Comparison of germination rates and fruit traits of indigenous Solanum giganteum and invasive Solanum mauritianum in South Africa

Jordaan, Lorinda A.; Downs, Colleen T.

doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2012.01.007

Cited by 20 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…mahaleb seeds. Our results suggest that the pulp might have an inhibitory effect on germination, as has been reported for other Prunus species [ 15 , 20 , 49 , 50 ] and other invasive fleshy-fruited plants [ 5 , 11 , 60 ]. The pulp can inhibit germination by blocking the light or gas exchange, due to the presence of secondary metabolites that specifically inhibit certain enzymes involved in the germination process [ 14 , 61 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Generalist dispersers promote germination of an alien fleshy-fruited tree invading natural grasslands

2017

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Plants with animal-dispersed fruits seem to overcome the barriers that limit their spread into new habitats more easily than other invasive plants and, at the same time, they pose special difficulties for containment, control or eradication. The effects of animals on plant propagules can be very diverse, with positive, neutral or negative consequences for germination and recruitment. Moreover, the environmental conditions where the seeds are deposited and where the post-dispersal processes take place can be crucial for their fate. Prunus mahaleb is a fleshy-fruited tree invading natural grasslands in the Argentine Pampas. In this study, we analyzed the importance of pulp removal, endocarp scarification and the effects of vectors on its germination response, by means of germination experiments both in the laboratory and under semi-natural conditions. Our laboratory results demonstrated that endocarp scarification enhances germination and suggests that vestiges of pulp on the stones have inhibitory effects. Frugivores exert a variety of effects on germination responses and this variation can be explained by their differing influence on pulp removal and endocarp scarification. Most frugivores produced a positive effect on germination under laboratory conditions, in comparison to intact fruits and hand-peeled stones. We observed different degrees of pulp removal from the surface of the stones by the dispersers which was directly correlated to the germination response. On the other hand, all the treatments showed high germination responses under semi-natural conditions suggesting that post-dispersal processes, like seed burial, and the exposure to natural conditions might exert a positive effect on germination response, attenuating the plant's dependence on the dispersers’ gut treatment. Our results highlight the need to consider the whole seed dispersal process and the value of combining laboratory and field tests.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Generalist dispersers promote germination of an alien fleshy-fruited tree invading natural grasslands

2017

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“…Their dispersion over time can be maximised by strong physical dormancy, leading to a long-lived seed bank in the soil (Mandák and Pyšek 2001;Richardson and Kluge 2008). Spatial dispersion can be increased in association with effective dispersants, which are often exotic themselves (Jordaan and Downs 2012). The evolutionary potential of germination patterns in introduced regions is also important for plant adaptation: being among the earliest life-stage transitions, it provides the context for subsequent development and predicts the environment experienced throughout the life of the plant (Donohue et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of germination strategy in the invasive speciesUlex europaeus

Udo

Tarayre

Atlan

2016

JPECOL

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Aims. The study of the adaptive potential of the germination patterns of invading species enables us to identify some traits linked with their capacity to colonize new sites, and to better understand their area of distribution. The aim of the present study is to determine the germination pattern of Ulex europaeus, a cosmopolitan invasive species, in relation to temperature and to explore its potential evolution in a tropical invaded region since its introduction from Europe. Methods. We studied the germination pattern of U. europaeus (the common gorse) to test both physical dormancy and germination capacity within the range of temperatures found in the native and invasive regions. To comprehend its germination pattern and its evolution, the rate and the speed of germination, as well as the percentage of seeds that mold during the experiment, have been compared between a native habitat, France and a habitat to which it has been introduced, the tropical island of La Reunion. Important findings. The results show that the gorse seeds possess a very high power of germination, the ability to germinate under a wide range of temperatures and confirm the physical dormancy of the seeds (caused by seed coat impermeability).The decrease in germination from 25ºC upwards, coupled with an increase in the rate of moulding help to explain its restricted distribution at altitude in tropical environments. For scarified seeds, we have not detected any difference between the two regions, neither in the percentage of germinated seeds, nor in the percentage of mould seeds. However, seeds from Réunion germinate faster at 20ºC than seeds from France. For unscarified seeds … and a greater number of seeds from Réunion are able to germinate without scarification (10-60 % for Reunion vs 0-10 % for France). These results suggest that whilst preserving the advantages of the native habitat, in Réunion gorse develops a strategy which favours the rapid occupation of new sites.

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“…The plant has a lifespan of up to thirty years and is a major constituent of agricultural land, forestry plantations, water courses and disturbed environments (Copeland andWharton, 2006, Olckers andBorea, 2009). Bugweed has earned a classification of a category one 'transformer' weed (Jordaan and Downs, 2012) indicating that extensive stands are able to dominate and replace canopy or subcanopy layers of forest ecosystems (Witkowski andGarner, 2008, Olckers, 2011). Bugweed invasions may substantially propagate with changes in regional and global climate (van Wilgen et al, 2008).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Increased nitrogen deposition, increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, elevated temperatures and variability in rainfall, are all consequences of climate change that favour the establishment of the weed (Huang and Asner, 2009). Frugivorous birds also promote high levels of seedling recruitment across the landscape, making bugweed a successful plant invader (Jordaan and Downs, 2012). The weed has the ability to self-pollinate, with a rapid reproductive output and produces berries throughout the year.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The weed has the ability to self-pollinate, with a rapid reproductive output and produces berries throughout the year. Since the berries have a greater nutritional status than many indigenous fruits, its success escalates as many bird species' diets shift with the availability of food resources (Jordaan and Downs, 2012). Each berry contains approximately 150 to 250 seeds of which 98% are viable (van den Bosch et al, 2004) .…”

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confidence: 99%

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The identification and remote detection of alien invasive plants in commercial forests: An Overview

Ismail¹,

Mutanga²,

Peerbhay³

2016

SA J of Geomatics

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Comparison of germination rates and fruit traits of indigenous Solanum giganteum and invasive Solanum mauritianum in South Africa

Cited by 20 publications

References 57 publications

Generalist dispersers promote germination of an alien fleshy-fruited tree invading natural grasslands

Generalist dispersers promote germination of an alien fleshy-fruited tree invading natural grasslands

Evolution of germination strategy in the invasive speciesUlex europaeus

The identification and remote detection of alien invasive plants in commercial forests: An Overview

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