Establishment Of Invasive Plants Research Articles

Revealing How Human Activity and Native Plants Outshine Climate in Shaping New Invasive Alien Plant Elevational Patterns in Nature Reserves

ABSTRACTAimWe aim to investigate whether invasive alien plants introduced at different times exhibit variations in elevational distribution patterns and to explore the correlations of these patterns with climate, native plants and human activity.LocationGuangxi, China.MethodsWe recorded plant richness and cover across elevational gradients at 25–34 sites within each reserve, utilising 84–134 roadside plots per site. Using generalised linear mixed model (GLMM), we assessed the impacts of climate, native plants and human activity on the distributions of all, old and new invasive alien plants across the region and within the nature reserves.ResultsAt regional scales, the cover of all, new and old invasive alien plants decreased with increasing elevation, while only the richness of old invasive alien plants exhibited a similar pattern. Contrasting patterns were observed in Dayao Mountain, where the cover of old invasive alien plants decreased while the cover of new invasive alien plants increased. The richness patterns of all and new invasive alien plants were opposite between Dayao Mountain and Yachang Orchid. Moreover, native plant richness was negatively correlated with the richness of invasive alien plants, while interference intensity positively affected new invasive alien plants at both regional and reserve scales. At the regional scale, native plant richness accounted for 78.27%, 91.94% and 60.9% of all, old and new invasive alien plants respectively. Interference intensity accounted for 33.85% of the variation in new invasive alien plants. Annual mean temperature positively influenced the cover of all and old invasive alien plants at both regional and reserve scales, explaining 36.91% and 74.28% of their regional variation. Additionally, interference intensity and distance to human settlements positively impacted the cover of new invasive alien plants, contributing to 50.95% and 31.92% of their variation at regional scales.Main ConclusionThe distinct distribution patterns of old and new invasive alien plants highlight the significance of residence time in understanding their dynamics. Climate factors constrain the cover distribution of all and old invasive alien plants, whereas interference intensity and distance to settlements determine the distribution of new invasive alien plants. Notably, native plants play a vital role in preventing the establishment and spread of invasive alien plants within nature reserves, and their effectiveness increases with longer residence times. Our findings highlight the critical importance of minimising human interference and conserving native species for the effective management of invasive alien plants in nature reserves.

Intraspecific diversity mitigates the negative soil-legacy impacts of an invasive plant.

Elton's biotic resistance hypothesis predicts that biodiversity can resist the establishment of invasive plants. However, whether and how within-species diversity mediates the impacts of successfully established invaders is poorly understood, particularly in the face of climate change. We used an experimental system to test the effect of intraspecific diversity of a native foundation species, Scirpus mariqueter, on the soil-legacy impacts of a global plant invader, Spartina alterniflora, under well-watered and drought conditions. We found that more diverse populations of the native plant buffered against the negative soil-legacy impacts of the invader on the native plant. This intraspecific diversity effect was due to a complementarity effect triggered by invader-shaped soil biota, and emerged in both well-watered and drought conditions. Compared with the previous finding that intraspecific diversity of the native plant can reduce the performance of the invader through soil biotic feedbacks, this study provides further evidence that it helps to mitigate the negative soil-derived impacts of the invader. These findings together emphasize the need for management measures that promote and restore native intraspecific diversity in a changing world.

Discrepancies in Australian jurisdiction-based regulation of invasive plants

Abstract Effective regulation is essential for preventing the establishment of new invasive plants and managing the environmental, social, and economic impacts of those already established. Invasive plants are regulated by jurisdictions at a variety of local, regional, national, and international levels. Enhanced coordination of policy and regulations has been identified as a key strategy for addressing the impacts of invasive species (IPBES 2023; Pluess et al. 2012); however, coordination between jurisdictions, and even within jurisdictions, is not always considered. To review regulatory coordination in Australia, we compiled a comprehensive dataset of noxious weeds (defined as invasive plants and potentially invasive plants with controls specified in regulation) in each Australian jurisdiction (i.e., State or Territory). We found that jurisdictions on average shared c. 67% (SD = 15%) of noxious weed listings. Neighbouring jurisdictions were not more similar than separated jurisdictions in their noxious weed listings. There were significant differences in the biogeographic native ranges of noxious weeds between jurisdictions, with species native to temperate Asia being most frequently listed overall. The predominant likely entry pathway for noxious weeds in Australia was the ornamental trade. Listings were primarily dedicated to proactive control, prohibiting the cultivation of noxious weeds to avoid their naturalisation. There were 415 noxious weeds regulated in a harmonious manner across jurisdictions. However, there were 327 noxious weeds regulated by jurisdictions in a discordant manner, potentially leaving neighbouring jurisdictions vulnerable to invasion. We suggest jurisdictions reassess the regulation of these 327 discordant noxious weeds in Australia and utilise a national taxonomic standard to avoid problematic synonyms. Improved cohesion of policies could be achieved through wider adoption of existing regulatory systems and co-development of regulations between government and industry.

