A functional trait perspective on plant invasion

Drenovsky, Rebecca E.; Grewell, Brenda J.; D’Antonio, Carla M.; Funk, Jennifer L.; James, Jeremy J.; Molinari, Nicole A.; Parker, Ingrid M.; Richards, Christina L.

doi:10.1093/aob/mcs100

Cited by 294 publications

(230 citation statements)

References 170 publications

(196 reference statements)

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“…the link between functional traits and mechanisms of invasion has stimulated much research to improve traitbased approaches (Drenovsky et al 2012). Reaching this maximum information level is a complex process that requires a substantial investment in research (criterion 2).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soft Touch or Heavy Hand? Legislative Approaches for Preventing Invasions: Insights from Cacti in South Africa

Novoa

Kaplan

Kumschick

et al. 2015

Invasive plant sci. manag.

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The rate of transportation, introduction, dissemination, and spread of nonnative species is increasing despite growing global awareness of the extent and impact of biological invasions. Effective policies are needed to prevent an increase in the significant negative environmental and economic impacts caused by invasive species. Here we explore this issue in the context of the history of invasion and subsequent regulation of cacti introduced to South Africa. We consider seven approaches to restricting trade by banning the following: (1) species already invasive in the region, (2) species invasive anywhere in the world, (3) species invasive anywhere in the world with a climate similar to the target region, (4) genera containing invasive species, (5) growth forms associated with invasiveness, (6) cacti with seed characteristics associated with invasiveness, and (7) the whole family. We evaluate each approach on the basis of the availability and complexity of information required for implementation, including the cost of the research needed to acquire such information, the likely numbers of false positives and false negatives, the likely degree of public acceptance, and the costs of implementation. Following a consultative process, we provide recommendations for how to regulate nonnative cacti in South Africa. The simplest option would be to ban all cacti, but available evidence suggests that most species pose negligible risk of becoming invasive, making this option unreasonable. The other extreme-reactively regulating species once they are invasive-would incur significant control costs, likely result in significant environmental and economic impacts, and limit management goals (e.g., eradication might be unfeasible). We recommended an intermediate option-the banning of all genera containing invasive species. This recommendation has been partly incorporated in South African regulations. Our study emphasizes the importance of scientific research, a legal framework, and participation of stakeholders in assessments. This approach builds awareness, trust, and support, and ensures that all interests are reflected in final regulations, making them easier to implement and enforce.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soft Touch or Heavy Hand? Legislative Approaches for Preventing Invasions: Insights from Cacti in South Africa

Novoa

Kaplan

Kumschick

et al. 2015

Invasive plant sci. manag.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Invasions will always be contingent on a number of interacting factors Dredovsky et al 2012). Hence, our experimental design was critical in the interpretation of our results.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…After three growing seasons, our ranking of fitness metrics also fails to show the anticipated consistent gradient of positive (high fitness) to negative (low fitness). This suggests that functional traits vary in their relationship to invasiveness (Dredovsky et al 2012). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The thin green line: sustainable bioenergy feedstocks or invaders in waiting

