Abstract
One of the most important sources of invasiveness is species’ functional traits and their variability. However there are still few studies on invasive tree species traits conducted along resource gradients that allow for a comparison of acquisitive and conservative strategies. We aimed to assess the differences in trait variation among native alien conservative and alien acquisitive tree species along resource availability gradients (soil fertility and light availability) and to assess the traits variability of the species studied along resources availability gradients. Our study compared invasive tree species in Europe (Prunusserotina Ehrh. Quercusrubra L. and Robiniapseudoacacia L.) with their native competitors (Acerpseudoplatanus L. A.platanoides L. Quercuspetraea (Matt.) Liebl. and Fagussylvatica L.). The study was conducted on 1329 seedlings and saplings collected in a system of 372 study plots in W Poland. For each individual we assessed leaf stem and root mass ratios total biomass leaf area ratio specific leaf area and projected leaf area. Two invasive species (P.serotina and R.pseudoacacia) represented a more acquisitive strategy than native species – along litter pH and light availability gradients these species had higher leaf mass fraction specific leaf area and leaf area ratio. In contrast Q.rubra had the highest total biomass and root mass fraction. Alien species usually had higher coefficients of variation of studied traits. This suggests that relatively high projected leaf area as a way of filling space and outcompeting native species may be reached in two ways – biomass allocation to leaves and control of leaf morphology or by overall growth rate. High variability of invasive species traits also suggests randomness in seedling survival which similarly to the neutral theory of invasion highlights the necessity of including randomness in modelling biological invasions.
Highlights
The success of invasive plant species is connected to three main groups of factors: propagule pressure, habitat invasibility and species invasiveness
We studied the three alien tree species that are most frequent in European woodlands: Prunus serotina Ehrh., Quercus rubra L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Wagner et al 2017)
Our study revealed that alien and native species differed the most in specific leaf area (SLA), rmf, lmf and leaf area ratio (LAR); the variability was usually not related to the resource gradients
Summary
The success of invasive plant species is connected to three main groups of factors: propagule pressure, habitat invasibility and species invasiveness. Interactions among them determine the successful spread of alien species in their exotic ranges (Davis et al 2005; Jeschke 2014; Ricciardi et al 2017). Species invasiveness is defined by life history traits determining ability to colonize new areas (Alpert et al 2000; Grotkopp et al 2010; Pyšek et al 2014). One of the most important features of invasive species concerns adaptation to new habitat conditions – enemies or levels of resources (Funk 2008; Jeschke 2014)
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