Is Ambrosia trifida L. Preparing for a Wider Invasion? Changes in the Plant Morpho-Functional Traits over a Decade

Plastic traits are argued to favor the establishment of invasive alien plants and to evolve during the invasion process, so that invasions may be favored by both plasticity and evolutionary changes in plasticity. Despite this aspect being pivotal to understanding invasion processes, no information is available about the effect of residence time on the evolution of phenotypic plasticity of aliens to produce locally adapted phenotypes. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate changes in the morpho-functional traits of the invasive alien Ambrosia trifida L. over time. Specifically, we grew A. trifida plants under laboratory (at different temperatures: 10 °C, 20 °C and 25 °C) and field conditions by using seeds collected from 2011 to 2020 from an Eastern European population. Data about seedling emergence, vegetative (laboratory and field) and reproductive (field) traits were collected, e.g., maximum plant height (cm), total dry biomass (g), number of flowers (n) and number of new seeds (n). Analysis of variance (ANOVA), linear regressions and a plasticity index were applied to assess differences in plant performances when grown from seeds of different ages. An auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was applied to predict future trends of some key plant traits (maximum height, total dry biomass and number of new seeds). Overall, the time of seedling emergence was not statistically different among seeds of different age, and regression analyses exhibited a positive relationship between residence time (seed age) and vegetative and reproductive parameters of A. trifida. Only male flower production exhibited a negative trend over time. At all temperatures (especially at 25 °C), the vegetative parameters increased with the decrease in residence time. The plasticity index of the measured traits tended to decrease over time for most traits both in the field and in the laboratory trials. The ARIMA model predicted that plant traits will continue to increase in size over time by 2030, suggesting further plastic adaptation of A. trifida. The results highlighted that residence time influences the evolution of phenotypic plasticity of A. trifida, which has strengthened its adaptability to the new conditions over a decade, also demonstrating a great adaptive and invasion potential for the future.

Variation in Seed Morphological Traits Affects the Dispersal Strategies of Chromolaena odorata Following Invasion.

Seed germination and dispersal have an important impact on the establishment and spread of invasive plants. Understanding the extent of intraspecific seed trait variations can enhance our understanding of how invasive plants respond to environmental change after introduction and help predict the dynamic of invasive species under future environmental conditions. However, less attention has been given to the variation in seed traits within species as opposed to among species. We compared seed production, seed morphological traits, dispersal ability, and seedling performance of Chromolaena odorata from 10 introduced populations in Asia and 12 native populations in America in a common garden. The results showed that range (introduced vs. native) and climate affected these traits. Compared with the native population, the introduced populations had higher seed numbers per capitula, lighter seeds, and higher potential dispersal ability seeds (lower terminal velocity) but lower germination rates and seedling lengths. Climatic clines in seed numbers per capitula and pappus length were observed; however, the clines in pappus length differed between the introduced and native populations. Trait covariation patterns were also different between both ranges. In the native populations, there was a trade-off between seed numbers per capitula and seed mass, while this relationship was not found for the introduced populations. These results indicate that C. odorata alters the ecological strategy of seed following invasion, which facilitates its establishment and fast dispersal and contributes to successful invasion in the introduced ranges.

