Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.3390/plants8120544
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Release from above- and belowground insect herbivory mediates invasion dynamics and impact of an exotic plant
Author Korell, L.; Schädler, M.; Brandl, R.; Schreiter, S.; Auge, H. ORCID logo
Source Titel Plants
Year 2019
Department BZF; iDiv; BOSYS
Volume 8
Issue 12
Page From art. 544
Language englisch
Keywords biological invasions; diversity; ecosystem functions; enemy release; herbivorous insects; long-term experiment; plant communities; productivity; trophic interactions
Abstract The enemy-release hypothesis is one of the most popular but also most discussed hypotheses to explain invasion success. However, there is a lack of explicit, experimental tests of predictions of the enemy-release hypothesis (ERH), particularly regarding the effects of above- and belowground herbivory. Long-term studies investigating the relative effect of herbivores on invasive vs. native plant species within a community are still lacking. Here, we report on a long-term field experiment in an old-field community, invaded by Solidago canadensis s. l., with exclusion of above- and belowground insect herbivores. We monitored population dynamics of the invader and changes in the diversity and functioning of the plant community across eight years. Above- and belowground insects favoured the establishment of the invasive plant species and thereby increased biomass and decreased diversity of the plant community. Effects of invertebrate herbivores on population dynamics of S. canadensis appeared after six years and increased over time, suggesting that long-term studies are needed to understand invasion dynamics and consequences for plant community structure. We suggest that the release from co-evolved trophic linkages is of importance not only for the effect of invasive species on ecosystems, but also for the functioning of novel species assemblages arising from climate change.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=22461
Korell, L., Schädler, M., Brandl, R., Schreiter, S., Auge, H. (2019):
Release from above- and belowground insect herbivory mediates invasion dynamics and impact of an exotic plant
Plants 8 (12), art. 544 10.3390/plants8120544