Buried weed seeds, known as seedbanks, have a dominant role in the ecology of many types of vegetation. Seedbanks are strong indicators of long term economic weed problems and are a potential source of plant diversity.

Some seedbank species are a burden for the farmer, by reducing yields or as reservoirs for crop pests, while the presence of most arable plants enhances biodiversity within the ecosystem by providing food and shelter for many invertebrates, both above and below ground, and birds and small mammals.

Each year, over half of the estimated hundred million seeds in a typical 10 ha field may be lost through fungal attack, natural death or being eaten by animals. Seeds buried deep in the soil may germinate after a long time if ploughing of the field brings them close to the surface. The seedbank is therefore a valuable indicator of weed populations past and present.

SCRI has more than 25 years experience of measuring and modelling seedbanks in managed farmland under grass leys, arable rotations and set aside. This unrivalled knowledge of the arable seedbank and its contribution to the farmland food web has resulted in records and specimens of over 200 plant species that live within arable farmland. Seedbank ecology at SCRI interacts with a range of other disciplines including mathematical modelling, spatial statistics, invertebrate zoology and soil biophysics.

Scientists and farmers are now working together to achieve efficient means of weed control that yet maintain biodiversity.

Species identification and reference collection
Identification of plants at the seedling stage requires expertise and an eye for detail. The shape, size, texture and colour of leaves and seeds differ greatly between many species. Some species might need to be grown to maturity before a positive identification can be made and only a detailed examination may show distinguishing features.
Examples of the variety of arable weeds that have been found in the seedbank can be seen in each of the habitats of the living field garden as well as in the arable plants section. These provide a living reference collection for both common and more unusual arable species.