A Review on Some Ecological Aspects of Invasive Flora Based on Comparative Analysis of “Tehri” and “Pauri” Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India

The establishment of invasive plants in a particular area leads to significant ecological changes on the native species of that area, alters ecosystem services and is one of the major drivers of biodiversity loss. In recent years, invasion by alien plants in the hilly regions has posed a severe threat to the ecosystem of these areas. A review was made in this context to study the Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS) of “Tehri” and “Pauri” districts. Large number of invasive alien plants was identified under different genera and families from both the study areas. Based on the growth form of invasive plants, herbs contributed the maximum percentage. Asteraceae was found to be dominating over other families followed by Solanaceae. The native range indicated differences in nativity of invasive flora found in Tehri and Pauri with a large percentage of invasive plants coming from Asia (23%) and Tropical America (26%) and respectively. It was observed that invasive plants are invading higher elevation zones which parallels with the directional filtering theory. Due to higher proliferation rates outside their native range and absence of natural predators, it is quite difficult to control this increasing expansion of invasive plants which is a call for concern and needs immediate attention. Keywords: Invasive alien plant species (IAPS), Ecosystem services, Native species, Biodiversity, Directional filtering .

Canopy gaps facilitate establishment of invasive plants in a subtropical broadleaved forest of central Nepal

Plant invasions are major threats to the biodiversity and ecosystem function worldwide. In particular, forests are one of the highly affected ecosystems by invasive alien plant species (IAPS). In spite of several previous studies on plant invasion issues in forests, the role of tree canopy gaps in the establishment of IAPS is poorly understood, particularly in Nepal Himalaya. In this study, we examined the effect of tree canopy gaps on IAPS diversity and abundance in Shorea robusta dominated subtropical mixed broadleaved forest in central Nepal. Fifty pairs of plots (10 m × 10 m) were sampled, with a plot of a pair sampled in a canopy gap and its counterpart 20 m away into the forest interior within tree canopy. In every plot, the cover of the individual IAPS was estimated visually, and other environmental variables such as tree canopy, light intensity, slope, litter depth, tree basal area were measured. Higher number of IAPS (9 species) and their cover (31%) were measured in the canopy gaps than in the plots within tree canopy (6 species; 5% cover), suggesting that tree canopy in these forests provide moderate level of resistance to plant invasions. Moreover, the IAPS cover increased with increasing size of canopy gap. Similarly, IAPS richness increased with the age of gap but it was independent of the gap size. Non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed that the IAPS community within forest canopy was a subset of species found in forest gaps, suggesting that the canopy opening has facilitated establishment of IAPS in the studied forests. Therefore, monitoring forest gaps can be helpful in detecting IAPS in their early stage of invasion so that the effective control measures can be implemented before the IAPS are widespread and problematic at the landscape level.

Effects of Different Temperature Treatments on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Rorippa sylvestris

Temperature is one of the important conditions for plant growth, and an important factor affecting the establishment and spread of invasive plants. In this study, the northern perennial invasive plant (Rorippa sylvestris) was taken as an example. By comparing the seed germination rate, germination potential, germination index and vigor index, the total number of leaves, root length, root length, vigor index, leaves of seedings, seedling biomass and root- shoot ratio under different temperature treatments (15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40℃), the subordinate function was used to compare the temperature tolerance of R. sylvestris in seed germination. sylvestris in seed germination and seedling growth. To study the response and tolerance of seed germination and seedling growth of invasive R. sylvestris to different temperatures, the subordinate function was used to compare the temperature tolerance of R. sylvestris in seed germination and seedling growth. The results showed that high temperature promoted seed germination of R. sylvestris and limited radicle growth, and it had the most tolerance at different temperatures. The results showed that high temperature promoted seed germination of R. sylvestris and limited radicle growth, and it had the strongest tolerance at 35℃. Lower temperature was more beneficial to material accumulation of seedlings, and the tolerance of R. sylvestris was more favorable. The results provide theoretical basis for revealing the diffusion and invasion mechanism of R. sylvestris.

Reproductive strategy of an invasive buzz-pollinated plant (Solanum rostratum)

Some plants that invade environments outside their native range of distribution often face reproductive challenges such as limited pollinators and mates. Thus, the capacity to reproduce autonomously in the absence of pollinators or mates can facilitate establishment and spread of invasive plants. Here, we study the capacity of Solanum rostratum to reproduce through autonomous self-pollination. Although this plant is self-compatible, it strongly depends on visitation of buzzing bees to reproduce in its native range. We compared floral morphology, pollen: ovule ratios, reproductive phenology, and capacity for autonomous self-pollination of two populations of native distribution (Mexico) and another two populations of the invasive range (USA). We found a reduction in anther-stigma distance, pollen: ovule ratio, and plant height in invasive populations, as well as a shift to increased resource allocation to floral vs. vegetative structures and faster flowering compared to native populations. Importantly, invasive populations show a marked increase in the capacity to produce fruits autonomously (without pollen vectors). Our results suggest that the northern invasion of S. rostratum could have been facilitated by a shift in reproductive strategy from outcrossing to autonomous self-pollination.

