Thistles in a field. Photo.
With intensive agriculture, there is a risk of losing stable supply of important ecosystem services such as weed seed predation. Photo: Eirini Lamprini Daouti.

Community ecology, biodiversity & ecosystem functions

Page reviewed:  21/05/2025

Eirini Lamprini Daouti explores whether weed seed predation can sustainably replace herbicides, focusing on weed diversity, natural predators, and Swedish farmers' acceptance of these methods.

Weed seeds are an important food source for many small rodents and carabid beetles. When seeds are eaten, the number of weed seeds in the soil's seed bank decreases and there will be fewer weed plants in the future.

The ecological process of weed seed predation has potential as a natural, sustainable method for weed control in agricultural systems. Now, ecological alternatives to herbicide-based weed control are investigated, focusing on weed diversity and seed predation. This project aims to understand and utilize natural ecosystem services to enhance sustainability in crop production.

Project Objectives

  • Assess the potential of weed diversity and weed seed predation as tools to mitigate weed-related yield losses.
  • Uncover the mechanisms by which these ecological processes interact to suppress weed population growth and reduce competition with crops.
  • Evaluate Swedish farmers’ acceptance and perceptions of ecological weed control methods.
A large beetle in a hand. Photo.
Weed seeds are an important food source for ground beetles.

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