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Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction
Weeds are loosely defined as "plants that are growing in the wrong place". This can include grass growing into flower beds; aggressive invasives that take over forests, waterways, or other delicate ecosystems, or the many species of plants that farmers spray each year to protect their crops.
Types of "Weeds" & Their Origins
Types of "Weeds" & Their Origins
Invasive Species
Invasive Species
These are generally the most problematic type of weeds, since they can displace local species, starve out local wildlife, and cost farmers and their countries billions in resources and crop loss.
Problems with Weeds
Problems with Weeds
Physical & Chemical Traits
Physical & Chemical Traits
These can range from poisonous sap or bristles to sharp thorns and burs (some of which can seriously harm or even kill people and animals). In the case of bracken, some plants can even cause serious illness including cancer, while others may only cause allergic reactions or asthma attacks in certain individuals.
Poisonous Plants
Poisonous Plants
These can be a threat to wildlife, livestock, pets, and even people. Some chemicals can cause skin irritation from mere contact, while others will kill horses or other animals who nibble on those plants. This has been a big driver behind the disappearance of important keystone species such as milkweed which is essential for monarch butterfly survival, which many ranchers purged from their land due to fears of their cattle being poisoned.
Competition with Crops
Competition with Crops
Benefits of Weeds
Benefits of Weeds
Soil Health
Soil Health
Soil Permeability
Soil Permeability
Indicator Species
Indicator Species
Ways to Use or Combat Weeds
Ways to Use or Combat Weeds
Use Weeds to Replace Non-Sustainable Resources
Use Weeds to Replace Non-Sustainable Resources
Biocontrol
Biocontrol
"Biological control (also called biocontrol) is an environmentally safe and cost-effective control for many situations where you'd prefer to avoid chemical and physical control methods. Biocontrol is the use of one living species, the biocontrol agent, to control an unwanted species, the target.
Weeds are commonly controlled by introducing specialised fungi, insects or mites that inhibit the growth of the target weed, without harming other plants. Biocontrol can't eradicate a pest species, but it can reduce weed populations and slow down their invasive potential." - BioCollect: What is Biocontrol
Conservation Grazing
Conservation Grazing
Fire
Fire
Prescribed Fire or "Cultural Fire"
Prescribed Fire or "Cultural Fire"
Pesticides
Pesticides
Herbicides
Herbicides
Fungicides
Fungicides
These target fungi which can cause damage to plants, however they act indiscriminately and can kill off the beneficial fungi that help maintain healthy soil ecosystems and qualities such as soil permeability.
Useful Weeds
Useful Weeds
Bracken as a Peat Alternative (PDF) "Trials using bracken harvested mainly in the autumn from the New Forest have shown that this material can be successfully composted and used as a potting medium for hardy ornamental nursery stock. The high temperatures that are attained during composting break down ptaquiloside, the carcinogen that bracken contains, and the end result is a material with a high content of fine fibres. On its own bracken compost can be used for mulching, or in combination with peat it can provide a low pH mulch or potting medium, suitable for growing calcifuge plants."
Africa
Africa
Kenya
Kenya
These resources offer photos and guides for getting rid of invasives, including edible species, and species which can be turned into useful resources.
North America
North America
USA
USA
Louisiana
Good Weed Bad Weed? "the only one specifically for volunteers found in the southeast Louisiana ecosystem – provides reliable information so that you can make an informed decision to keep, observe, move, or pull out a particular plant. The database contains species description, habitat, photos, and guidance on how to care for desirable species, eradicate undesirable ones, perhaps just observe others."
Related Topics
Related Topics
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