Assessing risk from invasive alien plants in China: Reconstructing invasion history and estimating distribution patterns of Lolium temulentum and Aegilops tauschii.

The establishment of invasive alien plants (IAPs) is primarily driven by climate warming and human activities, and their populations have a negative impact on agricultural economics, ecological systems, and human health. Lolium temulentum and Aegilops tauschii are critical IAPs in China because they reduce the quality of cereal grains and decrease wheat yields. Lolium temulentum is a winter-temperate weed that spreads easily and is poisonous to humans and animals. Aegilops tauschii is resistant to herbicides, has a high reproductive rate, and frequently grows in wheat. Both species have been listed in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China's management catalog since 2006. In the present study, the historical occurrence and invasion of each species were collected and reconstructed, which showed that the population outbreak of L. temulentum began in 2010, whereas that of A. tauschii began in 2000. Using the optimal MaxEnt model, the geographical distributions of L. temulentum and A. tauschii were predicted based on screened species occurrences and environmental variables under the current and three future scenarios in the 2030s and 2050s (i.e., SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5). The mean AUC values were 0.867 and 0.931 for L. temulentum and A. tauschii, respectively. Human influence index (HII), mean temperature of coldest quarter (bio11), and precipitation of coldest quarter (bio19) were the most significant variables for L. temulentum, whereas human influence index, temperature seasonality (standard deviation×100) (bio4), and annual mean temperature (bio1) were the critical environmental variables for A. tauschi. Suitable habitat areas in China for L. temulentum and A. tauschii currently covered total areas of 125 × 104 and 235 × 104 km2, respectively. Future suitable areas of L. temulentum reached the maximum under SSP2-4.5, from 2021 to 2060, whereas for A. tauschii they reached the maximum under SSP5-8.5, from 2021 to 2060. Furthermore, the overlap area under the current climate conditions for L. temulentum and A. tauschii was approximately 90 × 104 km2, mainly located in Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Hebei. The overlap areas decreased in the 2030s, increased in the 2050s, and reached a maximum under SSP1-2.6 (or SSP2-4.5) with an approximate area of 104 × 104 km2. The centroid of L. temulentum in Henan was transferred to the southwest, whereas for A. tauschii it transferred to higher latitudes in the northeast. Our findings provide a practical reference for the early warning, control, and management of these two destructive IAP populations in China.

Both alpha and beta diversity of nematode declines in response to moso bamboo expansion in south China

Establishment of invasive plants in natural forest ecosystems can deplete forest vegetation and significantly affect soil biodiversity. However, its effects on the alpha and beta diversity of soil nematode are inadequately documented and remain poorly understood. We collected 810 soil samples from three forest types (broadleaf forest, mixed bamboo forest, and homogeneous moso bamboo forest) at three locations in southern China. High-throughput sequencing technology was applied to explore the impact of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) invasion on nematode alpha and beta diversity as well as soil properties. Moso bamboo invasion was associated with lower levels of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and available potassium, as well as increased soil pH. Both alpha and beta diversity of nematodes showed a gradual decline from broadleaf forest to bamboo forest (Ace index from 109.47 to 79.53 and Bray-Curtis index from 0.825 to 0.785). Forest type and site significantly affected nematode communities (P < 0.001). Our findings highlight the importance of protecting forest vegetation diversity from invasive plants, thus helping preserve soil biodiversity and its underlying ecosystem services along with habitat complexity.

