Understanding the naturalization of Eucalyptus globulus in Portugal: a comparison with Australian plantations

Are post-dispersed seeds of <i>Eucalyptus globulus</i> predated in the introduced range? Evidence from an experiment in Portugal

“…The spatial variation found in the study area regarding the predominant seed predators and the rates of seed use may imply different seed fates depending on the location where they are shed: (a) predation by vertebrates; (b) predation by invertebrates with occasional dispersal events; (c) escaping predation and integration into soil seed banks. Therefore, the spatial variation of seed predation and dispersal by animals may shape the distribution of many plant species (Andersen, 1982;Whelan et al, 1991;Hulme, 1998Hulme, , 1997Alba-Lynn and Henk, 2010). Several factors beyond the scope of this study may explain this spatial variation, such as habitat and micro-habitat traits (Alba-Lynn and Henk, 2010;Manson and Stiles, 1998;Whelan et al, 1991), predator risk for seed-eating animals (Sivy et al, 2011), season and phenology of plant species (Bastida et al, 2009), seed abundance (Holmes, 1990;O'Dowd and Gill, 1984) and alternative food sources.…”

“…Therefore, the spatial variation of seed predation and dispersal by animals may shape the distribution of many plant species (Andersen, 1982;Whelan et al, 1991;Hulme, 1998Hulme, , 1997Alba-Lynn and Henk, 2010). Several factors beyond the scope of this study may explain this spatial variation, such as habitat and micro-habitat traits (Alba-Lynn and Henk, 2010;Manson and Stiles, 1998;Whelan et al, 1991), predator risk for seed-eating animals (Sivy et al, 2011), season and phenology of plant species (Bastida et al, 2009), seed abundance (Holmes, 1990;O'Dowd and Gill, 1984) and alternative food sources. Locations with reduced or negligible seed predation may be prime areas for seedling establishment, because seeds have greater chances of becoming embedded in the soil or litter, and are less likely to be detected and predated in the future (Andersen and Ashton, 1985;Hulme, 1994;Vander Wall, 1994).…”

“…Many studies distinguish among types of animals, particularly vertebrates and invertebrates, using animal-exclusion treatments (e.g. Alba-Lynn and Henk, 2010;Auld and Denham, 1999), because vertebrates and invertebrates may use different foraging areas (Hulme, 1997;Alba-Lynn and Henk, 2010), and the fate of the seeds may depend on the type of harvesting animals (Fedriani et al, 2004;Alba-Lynn and Henk, 2010;Holmes, 1990). Some studies also expose the studied seeds to different habitats and micro-habitats, targeting different animal populations that may have different foraging habits and food preferences (Meiss et al, 2010;Barberá et al, 2006;Ordóñez and Retana, 2004).…”

Carbon Sequestration Potential of Forest Invasive Species: A Case Study with Acacia dealbata Link

“…This naturalization implies that eradicating these species is becoming a long process given the inability to counter the germination rate of seeds already existing in the soil [21]. For different reasons, the same already happened with other species, such as Eucalyptus globulus Labill., which today thrives throughout the national territory in productive, planted forests and in spontaneous stands, which are currently part of the landscape [22].…”

Origins, Diversity and Naturalization of Eucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae) in California

“…Several studies have attempted to quantify the risk that E. globulus and other forestry species will become invasive outside their native ranges [9,10]. While E. globulus has become naturalized and formed landraces in many regions of the world, its spread from the original planting areas is considered 'limited' for plantations in Australia [11], Portugal [12][13][14][15] and South Africa [16]. While E. globulus may spread outside planted areas into adjacent habitat, the vast majority of non-planted seedlings and saplings (often termed wildlings) occur in close proximity to the source (<50 m) [15] (reviewed in [7]).…”