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Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1007/s10530-015-1027-8
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Title (Primary) Reduced tolerance to simulated herbivory on clonal organs in alien genotypes: a multi-species experiment with native and introduced origins
Author Beckmann, M. ORCID logo ; Bruelheide, H.; Erfmeier, A.
Source Titel Biological Invasions
Year 2016
Department CLE
Volume 18
Issue 2
Page From 549
Page To 563
Language englisch
Keywords Artificial herbivory – Clonal plants – Germany – New Zealand – Plant invasions – Resistance – Tolerance
UFZ wide themes RU1
Abstract Clonal growth may increase the likelihood for alien plants becoming invasive, as it is an efficient foraging and spatial exploration strategy. Here, we investigated the effect of artificial herbivory on organs of clonal growth and its potential to drive post-introduction evolutionary change. Based on the assumption that tolerance traits are costly and that clonal alien species may benefit from investing freed resources into growth, fecundity or nutrient acquisition, we tested the hypothesis of lower tolerance to herbivory on organs of clonal growth in alien plants. In a common-garden experiment we studied divergence in plants from native German and alien New Zealand populations of six species with different clonal growth forms. A nutrient treatment testing the plant’s acquisition abilities, was combined with artificial herbivory on clonal organs. We investigated origin-dependent differences in sexual reproduction, plant growth and the production of clonal organs. For aboveground and clonal organ biomass, alien plants showed lower tolerance to artificial herbivory on clonal organs than native plants. In the combined herbivory and nutrient treatment, alien plants of four species grew fewer clonal organs when compared to the nutrient treatment alone. Alien plants of the other two species produced more clonal organs, regardless of treatment. All species revealed significant differences in flower production between origins, with five of them producing more flowers on alien than on native plants. The results support the hypothesis that a release of herbivory on clonal organs has lead to subtle evolutionary changes in tolerance of alien plants and to a species-dependent increase in plant vigour, clonal growth and/or sexual reproduction that may enhance their invasive success.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17155
Beckmann, M., Bruelheide, H., Erfmeier, A. (2016):
Reduced tolerance to simulated herbivory on clonal organs in alien genotypes: a multi-species experiment with native and introduced origins
Biol. Invasions 18 (2), 549 - 563 10.1007/s10530-015-1027-8