Assessing Seedbank Longevity and Seed Persistence of the Invasive Tussock Grass Nassella trichotoma Using in-Field Burial and Laboratory-Controlled Ageing

The ability to produce highly dense and persistent seedbanks is a major contributor to the successful widespread establishment of invasive plants. This study seeks to identify seed persistence and seedbank longevity for the invasive tussock grass Nassella trichotoma (Nees.) Hack. ex Arechav in order to recommend management strategies for preventing re-emergence from the seedbank. To determine the seedbank longevity and persistence, two experiments were conducted: (i) seeds were buried at four depths (0, 1, 2, and 4 cm) and collected and assessed for viability, seed decay, and in-field germination after 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 months of field burial; and (ii) seeds were exposed to artificial ageing conditions (60% RH and 45 °C) for 1, 2, 5, 9, 20, 30, 50, 75, 100, and 120 days, and viability was determined through germination tests and tetrazolium tests. Less than 10% of the seeds collected after 12 months of in-field burial were viable. The artificial ageing treatment found germination declined to 50% after 5.8 days, further suggesting that N. trichotoma seeds are short lived. The results from both experiments indicate that N. trichotoma has a transient seedbank, with less than 10% of the seeds demonstrating short-term persistence. It is likely the persistent seeds beyond 12 months were exhibiting secondary dormancy as viable seeds did not germinate under optimal germination conditions. The “Best Practice Guidelines” recommend monitoring for seedbank recruitment for at least three years after treating N. trichotoma infestations. The results of this study support this recommendation as a small proportion of the seeds demonstrated short-term persistence.

Rhizospheric Bacillus-Facilitated Effects on the Growth and Competitive Ability of the Invasive Plant Ageratina adenophora.

The rhizospheric microbial community affects the population establishment of invasive plants in introduced areas, among which Bacillus has numerous functions in promoting plant growth. This study isolated and enriched the Bacillus community in the rhizospheric soil of the invasive plant Ageratina adenophora and the native accompanying plant Rabdosia amethystoides. The effects of these rhizospheric Bacillus communities on the growth and competition of A. adenophora and R. amethystoides were evaluated in pot experiments. The results showed that the number and diversity of Bacillus in the rhizospheric soil of A. adenophora were higher than those of R. amethystoides (A. adenophora: 122 strains in soil, 16 Bacillus taxa; R. amethystoides: 88 strains in soil, 9 Bacillus taxa). After Bacillus inoculation of A. adenophora in a pot experiment, Bacillus idriensis, Bacillus toyonensis and Bacillus cereus were accumulated in the rhizospheric of A. adenophora, which significantly increased the nitrate nitrogen (NO3–-N) content in the soil and the total carbon and nitrogen concentrations in A. adenophora in the mixed treatment. The selective accumulation of Bacillus enhanced the competitive advantage of A. adenophora over the native accompanying plant; the corrected index of relative competition intensity of A. adenophora-inoculated Bacillus reached double that of the uninoculated treatment, and the growth of native plants was greatly suppressed under mixed planting. Our study confirmed that invasion of A. adenophora can lead to the accumulation of specific Bacillus taxa in the rhizospheric soil, which in turn can increase the competitive advantage of A. adenophora.

Digitized collections elucidate invasion history and patterns of awn polymorphism in Microstegium vimineum.

PremiseDigitized collections can help illuminate the mechanisms behind the establishment and spread of invasive plants. These databases provide a record of traits in space and time that allows for investigation of abiotic and biotic factors that influence invasive species.MethodsOver 1100 digitized herbarium records were examined to investigate the invasion history and trait variation of Microstegium vimineum. Presence–absence of awns was investigated to quantify geographic patterns of this polymorphic trait, which serves several functions in grasses, including diaspore burial and dispersal to germination sites. Floret traits were further quantified, and genomic analyses of contemporary samples were conducted to investigate the history of M. vimineum's introduction and spread into North America.ResultsHerbarium records revealed similar patterns of awn polymorphism in native and invaded ranges of M. vimineum, with awned forms predominating at higher latitudes and awnless forms at lower latitudes. Herbarium records and genomic data suggested initial introduction and spread of the awnless form in the southeastern United States, followed by a putative secondary invasion and spread of the awned form from eastern Pennsylvania. Awned forms have longer florets, and floret size varies significantly with latitude. There is evidence of a transition zone with short‐awned specimens at mid‐latitudes. Genomic analyses revealed two distinct clusters corresponding to awnless and awned forms, with evidence of admixture.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate the power of herbarium data to elucidate the invasion history of a problematic weed in North America and, together with genomic data, reveal a possible key trait in introduction success: presence or absence of an awn.

