Abstract

Diverse opinion papers related tothe question whether environmental benefits canbe achieved by the herbicide resistancetechnique have been published. But onlylong-term and large-scale field tests usingdifferent weed control methods and additionalagricultural vegetation surveys make itpossible to compare biodiversity effects ofdifferent strategies. A description of theamounts and frequencies of herbicideapplications, their direct and indirecteffects, and the impacts of farming practiceproves that the cropping history oftencompensates effects of an actual farmingpractice. The decline of beneficial plantspecies with all its negative side effects onbiodiversity will continue. Long-termstrategies including improved integratedfarming, managing field boundary structures,and the reintroduction of seed dispersalmechanisms are necessary in order to reversethe trend