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Experimental tests of priority effects and light availability on relative performance of Myriophyllum spicatum and Elodea nuttallii propagules in artificial stream channels.

ABSTRACT: Submersed macrophytes have important ecological functions in many streams, but fostering growth of beneficial native species while suppressing weedy invasives may be challenging. Two approaches commonly used in management of terrestrial plant communities may be useful in this context: (1) altering resource availability and (2) establishing desirable species before weeds can invade (priority effects). However, these approaches are rarely used in aquatic systems, despite widespread need for sustainable solutions to aquatic weed problems. In artificial stream channels in California, USA, I conducted experiments with asexual propagules of non-native invasive Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian watermilfoil) and native Elodea nuttallii (western waterweed) to address the questions: (1) How does light availability affect relative performance of the two species?; (2) Does planting the native earlier than the invasive decrease survival or growth rate of the invasive?; and (3) Do light level and priority effects interact? The relative performance between E. nuttallii and M. spicatum had an interesting and unexpected pattern: M. spicatum had higher growth rates than E. nuttallii in the zero and medium shade levels, but had similar performance in the low and high shade levels. This pattern is most likely the result of E. nutallii's sensitivity to both very low and very high light, and M. spicatum's sensitivity to very low light only. Native priority did not significantly affect growth rate or survival of M. spicatum, possibly because of unexpectedly poor growth of the E. nuttallii planted early. This study suggests that altering light levels could be effective in reducing growth of an invasive macrophyte, and for changing the competitive balance between a native and a non-native species in the establishment phase. Further investigations into the use of priority effects and resource alteration for submersed macrophyte management are warranted, given their mixed results in other (limited) studies.

SUBMITTER: Zefferman EP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4366179 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Experimental tests of priority effects and light availability on relative performance of Myriophyllum spicatum and Elodea nuttallii propagules in artificial stream channels.

Zefferman Emily P EP

PloS one 20150319 3

Submersed macrophytes have important ecological functions in many streams, but fostering growth of beneficial native species while suppressing weedy invasives may be challenging. Two approaches commonly used in management of terrestrial plant communities may be useful in this context: (1) altering resource availability and (2) establishing desirable species before weeds can invade (priority effects). However, these approaches are rarely used in aquatic systems, despite widespread need for sustai ...[more]

PMID: 25790180

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Project description:Myriophyllum spicatum or Eurasian watermilfoil (hereafter, milfoil) is among the most problematic invasive aquatic plant species throughout much of North America. M. spicatum infestations can result in reduced diversity and abundance of native plant populations. Control of the invader is essential to promoting healthy ecosystems. Several treatment alternatives are available for milfoil control, although cost and efficacy vary significantly, with some treatments resulting in more harm to the native population than no treatment at all. A series of field-based microcosms containing actively growing milfoil were constructed in order to directly compare the impact of two herbicides (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and fluridone) and the milfoil weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei) on weed control and plant biochemistry. Herbicide concentrations in water, plants, and sediments were monitored, as were weevil population dynamics and resulting invertebrate damage to milfoil stems. The impact of the different treatments on levels of polyphenols, carbohydrates, ash, and overall carbon and nitrogen levels in the milfoil were determined. Total biomass of the untreated milfoil increased by more than 2.7-fold during the 53-day experimental period. Conversely, the biomass of milfoil subjected to chemical or biological treatment either remained constant or decreased significantly during the experiment. The herbicide 2,4-D resulted in nearly 100% milfoil mortality by day 20, whereas fluridone toxicity was significantly slower but reached 75% by the end of the trial. Similarly, milfoil growth in the weevil-amended tanks was somewhat erratic but by the end of the trial, the total plant biomass was 71% less than that of un-amended controls. Although the total biomass remaining at the end of the fluridone and weevil treatments was similar, the carbohydrate and starch content of the shoots in the insect treatment were nearly 4.6- and 4.8-fold greater, respectively, than that of the herbicide treated plants. The higher starch content in insect-treated plants could lead to increased autofragmentation and spread of M. spicatum. However, herbicide treatments are frequently required for several years. Therefore, integrated pest management, which combines the long-term benefits of biological controls with the short-term benefits of herbicides may provide the best solution to the control of M. spicatum and the conservation of native plants.

Project description:Non-indigenous species (NIS) are species living outside their historic or native range. Invasive NIS often cause severe environmental impacts, and may have large economical and social consequences. Elodea (Hydrocharitaceae) is a New World genus with at least five submerged aquatic angiosperm species living in fresh water environments. Our aim was to survey the geographical distribution of cpDNA haplotypes within the native and introduced ranges of invasive aquatic weeds Elodea canadensis and E. nuttallii and to reconstruct the spreading histories of these invasive species. In order to reveal informative chloroplast (cp) genome regions for phylogeographic analyses, we compared the plastid sequences of native and introduced individuals of E. canadensis. In total, we found 235 variable sites (186 SNPs, 47 indels and two inversions) between the two plastid sequences consisting of 112,193 bp and developed primers flanking the most variable genomic areas. These 29 primer pairs were used to compare the level and pattern of intraspecific variation within E. canadensis to interspecific variation between E. canadensis and E. nuttallii. Nine potentially informative primer pairs were used to analyze the phylogeographic structure of both Elodea species, based on 70 E. canadensis and 25 E. nuttallii individuals covering native and introduced distributions. On the whole, the level of variation between the two Elodea species was 53% higher than that within E. canadensis. In our phylogeographic analysis, only a single haplotype was found in the introduced range in both species. These haplotypes H1 (E. canadensis) and A (E. nuttallii) were also widespread in the native range, covering the majority of native populations analyzed. Therefore, we were not able to identify either the geographic origin of the introduced populations or test the hypothesis of single versus multiple introductions. The divergence between E. canadensis haplotypes was surprisingly high, and future research may clarify mechanisms that structure native E. canadensis populations.

Dataset Information

Experimental tests of priority effects and light availability on relative performance of Myriophyllum spicatum and Elodea nuttallii propagules in artificial stream channels.

Publications

Experimental tests of priority effects and light availability on relative performance of Myriophyllum spicatum and Elodea nuttallii propagules in artificial stream channels.

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