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Interactions within Invasive Ecosystems
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Interactions within Invasive Ecosystems

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2024) | Viewed by 8934

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Weitao Li

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Guest Editor
CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China
Interests: microbial community assembly; plant–soil feedback underlying exotic plant invasions; remediation of soil legacy effects caused by exotic plant invasions
Prof. Dr. Yulong Zheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China
Interests: biological invasion; plant physiology
Dr. Yangping Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China
Interests: biological invasive ecology; rapid evolution of invasive plants; invasive plant–soil feedback; interaction between invasive plants and local biotic factors, and dynamic of its effect on natural systems and invasiveness over time

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In invaded regions, alien plants frequently evade predation pressure from both above- and below-ground organisms. Alien plants may trade off their resource allocation in response to their interactions with biota in invaded habitats. In invaded ecosystems, do the interactions between invasive plants and above- and below-ground organisms promote invasion or have more detrimental effects? How do these interactions adapt to environmental changes? What are the key factors that drive changes in interspecific interactions within invaded ecosystems? Investigating the newly established interactions of alien plants can contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant invasion and enhance the theoretical framework of invasion ecology. Solutions based on species interactions can offer a theoretical foundation for preventing and managing the invasion of alien plants.

Dr. Weitao Li
Prof. Dr. Yulong Zheng
Dr. Yangping Li
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • exotic plant
  • invasion
  • interactions
  • soil biota
  • herbivore