Smith¹,

Allen²,

Barney

2015

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Numerous fast growing and highly competitive exotic crops are being selected for production of renewable bioenergy. Tolerance of poor growing conditions with minimal inputs are ideal characteristics for bioenergy feedstocks, but have attracted concern for their potential to become invasive. Miscanthus × giganteus is one of the most promising bioenergy crops in the US, but grower adoption is hindered by high establishment costs due to sterility. Newly developed fertile tetraploid M. × giganteus may streamline cultivation while reducing establishment costs. However, fertile seed dramatically increases the potential propagule pressure, and thus probability of off-site plant establishment. To empirically evaluate the invasive potential of fertile M. × giganteus in the Southeastern US, we compared fitness and spread potential relative to ten grass species comprising 19 accessions under both high and low levels of competition and disturbance. We chose species known to be invasive in the US (positive controls: Arundo donax, naturalized M. sinensis, M. sacchariflorus, Phalaris arundinacea, Sorghum halepense) and non-invasive (negative controls; Andropogon gerardii, ornamental M. sinensis, Panicum virgatum, Sorghum bicolor, Saccharum spp.). This novel design allows us to make relative comparisons of risk among species with varying invasiveness. After three years of establishment and growth in Blacksburg, Virginia, neither aboveground disturbance nor interspecific weed competition influenced fitness for fertile M. × giganteus or our positive and negative control groups. Fertile M. × giganteus produced 346% and 283% greater aboveground biomass than our positive and negative species, respectively. However, fertile M. × giganteus produced 74% fewer inflorescences m -2 than our positive controls and 7% and 51% fewer spikelets inflorescence -1 than the positive and negative control species. After 18 months of growth, we observed the vegetative and seedling spread of three of our positive control species (S. halepense, P. arundinacea, and M. sacchariflorus) Smith et al. / NeoBiota 25: 47-71 (2015) 48 into receiving areas of both high and low competition. After 24 months of growth, numerous species were observed outside the cultivated plot including fertile M. × giganteus and 50% of negative control species. Notably, in three years sterile M. × giganteus 'Illinois' and Arundo donax never moved from the cultivated plot. The addition of fertile seed appears to increase the potential for offsite movement, but within the geographic confines of our empirical evaluation, fertile M. × giganteus seedlings are more similar to native P. virgatum and were not nearly as fast growing or as competitive as our positive control S. halepense. The use of numerous species providing relative comparisons allow us to draw important conclusions which may help prepare for widespread commercialization, while providing novel methodology for ecological risk assessment of new species.

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“…First, invasive plants often possess a suite of unique functional traits not present within the non-invaded plant community (Ehrenfeld 2010). In the context of invasion, Drenovsky et al (2012) defines plant functional traits as, ''the readily measurable morphological, chemical, physiological, and phenological attributes of plants that interact with surrounding biotic and abiotic factors'', and we will use this as our working definition. Second, strong effects of invasive plants are characteristics exerting wide-ranging impacts, such as the ability to act as ecosystem engineers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive plant ecosystem engineer facilitates community and trophic level alteration for brackish marsh invertebrates

2014

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Abstract. Wetland habitats are becoming increasingly scarce worldwide while experiencing exceptionally high levels of plant invasion. Invasive plant species affect ecosystems through numerous avenues, including acting as ecosystem engineers, contributing unique plant functional traits, and altering trophic dynamics. We examined the impacts of the invasive weed Lepidium latifolium on soil-dwelling and canopydwelling invertebrate communities in a brackish marsh of northern California. Invertebrate abundance, species richness, diversity, and community composition were measured in both invaded and non-invaded areas of the marsh in four time periods that correspond with different L. latifolium phenologic phases. We observed these different stages of L. latifolium, and we recorded alterations in the habitat structure provided by L. latifolium as the plant entered senescence. L. latifolium had differential impacts on the two invertebrate communities studied. The presence of L. latifolium increased abundance of soil-dwelling invertebrates and decreased the species richness of canopy-dwelling invertebrates in the tidal marsh-terrestrial ecotone where L. latifolium ameliorates harsh physical conditions. No changes occurred in the tidal marsh plain and fringing tidal marsh where L. latifolium's physical structure is more similar to existing non-L. latifolium structure. During full senescence, L. latifolium reduced canopy-dwelling invertebrate abundance and altered trophic dynamics, shifting composition to a predator-dominated community. Our results demonstrate that L. latifolium can impact brackish marsh ecosystems, and we hypothesize L. latifolium's unique functional traits (large inflorescence and seasonal senescence) enable it to act as an ecosystem engineer that alters community and trophic dynamics. Mechanisms through which plant invaders alter ecosystem processes are dynamic in space and time, thus, future research will require the use of manipulative experiments to inform site-specific management strategies.

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A functional trait perspective on plant invasion

Cited by 294 publications

References 170 publications

Soft Touch or Heavy Hand? Legislative Approaches for Preventing Invasions: Insights from Cacti in South Africa

Soft Touch or Heavy Hand? Legislative Approaches for Preventing Invasions: Insights from Cacti in South Africa

The thin green line: sustainable bioenergy feedstocks or invaders in waiting

Invasive plant ecosystem engineer facilitates community and trophic level alteration for brackish marsh invertebrates

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