature conservation, but do this is ways that are practical and appealing from a farmer's point of view. This understanding is essential if we are to achieve an agriculture that is sustainable in both economic and environmental terms and is widely perceived to have social and cultural value. A consistent theme in all components of this research project is to understand the behaviour (of farmers, weeds or birds) and then use this information to produce predictive models. Whilst there have been a number of models of economic behaviour, weed populations and bird populations - including many by the research team here - the really novel component of this research is to integrate these within one framework. Farmer interviews on economic attitudes and preferences associated with and importance of different land-use objectives to lowland arable farmers are available at the UK Data Archive under study number 6728 (see online resources). Further documentation for this study may be found through the RELU Knowledge Portal and the project's ESRC funding award web page (see online resources).

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

https://data-package.ceh.ac.uk/data/6762f1b5-2bcc-4062-bff6-e560d902b593

name: Download the data

description: Download a copy of this data

function: download

https://data-package.ceh.ac.uk/sd/6762f1b5-2bcc-4062-bff6-e560d902b593.zip

name: Supporting information

description: Supporting information available to assist in re-use of this dataset

function: information

Unique resource identifier

code

1374597694599

codeSpace

CEH:EIDC:

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

environment

farming

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Land Use

originating controlled vocabulary

title

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2008-06-01

Keyword set

keyword value

Rural Economy and Land Use Programme

Eating Biodiversity: An Investigation of the Links between Quality Food Production and Biodiversity Protection

agricultural land

agricultural policy

arable farming

Bedfordshire

biodiversity

birds

conservation of nature

environmental conservation

farming systems

land use

Lincolnshire

modelling

Norfolk

weeds

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-0.991

East bounding longitude

1.763

North bounding latitude

53.826

South bounding latitude

51.781

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2006-09-01

End position

2009-12-31

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2013-07-23

Frequency of update

notPlanned

Quality and validity

Lineage

Research funded by Economic and Social Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Award Number: RES-227-25-0025 Survey of arable weeds in ca. 500 fields in 49 farms over three years. Each field was divided into large grids of 20x20 m cells, and the density of seven species was estimated three times a year. Categorical abundance (0, low, medium, high, very high) of 7 weed species in 20x20 m grid cells in 20x20 m grid cells in 2-4 ha per field. The area was picked to maximise efficiency in order to decrease between-field transit time. The samples are random in the sense that nothing was known about their weed density beforehand.

Conformity

Conformity report

specification

title

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2010-12-08

degree

explanation

Data format

name of format

Text

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

Constraint set

responsible party role

custodian

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

organisation name

Environmental Information Data Centre

full postal address

Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg

Lancaster

LA1 4AP

email address

info@eidc.ac.uk

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2020-03-13T14:29:28

Metadata language

eng