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3435 KiB  
Article
High Propagule Pressure and Patchy Biotic Resistance Control the Local Invasion Process of the Tree Ligustrum lucidum in a Subtropical Forest of Uruguay
by Alejandro Brazeiro, Federico Haretche, Carolina Toranza and Alexandra Cravino
Plants 2025, 14(6), 873; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14060873 - 11 Mar 2025
Viewed by 506
Abstract
The tree Ligustrum lucidum (W. T. Aiton, Oleaceae), native to East Asia (China), has become an aggressive invader of subtropical and temperate forests around the world. To understand how its local small-scale spread is controlled, we studied (48 plots of 4 m−2 [...] Read more.
The tree Ligustrum lucidum (W. T. Aiton, Oleaceae), native to East Asia (China), has become an aggressive invader of subtropical and temperate forests around the world. To understand how its local small-scale spread is controlled, we studied (48 plots of 4 m−2), in a subtropical forest of Uruguay, the distribution and survival of seedlings, saplings, and poles to assess the effects of dispersal from mother trees (distance), microsite type (forest stands defined by dominant species), and past control measures. The propagule pressure of L. lucidum, estimated through seedlings density, was between 100 and 1000 times higher than that of other species of the community and was concentrated around mother trees (<10 m of distance). Spatial variability of seedlings, saplings, and poles densities were explained by the interaction between distance to mother trees and forest stands. Significative lower densities were observed in the forest patches (stands) dominated by Jodina rhombifolia, and a field survival experiment confirmed lower survival of poles at Jodina stands, demonstrating that some resistance mechanism is operating there. We propose two biotic mechanisms of resistance: herbaceous competition and/or roots hemiparasitism by J. rhombifolia, reducing seedling and sapling survival. We concluded that a high propagule pressure, small-scale dispersal from mother trees, and patchy biotic resistance at Jodina stands control the local spread and domination process of the tree L. lucidum in the studied forest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions within Invasive Ecosystems)
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16 pages, 2189 KiB  
Article
Higher Nitrogen Uptakes Contribute to Growth Advantage of Invasive Solanum rostratum over Two Co-Occurring Natives Under Different Soil Nitrogen Forms and Concentrations
by Jian-Kun Sun, Ming-Chao Liu, Ji-Xin Chen, Bo Qu, Ying Gao, Lin Geng, Li Zheng and Yu-Long Feng
Plants 2025, 14(5), 640; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050640 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 292
Abstract
High nitrogen (N) uptake is one of the main reasons for invasive alien plant invasions. However, little effort has been made to compare the effects of different N forms on N uptake between invasive and native plants, especially those on N form acquisition [...] Read more.
High nitrogen (N) uptake is one of the main reasons for invasive alien plant invasions. However, little effort has been made to compare the effects of different N forms on N uptake between invasive and native plants, especially those on N form acquisition strategies (preference and plasticity), which influence N uptake, and thus exotic plant invasions. Related studies are particularly few in barren habitats, where the effects of N deposition on invasiveness are considered to be much weaker than in fertile habitats. In this study, we grew Solanum rostratum, a noxious invader in barren habitats, and the native plants Leymus chinensis and Agropyron cristatum in both mono- and mixed cultures under nitrate and ammonium addition treatments, and analyzed the effects of the soil N availability and forms on the growth, N uptake, and N form acquisition strategies for these plants. The invader outperformed the natives in N uptake (in most cases) and growth (always) in both mono- and mixed cultures under all N treatments. N addition increased the N uptake and growth of the invader. The advantages of the invader over the natives were higher under ammonium relative to nitrate addition. The growth advantage of the invader was associated with its higher N uptake and higher N-use efficiency. Higher plasticity in N form uptake may contribute to the higher N uptake for the invader when grown in mixed cultures. Our findings indicate that N deposition, particularly in the form of ammonium, may accelerate exotic plant invasions in barren habitats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions within Invasive Ecosystems)
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14 pages, 1234 KiB  
Article
Heat Wave Adaptations: Unraveling the Competitive Dynamics Between Invasive Wedelia trilobata and Native Wedelia chinensis
by Haochen Yu, Cheng Han, Guangqian Ren, Xuanwen Wu, Shanshan Qi, Bin Yang, Miaomiao Cui, Xue Fan, Zhaoqi Zhu, Zhicong Dai and Daolin Du
Plants 2024, 13(24), 3480; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13243480 - 12 Dec 2024
Viewed by 790
Abstract
Heat waves (HW) are projected to become more frequent and intense with climate change, potentially enhancing the invasiveness of certain plant species. This study aims to compare the physiological and photosynthetic responses of the invasive Wedelia trilobata and its native congener Wedelia chinensis [...] Read more.
Heat waves (HW) are projected to become more frequent and intense with climate change, potentially enhancing the invasiveness of certain plant species. This study aims to compare the physiological and photosynthetic responses of the invasive Wedelia trilobata and its native congener Wedelia chinensis under simulated heat wave conditions (40.1 °C, derived from local historical data). Results show that W. trilobata maintained higher photosynthetic efficiency, water-use efficiency (WUE), and total biomass under HW, suggesting that its ability to optimize above-ground growth contributes to its success in heat-prone environments. In contrast, W. chinensis focused more on root development and antioxidant protection, exhibiting a decrease in total biomass under heat wave conditions. These results indicate that W. trilobata employs a more effective strategy to cope with heat stress, likely enhancing its competitive advantage in regions affected by heat waves. This study highlights the importance of understanding species-specific responses to extreme climate events and underscores the potential for heat waves to drive ecological shifts, favoring invasive species with higher phenotypic plasticity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions within Invasive Ecosystems)
