Weed vegetation in the north-western Balkans: diversity and species composition

• Published in: Weed research Vol. 49; no. 6; pp. 602 - 612
• Main Authors: SILC, U, VRBNICANIN, S, BOZIC, D, CARNI, A, DAJIC STEVANOVIC, Z
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2009; Wiley-Blackwell
• Subjects: agroecology; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; altitude; assemblage; beta diversity; Biological and medical sciences; community composition; crop type; detrended correspondence analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; Parasitic plants. Weeds; partial canonical correspondence analysis; phytogeography; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; temporal gradient; Weeds; Community structure; temporal gradient; altitude; Data analysis; crop type; Weed; Phytogeography; Biogeography; Ecology; assemblage; Agroecology; Statistical method; beta diversity; Canonical analysis; Northwest; Type; Correspondence analysis; Partial; Applied mathematics; Weed science; community composition; partial canonical correspondence analysis; Species; detrended correspondence analysis
• ISSN: 0043-1737; 1365-3180
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3180.2009.00726.x

Summary Surveys of weed vegetation of the western Balkan peninsula (1939–2006) were used to study changes in species composition. A large data set of arable weed vegetation was compiled and analysed with direct and indirect ordination, regression and beta (β) diversity analysis. Five environmental variables (altitude, season, year, crop, phytogeographical region) were used to determine broad‐scale changes in weed species composition. The most important parameter was phytogeography and the second was crop. Altitude and season were found to be less important, although significant, which contrasts with results from Central and Northern Europe. β‐diversity was higher in cereals and in summer, while decline along the altitudinal gradient previously demonstrated in Central Europe, was not observed. In southern parts of the studied area, thermophilous species have shifted to higher altitudes. The results and ranking of importance of environmental and spatial variables are discussed in relation to similar studies in Northern and Central Europe.