About 80 experts from 12 different countries participated in the 3rd WORKSHOP OF THE EWRS WORKING GROUP: WEEDS AND BIODIVERSITY organised by the European Weed Research Society (EWRS), which took place at the Cappont Campus during the 12th and the 13th March. Specialists in the field came from Spain, the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, The Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Belgium and Finland.

Participants debated on the role of weeds in the preservation of biological diversity in crop fields. Recent research showed that, despite their harmful role, the presence of weeds in crop field strips or edges is significant for other organisms in agricultural ecosystems.

Experts of EWRS will deal with issues such as the role of field edges that provide shelter and/or food to other organisms, landscape structure, or the influence of environmental measures in the preservation of biodiversity in agricultural systems. By thorough examination of the complex ecological interactions in agricultural ecosystems and the impact of management methods, the EWRS working group aims at becoming a discussion forum among specialists that will give more relevance to current research in this area..