The overall objective of this study was to identify common patterns in the
spatial distribution of the major weed species present in the corn-growing
region of central Spain, exploring the scale dependence of these patterns
and the possible associations or dissociations between individual species.
Weed density was assessed in 16 commercial fields using digital images
acquired in a 9-m by 9-m sampling grid. A set of six species was found in
all the fields: black nightshade, common cocklebur, fierce thornapple,
johnsongrass, purple nutsedge, and velvetleaf. Spatial analysis by distance
indices and inverse distance weighting interpolation methods were performed
to create weed distribution maps. The results showed aggregated spatial
distribution patterns for all individual species regardless their life
cycle, annual or perennial. Some associations and dissociations among
species were found in the analysis of interactions. Nevertheless, the
spatial patterns of co-occurrence of weed species were field-specific and
therefore cannot be considered general patterns of weed co-occurrence. In
order to explore the scale dependence of these results, an additional study
was conducted in an experimental field located in the same area using a
1.0-m by 0.75-m sampling grid. Although this resolution allowed for a better
definition of the positions of the weed patches and weed-free gaps, the
results obtained revealed similar patterns to those observed with a coarser
sampling resolution.