Response of rhizomes of the invasive Hedychium coronarium J. König (Zingiberaceae) to different soil moisture conditions

Abstract

The ability to maintain high competitiveness under a wide range of conditions is common among successful invasive species. The performance of rhizomatous macrophytes in different habitats is closely related to morphological and physiological adaptations in the rhizome system. We investigated the effects of soil moisture conditions on the microstructure of rhizomes of Hedychium coronarium (Zingiberaceae), an aggressive invader of Neotropical riparian sites. We collected rhizome fragments of H. coronarium and soil samples in wet and dry regions of riparian areas dominated by this species in southeastern Brazil. We measured soil moisture content gravimetrically and rhizome fragments were fixed, sectioned, and stained for histological analysis. Only rhizomes from wet regions exhibited aerenchyma, whereas amyloplasts were much more abundant and larger in rhizomes from dry regions than in rhizomes from wet regions. Even though low starch content in wet soils indicates the occurrence of anaerobic metabolism, the presence of aerenchyma may contribute to the typically high performance of H. coronarium in waterlogged soils. Although further studies are needed to assess how responses at the rhizome level affect the competitive ability of H. coronarium, our findings show that they may play a role in the dominance of this species in Neotropical riparian sites.

Experimental Study on Potential Influence of the Invasive Hedychium coronarium J. König on the Evapotranspiration of Riparian Plant Community

“…Although studies have shown the impact of H. coronarium on native species [31,32] and on riparian ecosystems in Brazil [16,33,34], this species may have a greater impact on their environment than what can be measured through changes on diversity and ecological interactions. The findings of this work show the lower evapotranspiration of an invasive species compared to native ones, which may affect the hydrological cycle.…”

“…Hedychium coronarium J. König (Zingiberaceae) is a perennial macrophyte that occurs in both humid environments and understory in riparian forest [36], that has been commonly found in Brazilian riparian forests, where it is spreading fast by changing soil properties, nutrient cycling, and outcompeting native species [16,33,34]. To compare the evapotranspiration (ET) of the invasive species H. coronarium and native species, a controlled experiment was carried out inside a greenhouse, under natural and temperature conditions, located in the campus of the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), municipality of São Carlos, Brazil (22 • 0 55" S, 47 • 53 28" W).…”

Nicotiana azambujae (Solanaceae): A wild tobacco presumably extinct rediscovered after 73 years

“…A significant threat that we noticed is that the habitat of Nicotiana azambujae is heavily invaded by the butterfly ginger (Hedychium coronarium J.Koenig), a highly competitive invasive exotic species in Brazil (Santos et al 2005;Castro et al 2021). The species seems to grow only in regions where Hedychium is absent, probably losing out in the competition for light with these plants.…”

Ecology of Aquatic Macrophytes in Brazil: The Legacy of Francisco De Assis Esteves

“…Our review identified a bias towards a small number of invasive species (U. arrecta and H. verticillata) that are studied in a particular region (Upper Paraná River floodplain), with fewer studies devoted to other species (e.g., Hedychium coronarium; see de Castro et al 2020Castro et al , 2021. Thus, it remains to be clarified whether there are other relevant invasive non-native macrophytes in Brazilian freshwater ecosystems.…”