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Korpelainen H, Pietiläinen M. What Makes a Good Plant Invader? Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1596. [PMID: 37511971 PMCID: PMC10381298 DOI: 10.3390/life13071596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
We explored traits that promote plant invasions. External factors affecting invasion success consist of various abiotic and biotic constraints. How well plants perform under those depends on multiple characteristics, such as life history traits, genetic variation patterns, competitive and dispersal abilities, phenotypic plasticity, resistance, tolerance, and possibly allelopathic interactions. Since the introduction of invasive species is often connected with humans, their geographical distribution and differentiation may not reflect adaptation. However, a lack of adaptation may be compensated for by repeated introductions via mixing genotypes from multiple populations or through novel mutations. As a case study, we used data from the Global Invasive Species Database of IUCN and attempted to reveal factors contributing to invasiveness. The most prevalent features are that the dispersal is strongly human assisted, many species are used as ornamentals, disturbed habitats are favored, and most species are perennial. Distribution features show that the worst invasive species typically have a narrower native distribution, but both groups, i.e., most serious invasive and other listed invasive species, have commonly developed a multicontinental distribution. The change in the multicontinental distribution from 6% to 63% in most serious invasive species reflects their effectiveness in global dispersal and establishment. High proportions of invasive species in both groups have mixed reproduction systems, i.e., they have the ability to propagate both sexually and asexually (57% and 50%, respectively). This provides flexibility for spreading and establishment. A lower proportion of the worst invasive species was mainly/only sexual (23%, often hermaphrodites) when compared to other invasive plants (40%). In the case of sexual reproduction, hermaphroditism combined with self-compatibility may enhance invasiveness, since selfing allows fertilization and recombination even under low population densities. Overall, the ability for asexual propagation and, in the case of sexuality, hermaphroditism, is an asset in the invasion process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Korpelainen
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maria Pietiläinen
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
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Pérez-Diz M, Rodríguez-Addesso B, Hussain MI, Rodríguez J, Novoa A, González L. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope compositions provide new insights into the phenotypic plasticity of the invasive species Carpobrotus sp. pl. in different coastal habitats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 873:162470. [PMID: 36842586 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The genus Carpobrotus N.E.Br. comprises several aggressive invasive species that threaten biodiversity in coastal areas worldwide. We studied the phenotypic plasticity of Carpobrotus sp. pl. invading four coastal habitats in the north-western Iberian Peninsula (coastal cliffs, disturbed areas, dunes and coastal forests). We measured morphological traits and carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope compositions of Carpobrotus sp. pl. individuals collected in each habitat. Our results indicated that leaf carbon content (% C) and dry shoot weight were higher on cliffs and lower in mixed forests. In contrast, leaf hydration was higher in mixed forests and lower on cliffs. Leaf nitrogen content (% N) was higher in forests, which might be due to the presence of Acacia longifolia, an alien tree that accumulates N in the soil through symbiotic associations with N fixing bacteria. Differences in δ15N showed the use of different N sources in each habitat. Values were higher in disturbed areas with greater human activity and lower on cliffs and forests. δ13C was higher in cliffs and dunes, suggesting CAM activity where drought and salinity are more intense. Water use efficiency (iWUE) and δ13C were higher on cliffs and dunes, suggesting an adaptation and high tolerance of Carpobrotus sp. pl. to unfavourable conditions such as drought or salinity in the invaded areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pérez-Diz
- Department of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain.
| | - Berea Rodríguez-Addesso
- Department of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain.
| | - Muhammad Iftikhar Hussain
- Department of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain.
| | - Jonatan Rodríguez
- Department of Invasion Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, CZ-252 43 Průhonice, Czech Republic; CRETUS, Department of Functional Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Ana Novoa
- Department of Invasion Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, CZ-252 43 Průhonice, Czech Republic.
| | - Luís González
- Department of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain.
