Environmental initiatives (soil and food production)
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Annex I: Bioindicator species tables

Ordered by soil characteristic

Species Botanical     Family Typology Trustability
Soil Reaction
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum syn. Leucanthemum vulgare As Asteraceae Acidic soil      M
Gnaphalium uliginosum Asteraceae Acidic soil      M
Hieracium aurantiacum syn. Pilosella aurantiaca Asteraceae Acidic soil      H
Hieracium pratense syn. H. caespitosum, Pilosella caespitosa Asteraceae Acidic soil      H
Polygonum aviculare Polygonaceae Acidic soil      M
Polygonum persicaria syn. Persicaria maculosa Polygonaceae Acidic soil      M
Portulaca oleracea Portulacaceae Acidic soil      M
Potentilla argentea Rosaceace Acidic soil      M
Potentilla monspeliensis Rosaceace Acidic soil      M
Rumex acetosella Polygonaceae Acidic soil      H
Rumex crispus Polygonaceae Acidic soil      M
Sonchus spp. Asteraceae Acidic soil      H
Spergula arvensis Caryophyllaceae Acidic soil      H
Verbascum spp. Scrophulariaceae Acidic soil      M
Viola arvensis Violaceae Acidic soil      H
Anagallis arvensis Primulaceae Alkaline soil      H
Anthemis nobilis syn. Chamaemelum nobilis Asteraceae Alkaline soil      M
Chenopodium spp. Chenopodiaceae Alkaline soil      M
Daucus carota Apiaceae Alkaline soil      M
Lepidium virginicum Brassicaceae Alkaline soil      M
Water availability
Amaranthus retroflexus Amaranthaceae Dry soil      M
Euphorbia maculata Euphorbiaceae Dry soil      M
Medicago lupulina Fabaceae Dry soil      M
Althaea officinalis Malvaceae Humid soil      M
Apios americana Fabaceae Humid soil      M
Carex lasiocarpa Cyperaceae Humid soil      H
Echinochloa crus‐galli Graminaceae Humid soil      M
Equisetum arvense Equisetaceae Humid soil      H
Impatiens pallida Balsaminaceae Humid soil      M
Lychnis flos‐cuculi Caryophyllaceae Humid soil      M
Poa annua Graminaceae Humid soil      H
Podophyllum peltatum Berberidaceae Humid soil      M
Polygonum pensylvanicum Polygonaceae Humid soil      M
Polygonum persicaria syn. Persicaria maculosa Polygonaceae Humid soil      H
Ranunculus spp. Ranunculaceae Humid soil      H
Rumex acetosella Polygonaceae Humid soil      M
Tussilago farfara Asteraceae Humid soil      H
Typha latifolia Typhaceae Humid soil      M
Soil compaction
Euphorbia maculata Euphorbiaceae Compaction      H
Galium aparine Rubiaceae Compaction      H
Plantago major Plantaginaceae Compaction      H
Poa annua Graminaceae Compaction      H
Polygonum aviculare Polygonaceae Compaction      H
Soil texture
Allium vineale Liliaceae Clayey soil      M
Bellis perennis Asteraceae Clayey soil      M
Plantago major Plantaginaceae Clayey soil      H
Ranunculus spp. Ranunculaceae Clayey soil      M
Ranunculus repens Ranunculaceae Clayey soil      M
Rumex obtusifolius Polygonaceae Clayey soil      H
Taraxacum officinale Asteraceae Clayey soil      M
Centaurea cyanus Asteraceae Sandy soil      M
Centaurea melitensis Asteraceae Sandy soil      M
Convolvulus arvensis Convolvulaceae Sandy soil      M
Eupatorium capillifolium Asteraceae Sandy soil      M
Lactuca tatarica var. pulchella Asteraceae Sandy soil      M
Linaria vulgaris Scrophulariaceae Sandy soil      M
Urtica dioica Urticaceae Sandy soil      H
Viola arvensis Violaceae Sandy soil      H
Soil fertility
Arctium minus Asteraceae High fertility      M
Chenopodium album Chenopodiaceae High fertility      H
Phytolacca americana Phytolaccaceae High fertility      M
Poa annua Graminaceae High fertility      M
Portulaca oleracea Portulacaceae High fertility      M
Stellaria media Caryophyllaceae High fertility      H
Taraxacum officinale Asteraceae High fertility      H
Andropogon spp. Graminaceae Low fertility      M
Linaria vulgaris Scrophulariaceae Low fertility      M
Lotus corniculatus Fabaceae Low fertility      M
Rumex acetosella Polygonaceae Low fertility      M
Verbascum spp. Scrophulariaceae Low fertility      M

H: high reliability (information from > 3 bibliographic sources)

M: medium reliability (information from at least 2 sources)

Carlesi & Bàrberi (2017): Weeds as soil bioindicators: How to sample and use data. FertilCrop Technical Note. Download at www.fertilcrop.net