Abstract
Does Carpobrotus edulis have an impact on native plants? How do C. edulis’ soil residual effects affect the maintenance of native populations? What is the extent of interspecific competition in its invasion process? In order to answer those questions, we established pure and mixed cultures of native species and C. edulis on soil collected from invaded and native areas of Mediterranean coastal dunes in the Iberian Peninsula. We examined the impact of the invader on the germination, growth and survival of seeds and adult plants of two native plant species (Malcolmia littorea (L.) R.Br, and Scabiosa atropurpurea L.) growing with ramets or seeds of C. edulis. Residual effects of C. edulis on soils affected the germination process and early growth of native plants in different ways, depending on plant species and density. Interspecific competition significantly reduced the germination and early growth of native plants but this result was soil, density, timing and plant species dependent. Also, at any density of adult individuals of C. edulis, established native adult plants were not competitive. Moreover, ramets of C. edulis had a lethal effect on native plants, which died in a short period of time. Even the presence of C. edulis seedlings prevents the recruitment of native species. In conclusion, C. edulis have strong negative impacts on the germination, growth and survival of the native species M. littorea and S. atropurpurea. These impacts were highly depended on the development stages of native and invasive plants. Our findings are crucial for new strategies of biodiversity conservation in coastal habitats.
Highlights
Invasive alien plants are considered as one of the greatest threats to the diversity, structure and functioning of natural ecosystems around the world [1,2]
Mediterranean coastal dune ecosystems are highly sensitive to invasion by exotic plants since the disruption caused by the movement of sand constantly produces open spaces that are susceptible to colonization by alien species [4]
Seeds of the native species M. littorea and S. atropurpurea and the invasive C. edulis were collected between 10 Sep and 10 Oct 2011 from at least 15 plants from 20 different populations of each species located along 20 km of the coast of Pontevedra, Spain
Summary
Invasive alien plants are considered as one of the greatest threats to the diversity, structure and functioning of natural ecosystems around the world [1,2] They can exert significant impacts on many ecological variables [3]. Mediterranean coastal dune ecosystems are highly sensitive to invasion by exotic plants since the disruption caused by the movement of sand constantly produces open spaces that are susceptible to colonization by alien species [4]. In those open spaces, competitive interactions between invasive and native species are extremely important [5]. There is little information about the competitive interactions between this invasive species with native plants, even though it is a crucial aspect for prioritizing Mediterranean coastal dune ecosystems management
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