How rare arable weeds are descriptors of low farming intensification?
Résumé
Recent emphasis has been placed on the rapid destruction of the planet’s biodiversity in all
habitats. Rare arable weeds, also known as segetal plants, are threatened species, mostly in
decline due to intensive farming systems. However, the presence of these species is intrinsically
linked to agroecosystems. Their survival is apparently related to low-input agronomic practices.
Could these weeds therefore be good descriptors of low agricultural intensification and be good
indicators of high environmental field value? We propose to examine the relationships between the
farming systems and weed flora sampling in the same fields.