Cage matching: head to head competition experiments of an invasive plant species from different regions as a means to test for differentiation

Native macrophyte density and richness affect the invasiveness of a tropical poaceae species

The role of the native species richness and density in ecosystem invasibility is a matter of concern for both ecologists and managers. We tested the hypothesis that the invasiveness of Urochloa arrecta (non-native in the Neotropics) is negatively affected by the species richness and abundance of native aquatic macrophytes in freshwater ecosystems. We first created four levels of macrophyte richness in a greenhouse (richness experiment), and we then manipulated the densities of the same native species in a second experiment (density experiment). When the native macrophytes were adults, fragments of U. arrecta were added, and their growth was assessed. Our results from the richness experiment corroborated the hypothesis of a negative relationship between the native species richness and the growth of U. arrecta, as measured by sprout length and root biomass. However, the resistance to invasion was not attributed to the presence of a particular native species with a greater competitive ability. In the density experiment, U. arrecta growth decreased significantly with an increased density of all five of the native species. Density strongly affected the performance of the Poaceae in a negative manner, suggesting that patches that are densely colonized by native macrophytes and less subject to disturbances will be more resistant to invasion than those that are poorly colonized and more commonly subjected to disturbances. Our density experiment also showed that some species exhibit a higher competitive ability than others (sampling effect). Although native richness and abundance clearly limit the colonization and establishment of U. arrecta, these factors cannot completely prevent the invasion of aquatic ecosystems by this Poaceae species.

Germination, Postgermination Adaptation, and Species Ecological Ranges

Germination behavior is one of the earliest phenotypes expressed by plants. This fact has several consequences for the evolution of postgermination traits, ecological niches, and geographic ranges. By determining the conditions that plants experience after they germinate, germination influences phenotypic expression of postgermination traits, natural selection on them, and their genetic basis. The breadth of germination niches may influence the ecological breadth and geographic ranges of species. Because germination is expressed early, it is frequently subjected to natural selection before other traits are expressed. We review evidence for natural selection on and adaptation of germination and discuss how the breadth of the germination niche is associated with the ecological niche and range of plant species. We review evidence for the coevolution of germination and postgermination traits and compare germination to postgermination niches. Finally, we discuss how germination responses to altered environments can influence species distribution and the evolution of postgermination traits after environmental change.