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Fu QY, Yu CL, Dong R, Shi J, Luo FL, Gao JQ, Li HL, Dong BC, Yu FH. Transgenerational Herbivory Effects on Performance of Clonal Offspring of the Invasive Plant Alternanthera philoxeroides. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1180. [PMID: 36904040 PMCID: PMC10005396 DOI: 10.3390/plants12051180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Interactions between alien plants and local enemies in introduced ranges may determine plant invasion success. However, little is known about whether herbivory-induced responses are transmitted across vegetative generations of plants and whether epigenetic changes are involved during this process. In a greenhouse experiment, we examined the effects of herbivory by the generalist herbivore Spodoptera litura on the growth, physiology, biomass allocation and DNA methylation level of the invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides in the first- (G1), second- (G2) and third-generation (G3). We also tested the effects of root fragments with different branching orders (i.e., the primary- or secondary-root fragments of taproots) of G1 on offspring performance. Our results showed that G1 herbivory promoted the growth of the plants in G2 that sprouted from the secondary-root fragments of G1 but had a neutral or negative effect on the growth of the plants in G2 from the primary-root fragments. The growth of plants in G3 was significantly reduced by G3 herbivory but not affected by G1 herbivory. Plants in G1 exhibited a higher level of DNA methylation when they were damaged by herbivores than when they were not, while neither plants in G2 nor G3 showed herbivory-induced changes in DNA methylation. Overall, the herbivory-induced growth response within one vegetative generation may represent the rapid acclimatization of A. philoxeroides to the unpredictable generalist herbivores in the introduced ranges. Herbivory-induced trans-generational effects may be transient for clonal offspring of A. philoxeroides, which can be influenced by the branching order of taproots, but be less characterized by DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Yue Fu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
| | - Cheng-Ling Yu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Ran Dong
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Juan Shi
- School of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Fang-Li Luo
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- The Key Laboratory of Ecological Protection in the Yellow River Basin of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jun-Qin Gao
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- The Key Laboratory of Ecological Protection in the Yellow River Basin of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Hong-Li Li
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- The Key Laboratory of Ecological Protection in the Yellow River Basin of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Bi-Cheng Dong
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- The Key Laboratory of Ecological Protection in the Yellow River Basin of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
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Variation in defensive traits against herbivores of native and invasive populations of Carpobrotus edulis. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02970-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Chen J, Zhang HY, Liu MC, Han MX, Kong DL. Plant invasions facilitated by suppression of root nutrient acquisition rather than by disruption of mycorrhizal association in the native plant. PLANT DIVERSITY 2022; 44:499-504. [PMID: 36187553 PMCID: PMC9512660 DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2021.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Invasive species have profound negative impacts on native ranges. Unraveling the mechanisms employed by invasive plant species is crucial to controlling invasions. One important approach that invasive plants use to outcompete native plants is to disrupt mutualistic interactions between native roots and mycorrhizal fungi. However, it remains unclear how differences in the competitive ability of invasive plants affect native plant associations with mycorrhizae. Here, we examined how a native plant, Xanthium strumarium, responds to invasive plants that differed in competitive abilities (i.e., as represented by aboveground plant biomass) by measuring changes in root nitrogen concentration (root nutrient acquisition) and mycorrhizal colonization rate. We found that both root nitrogen concentration and mycorrhizal colonization rate in the native plant were reduced by invasive plants. The change in mycorrhizal colonization rate of the native plant was negatively correlated with both aboveground plant biomass of the invasive plants and the change in aboveground plant biomass of the native plant in monocultures relative to mixed plantings. In contrast, the change in root nitrogen concentration of the native plant was positively correlated with aboveground plant biomass of the invasive plants and the change in aboveground plant biomass of the native plant. When we compared the changes in mycorrhizal colonization rate and root nitrogen concentration in the native plant grown in monocultures with those of native plants grown with invasive plants, we observed a significant tradeoff. Our study shows that invasive plants can suppress native plants by reducing root nutrient acquisition rather than by disrupting symbiotic mycorrhizal associations, a novel finding likely attributable to a low dependence of the native plant on mycorrhizal fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Chen
- College of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China
| | - Hai-Yan Zhang
- Liaoning Key Laboratory for Biological Invasions and Global Changes, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Ming-Chao Liu
- Liaoning Key Laboratory for Biological Invasions and Global Changes, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Mei-Xu Han
- College of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China
| | - De-Liang Kong
- College of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China
- Corresponding author.
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Núñez-González N, Rodríguez J, González L. Managing the invasive plant Carpobrotus edulis: is mechanical control or specialized natural enemy more effective? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 298:113554. [PMID: 34426220 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Carpobrotus edulis is an invasive clonal plant with drastic effects on biodiversity and functioning of coastal ecosystems. In recent years, authorities and land managers have implemented diverse management strategies that usually focus on mechanical removal and chemical control. However, applying mechanical control to remove C. edulis may cause indirect adverse effects since it could increase the probability of spreading new propagules, which do not lose their physiological activity. Therefore, reducing the physiological activity of these plant fragments should be a priority to avoid their spread and re-rooting. Our goal was to assess the plant regeneration capacity after applying mechanical control (i) when placing the plant material on different types of ground surface (on sand, on stones and using rooted plants as control) and (ii) combined with the attack of specialized herbivores (the soft scale Pulvinariella mesembryanthemi). To achieve this, we evaluated how these two factors (ground surface and herbivory) affected the plant physiological activity, its survival and re-rooting, biometric measurements, shoot and root nutrient composition and biochemical parameters (total phenols and tannins). Regardless of the ground surface type, our results indicated that the specialist herbivore greatly affected the C. edulis parameters studied. The attack of P. mesembryanthemi stimulated the plant defence mechanisms, even in those individuals with less photosynthetic activity. Furthermore, P. mesembryanthemi severely reduced the biomass and volume of plant material. Decomposition of C. edulis was accelerated by the combination between the inoculation of P. mesembryanthemi and placing the plants on the stones ground surface. Overall, preventing plant re-rooting by avoiding connection to the soil is an effective method of reducing its viability after the eighth-tenth month. After applying mechanical control, we recommend placing C. edulis fragments over an inert ground surface to avoid re-rooting, which would favour its death. We conclude that the combination of mechanical control and P. mesembryanthemi or even direct inoculation with this specialist herbivore could help authorities and land managers to improve management strategies for C. edulis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Núñez-González
- Plant Ecophysiology Group, Department of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, University of Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Jonatan Rodríguez
- Plant Ecophysiology Group, Department of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, University of Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain; CITACA, Agri-Food Research and Transfer Cluster, Campus da Auga, University of Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain; Department of Invasion Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, CZ-252 43, Průhonice, Czech Republic.
| | - Luís González
- Plant Ecophysiology Group, Department of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, University of Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain; CITACA, Agri-Food Research and Transfer Cluster, Campus da Auga, University of Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain.
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