How common arable weeds in Germany support the biodiversity of arthropods and birds

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Abstract
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• 1. Introduction
• 1.1 Weeds: their significance and population trend
• 1.2 Biodiversity trends of arthropods and birds
• 1.3 Weeds as ecological goods
• 1.4 Research objectives
• 2. Material & Methods
• 3. Results
• 4. Discussion
• 4.1 Identifying key weed species
• 4.2 Balancing biodiversity and crop production
• 4.3 Managing weeds for biodiversity
• 4.4 Conclusions and outlook
• Cited literature
• Acknowledgements

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis investigates the role of common arable weeds in supporting biodiversity in Germany. It examines the impact of intensive agriculture on weed populations and explores the ecological value of weeds for arthropods and birds. The research aims to identify key weed species that contribute significantly to biodiversity and to propose practical management strategies that balance biodiversity conservation with crop production.

• The decline of arable weed biodiversity in Germany due to intensive agricultural practices
• The ecological value of weeds as food and shelter for arthropods and birds
• Identifying key weed species with high biodiversity value
• The importance of integrating biodiversity considerations into weed management practices
• The need for a new approach to weed management that balances biodiversity and crop production

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction provides a background on the significance of weeds in agroecosystems and discusses the trends in biodiversity loss for both weeds and other organisms. It also highlights the ecological goods provided by weeds and outlines the research objectives. The "Material & Methods" chapter explains the methodology used for reviewing weed species and analyzing their relationships with fauna. The "Results" chapter presents data on the number of linkages between weed species and different groups of arthropods and birds, highlighting key weed species with high biodiversity value. The "Discussion" chapter delves into the implications of these findings for weed management, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that considers both biodiversity and crop production. It also explores potential solutions for managing weeds to support biodiversity.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main keywords and focus topics of this thesis are: arable weeds, biodiversity, arthropods, birds, ecosystem services, weed management, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation, crop production.