Belowground mechanism reveals climate change impacts on invasive clonal plant establishment

Climate change and disturbance can alter invasion success of clonal plants by differentially affecting the clonal traits influencing their establishment as young plants. Clonal traits related to the vegetative reproduction of native Pascopyrum smithii and non-native Bromus inermis grass seedlings were evaluated under altered precipitation frequencies and a single grazing event. Pascopyrum smithii maintained similar vegetative reproduction under three simulated precipitation frequencies whereas B. inermis vegetative reproduction declined as precipitation became more intermittent. Vegetative reproduction of the non-native B. inermis was greater than the native P. smithii under all simulated precipitation frequencies except the most intermittent scenario. A single grazing event did not affect either species’ response to intra-annual precipitation variability but did slightly reduce their clonal growth and increase their bud dormancy. In young plants, clonal traits of the invasive grass favored its superior expansion and population growth compared to the native grass except under the most severe climate change scenario. Grassland restoration using native P. smithii seeds would be successful in most years due to its resilient clonal growth in a changing climate. Clonal infrastructure development in young plants is critical to clonal plant establishment and persistence in a changing climate and under disturbed conditions.

Fragmentation of Coastal Grasslands by Plantations and Spontaneous Spread of Invasive Pines in the Southern Pampa

Coastal dunes of the southern Buenos Aires province, in Argentina, are one of the last remnants of biodiversity in the southern Pampa unit, within the Rio de la Plata Grasslands. While the direct loss of grasslands due to the advance of cities and afforestation is conspicuous, the negative effects of the subdivision of the remaining environments on biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics are less considered. Our work aimed to analyze the combined effect of fires and subdivision of grasslands by invasive alien trees. Our results suggest that fragmentation affects the resilience of coastal grasslands after fire and affects the course of succession, promoting the establishment of invasive alien plants. We also suggest that fires favor the advance of pines and acacias towards the interior of grassland remnants, further reducing their area. The effective conservation of the components of Pampas biodiversity that still persist in these coastal ecosystems will depend on preventing, mitigating and compensating the insularization effects associated with forest plantations and the expansion of invasive trees, by means of adequate territorial planning that allows remnants to be maintained in a good state of conservation.

Flow regime and nutrient input control invasive alien aquatic plant distribution and species composition in small closed estuaries

Nutrient pollution is facilitating the encroachment of invasive aquatic plants in various water bodies globally. This study investigated seasonal aquatic macrophyte responses in two temporarily closed estuaries with different nutrient inputs. Consistent effluent discharge from the upstream wastewater treatment works (WWTW) facilitated the establishment of numerous freshwater invasive alien aquatic plants (IAAPs) in the uThongathi Estuary. IAAPs (Myriophyllum aquaticum, Pistia stratiotes and Pontederia crassipes) were only displaced from the estuary after high flow events (>5 m3 s−1). In the less polluted uMdlotane Estuary nutrient pulses (>1 mg/L DIN) associated with high rainfall changed the aquatic macrophyte composition. The nutrient tolerant non-rooted Ceratophyllum demersum outcompeted the rooted submerged macrophyte Stuckenia pectinata. Species composition changed in response to flow and nutrient inputs, with the exception of emergent macrophytes, such as the grass Echinochloa pyramidalis, that remained consistent in cover and distribution in the uMdlotane Estuary. This study demonstrated that aquatic macrophytes are more responsive to nutrient inputs in unimpacted estuaries compared to consistently nutrient-rich systems where flow is an important driver of IAAPs community dynamics. Many temporarily closed estuaries are subjected to nutrient pollution from WWTWs and restoration efforts such as diversion of discharges to constructed wetlands needs urgent implementation.

