How valuable is post-dispersal seed predation to control Echinochloa crus-galli in maize cropping in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania?

Silage maize is an important arable crop in Germany. Echinochloa crus-galli is one of the main weed species in this crop. Herbicide treatment, a common practice by conventional maize farmers to control this weed, may cause many negative impacts on non-target species and the wider environment. Post-dispersal seed predation is an important ecosystem service for weed control, but its value is rarely known. To raise social awareness, we aim to estimate the economic benefits of this ecosystem service. The extent of benefits that farmers can receive from the post-dispersal seed predation depends greatly on how farmers control weeds. By using an on-farm pesticide survey, the herbicide application patterns for Echinochloa crus-galli control in maize in the north-eastern Germany is analysed. Based on this, and by using economic surplus and field data from cage experiments, this case study estimated the value of post-dispersal seed predation of Echinochloa crus-galli in 2013 maize fields in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. This represents one of the first attempts of economic valuation of this ecosystem service.