You are here:
ORGANIC PESTICIDE MODIFICATION OF SPECIES INTERACTIONS USING ANNUAL PLANT COMMUNITIES
Citation:
Pfleeger, T. AND D. Zobel. ORGANIC PESTICIDE MODIFICATION OF SPECIES INTERACTIONS USING ANNUAL PLANT COMMUNITIES. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-95/397.
Description:
A method is proposed and tested for assessing multispecies responses to three pesticides (atrazine, 2,4,D and malathion). Pesticides were applied at two concentrations, mon model plant communities grown in raised beds using soil containing a natural weed bank. over by species was monitored over time in nested 10 and 20 cm diameter neighborhoods around Poa annua and Calandrinia ciliata target plants. ll tested compounds modified relative species abundance, altered dominance and simplified the treated communities. his method of using model plant communities for field toxicity testing is simple, economical and effective. t uses naturally occurring plants while reducing the environmental heterogeneity common in most field studies.