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Explaining the larger seed bank of an invasive shrub in non-native versus native environments by differences in seed predation and plant size.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND AIMS:Large, persistent seed banks contribute to the invasiveness of non-native plants, and maternal plant size is an important contributory factor. We explored the relationships between plant vegetative size (V) and soil seed bank size (S) for the invasive shrub Ulex europaeus in its native range and in non-native populations, and identified which other factors may contribute to seed bank variation between native and invaded regions. METHODS:We compared the native region (France) with two regions where Ulex is invasive, one with seed predators introduced for biological control (New Zealand) and another where seed predators are absent (La Réunion). We quantified seed bank size, plant dimensions, seed predation and soil fertility for six stands in each of the three regions. KEY RESULTS:Seed banks were 9-14 times larger in the two invaded regions compared to native France. We found a positive relationship between current seed bank size and actual plant size, and that any deviation from this relationship was probably due to large differences in seed predation and/or soil fertility. We further identified three possible factors explaining larger seed banks in non-native environments: larger maternal plant size, lower activity of seed predators and higher soil fertility. CONCLUSIONS:In highlighting a positive relationship between maternal plant size and seed bank size, and identifying additional factors that regulate soil seed bank dynamics in non-native ranges, our data offer a number of opportunities for invasive weed control. For non-native Ulex populations specifically, management focusing on 'S' (i.e. the reduction of the seed bank by stimulating germination, or the introduction of seed predators as biological control agents) and/or on 'V' (i.e. by cutting mature stands to reduce maternal plant biomass) offers the most probable combination of effective control options.

SUBMITTER: Bakker MR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6526314 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Explaining the larger seed bank of an invasive shrub in non-native versus native environments by differences in seed predation and plant size.

Bakker Mark R MR Udo Nathalie N Atlan Anne A Gire Céline C Gonzalez Maya M Graham Doug D Leckie Alan A Milin Sylvie S Niollet Sylvie S Xue Jianming J Delerue Florian F

Annals of botany 20190501 5

<h4>Background and aims</h4>Large, persistent seed banks contribute to the invasiveness of non-native plants, and maternal plant size is an important contributory factor. We explored the relationships between plant vegetative size (V) and soil seed bank size (S) for the invasive shrub Ulex europaeus in its native range and in non-native populations, and identified which other factors may contribute to seed bank variation between native and invaded regions.<h4>Methods</h4>We compared the native r ...[more]

PMID: 30590379

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Project description:Abstract The climate in arid Central Asia (ACA) has changed rapidly in recent decades, but the ecological consequences of this are far from clear. To predict the impacts of climate change on ecosystem functioning, greater attention should be given to the relationships between leaf functional traits and environmental heterogeneity. As a dominant constructive shrub widely distributed in ACA, Reaumuria soongarica provided us with an ideal model to understand how leaf functional traits of desert ecosystems responded to the heterogeneous environments of ACA. Here, to determine the influences of genetic and ecological factors, we characterized species?wide variations in leaf traits among 30 wild populations of R. soongarica and 16 populations grown in a common garden. We found that the leaf length, width, and leaf length to width ratio (L/W) of the northern lineage were significantly larger than those of other genetic lineages, and principal component analysis based on the in situ environmental factors distinguished the northern lineage from the other lineages studied. With increasing latitude, leaf length, width, and L/W in the wild populations increased significantly. Leaf length and L/W were negatively correlated with altitude, and first increased and then decreased with increasing mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP). Stepwise regression analyses further indicated that leaf length variation was mainly affected by latitude. However, leaf width was uncorrelated with altitude, MAT, or MAP. The common garden trial showed that leaf width variation among the eastern populations was caused by both local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. Our findings suggest that R. soongarica preferentially changes leaf length to adjust leaf size to cope with environmental change. We also reveal phenotypic evidence for ecological speciation of R. soongarica. These results will help us better understand and predict the consequences of climate change for desert ecosystem functioning. The variations in leaf size along environmental gradients within the species range of Reaumuria soongarica were investigated. Our study shows that there are significant differentiations of leaf size and environmental conditions between genetic lineages in this species. Leaf width variations in heterogeneous environments are partly affected by local adaptation and this shrub preferentially changes leaf length to adjust leaf size to cope with environmental change.

Dataset Information

Explaining the larger seed bank of an invasive shrub in non-native versus native environments by differences in seed predation and plant size.

Publications

Explaining the larger seed bank of an invasive shrub in non-native versus native environments by differences in seed predation and plant size.

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