Researchers at the University of Bristol have cast new light on the important role played by farmland plants commonly thought of as weeds. The researchers found that plants often regarded as common weeds such as thistles, buttercups and clover could be critical in safeguarding fragile food webs on UK farms.

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The study, which was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), was published in the February edition of the journal Science.

The Bristol study aimed to monitor the resilience of food webs that exist on farms in the face of losses of certain species. Examining the interactions between different food webs, the scientists discovered that plants such as thistles, cow-parsley, clover and buttercups were disproportionately well linked to animals through the food web.

The research also showed that bees, butterflies and other pollinators are more susceptible to changes in their environment making the network of pollinators more fragile than other networks.

Over two years, Professor Jane Memmott and a team of scientists from the Universtiy examined 1501 unique interactions between a total of 560 organisms on one 300 acre farm in Somerset. They found that some groups of animals were more sensitive to the loss of plants than others and that what was bad for one group of animals was not necessarily bad for others. Professor Memmott, explained, "If ecologists, land managers and policy makers want to manage farmland diversity, they need to understand the way species are linked to each other, since these links can have a huge impact on a community's response to species loss, species restoration and the provision of ecosystem services such as pollination and pest control."

The researchers concluded that overall the most resilient systems are those that work with nature and look at interactions within the system, rather than seeking to dominate or eliminate certain species. In a statement following the release of the study, the BBSRC said, "This research highlights the importance of ensuring an agri-ecosystem approach is taken in land management practice to enhance biodiversity on UK farmland."

The researchers suggested that their study may have implications for reversing biodiversity loss, which is affecting bird and insect pollinator populations throughout the world, although implications are not all positive; focussing on the sustainability of one group of animals may not bring benefits to others, however, restoring certain plants could, theoretically, rapidly increase biodiversity across the farm.

Professor Douglas Kell, BBSRC Chief Executive commented on the study’s importance, "Global food security is one of the major challenges facing us all this century and the big question is 'how do we feed a rapidly rising global population sustainably?' Drawing on expertise from across the bioscience community is crucial in order to set about answering this. This research highlights the crucial importance of understanding our agricultural environment to ensure we protect biodiversity and harness its natural capacity to aid sustainable agriculture across the UK and beyond."