A survey of differing views of weed classification: implications for regulation of introductions

Abstract

Sixty-five scientists, from different disciplines and including agriculturalists, ecologists, taxonomists, conservationists and gardeners, were questioned as to the weed status of forty-nine annual species occurring in the United Kingdom. The views held by the different groups were compared. Ecologists, agriculturalists and gardeners considered weedy species to be more weedy than average, whereas conservationists viewed weedy species as being less weedy than average. The month in which flowering ends, the ability to survive gut dispersal, and the ability to germinate in spring differed between the weedy and non-weedy species. The implications for conservation and ecology are discussed.