The invasive cactus Opuntia stricta creates fertility islands in African savannas and benefits from those created by native trees

The patchy distribution of trees typical of savannas often results in a discontinuous distribution of water, nutrient resources, and microbial communities in soil, commonly referred to as “islands of fertility”. We assessed how this phenomenon may affect the establishment and impact of invasive plants, using the invasion of Opuntia stricta in South Africa’s Kruger National Park as case study. We established uninvaded and O. stricta-invaded plots under the most common woody tree species in the study area (Vachellia nilotica subsp. kraussiana and Spirostachys africana) and in open patches with no tree cover. We then compared soil characteristics, diversity and composition of the soil bacterial communities, and germination performance of O. stricta and native trees between soils collected in each of the established plots. We found that the presence of native trees and invasive O. stricta increases soil water content and nutrients, and the abundance and diversity of bacterial communities, and alters soil bacterial composition. Moreover, the percentage and speed of germination of O. stricta were higher in soils conditioned by native trees compared to soils collected from open patches. Finally, while S. africana and V. nilotica trees appear to germinate equally well in invaded and uninvaded soils, O. stricta had lower and slower germination in invaded soils, suggesting the potential release of phytochemicals by O. stricta to avoid intraspecific competition. These results suggest that the presence of any tree or shrub in savanna ecosystems, regardless of origin (i.e. native or alien), can create favourable conditions for the establishment and growth of other plants.

Competitive trait hierarchies of native communities and invasive propagule pressure consistently predict invasion success during grassland establishment

Invasive non-native plants challenge ecosystems restoration, and understanding the factors that determine the establishment of invasive plants is crucial to improve restoration outcomes. However, the drivers of invasibility of plant communities are not sufficiently clear, and combined effects are not understood. Therefore, we investigated the contribution of the main drivers of invasion success during early phases of restoration, i.e., biotic resistance, invasive propagule pressure, and environmental fluctuations. We compared the contribution of these drivers in a series of mesocosms experiments using designed grasslands as a model system, and Solidago gigantea as invasive model species. Two grassland communities were designed according to competitive trait hierarchies with different sowing patterns, reflecting variation in biotic resistance. We then manipulated invader propagule pressure and applied different scenarios of environmental fluctuation, i.e., flood, heat, and N fertilization. Invasive biomass was considered as proxy for invasion success, while native biomass represented restoration success. There were consistent effects of biotic resistance to S. gigantea invasion via competitive trait hierarchies in the three experiments. Communities dominated by species with high-competition traits were more resistant regardless of environmental fluctuation. Clumped seeding of the native community reduced invasibility, whereas high non-native propagule density increased invasion. The effects of environmental fluctuation were less consistent and context-dependent, thus playing a secondary role when compared to biotic drivers of invasion. Restoration initiatives on grasslands impacted by invasive plants should consider biotic resistance of the restored community as a key driver and the importance of controlling further arrivals of invasive species during community assembly.

High aqueous salinity does not preclude germination of invasive Iris pseudacorus from estuarine populations

AbstractEstuarine ecosystems are threatened by climate change and biological invasions. Among global changes, sea‐level rise is broadly impacting tidal wetlands, through increases in salinity and alteration of inundation regimes. Extant freshwater plant species are often presumed to be limited to reaches of estuaries with low salinity and narrow tidal ranges. However, the potential for invasive freshwater species (e.g., Iris pseudacorus) to persist and spread with increased salinity and flooding is poorly understood and can jeopardize native biodiversity and other wetland ecosystem services. The successful establishment of invasive plants will be dependent on their tolerance to salinity and inundation, starting with the germination life stage. Changes to abiotic estuarine gradients may alter the germination process of tidal wetland plant species that underlies significant patterns of plant community composition and biodiversity. We explored germination responses of seeds from two invasive I. pseudacorus populations from freshwater and brackish tidal sites in California’s San Francisco Bay–Delta Estuary. We tested germination dynamics under salinity levels ranging from freshwater to seawater (0, 12.5, 25, and 45 dS/m) and two hydrological conditions (moist and flooded). Salinity levels &gt;12.5 dS/m inhibited germination of seeds from both populations, consistent with viviparism and seedling emergence recorded at field sites. However, seeds exposed to seawater for 55 d germinated once exposed to freshwater. Germination velocity and seed buoyancy differed between populations, likely due to differences in seed coat thickness. Our results demonstrate that after 55 d in seawater, buoyant seeds of I. pseudacorus retain their ability to germinate, and germinate quickly with freshwater exposure. This suggests that invasive populations of I. pseudacorus can colonize new sites following potentially long‐distance dispersal of buoyant seeds with tidal currents. These findings inform risk assessments and highlight the need to prioritize the management of invasive I. pseudacorus in estuarine ecosystems impacted by rising sea level.