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12 pages, 2058 KiB  
Communication
Effects of Microplastics, Fertilization and Pesticides on Alien and Native Plants
by Xiong Shi, Guilin Yang and Yulong Zheng
Plants 2024, 13(21), 2947; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13212947 - 22 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1361
Abstract
Plastic mulches, fertilizers and pesticides have been extensively employed in agriculture to increase crop yields, though it has also led to the inadvertent accumulation of them over time. These accumulations have the potential to disrupt the soil ecological process and subsequently impact the [...] Read more.
Plastic mulches, fertilizers and pesticides have been extensively employed in agriculture to increase crop yields, though it has also led to the inadvertent accumulation of them over time. These accumulations have the potential to disrupt the soil ecological process and subsequently impact the plant community composition. Alien plants always benefit from environmental variability, thus whether the accumulation of fertilizer, plastic, and pesticide in soil promotes the dominance of alien plants in an invaded community. Here, five aliens and co-occurring natives were selected as study materials, and a full factorial experiment was conducted to answer this question. Our study found that microplastics promote the biomass production of native plants at higher nutrient availability while having marginal influence on growth of alien plants. Alien plants exhibited a lower root mass fraction (RMF) with increased nutrient availability and a higher specific leaf area (SLA) in response to the addition of nutrients and microplastics. Pesticide residues in the soil also significantly decreased the root mass fraction of three species, but there was no significant difference between the effects on alien and native species. Overall, our results revealed that alien species adjusted their functional traits more quickly, but native species gained more growth advantages in response to fertilization and microplastics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions within Invasive Ecosystems)
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13 pages, 1574 KiB  
Article
Variation in Seed Morphological Traits Affects the Dispersal Strategies of Chromolaena odorata Following Invasion
by Yangping Li, Guofen Wang, Yupeng Geng, Ju Li and Yulong Feng
Plants 2024, 13(13), 1747; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13131747 - 24 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1912
Abstract
Seed germination and dispersal have an important impact on the establishment and spread of invasive plants. Understanding the extent of intraspecific seed trait variations can enhance our understanding of how invasive plants respond to environmental change after introduction and help predict the dynamic [...] Read more.
Seed germination and dispersal have an important impact on the establishment and spread of invasive plants. Understanding the extent of intraspecific seed trait variations can enhance our understanding of how invasive plants respond to environmental change after introduction and help predict the dynamic of invasive species under future environmental conditions. However, less attention has been given to the variation in seed traits within species as opposed to among species. We compared seed production, seed morphological traits, dispersal ability, and seedling performance of Chromolaena odorata from 10 introduced populations in Asia and 12 native populations in America in a common garden. The results showed that range (introduced vs. native) and climate affected these traits. Compared with the native population, the introduced populations had higher seed numbers per capitula, lighter seeds, and higher potential dispersal ability seeds (lower terminal velocity) but lower germination rates and seedling lengths. Climatic clines in seed numbers per capitula and pappus length were observed; however, the clines in pappus length differed between the introduced and native populations. Trait covariation patterns were also different between both ranges. In the native populations, there was a trade-off between seed numbers per capitula and seed mass, while this relationship was not found for the introduced populations. These results indicate that C. odorata alters the ecological strategy of seed following invasion, which facilitates its establishment and fast dispersal and contributes to successful invasion in the introduced ranges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions within Invasive Ecosystems)
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18 pages, 3363 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Soil Properties on Species Diversity and Structure in Alternanthera philoxeroides-Invaded and Native Plant Communities
by Hao Wu, Yuxin Liu, Tiantian Zhang, Mingxia Xu and Benqiang Rao
Plants 2024, 13(9), 1196; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13091196 - 25 Apr 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1900
Abstract
Soil properties can affect plant population dynamics and the coexistence of native and invasive plants, thus potentially affecting community structure and invasion trends. However, the different impacts of soil physicochemical properties on species diversity and structure in native and invaded plant communities remain [...] Read more.
Soil properties can affect plant population dynamics and the coexistence of native and invasive plants, thus potentially affecting community structure and invasion trends. However, the different impacts of soil physicochemical properties on species diversity and structure in native and invaded plant communities remain unclear. In this study, we established a total of 30 Alternanthera philoxeroides-invaded plots and 30 control plots in an area at the geographical boundary between North and South China. We compared the differences in species composition between the invaded and native plant communities, and we then used the methods of regression analysis, redundancy analysis (RDA), and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to examine the impacts of soil physicochemical properties on four α-diversity indices and the species distribution of these two types of communities. We found that A. philoxeroides invasion increased the difference between the importance values of dominant plant species, and the invasion coverage had a negative relationship with the soil-available potassium (R2 = 0.135; p = 0.046) and Patrick richness index (R2 = 0.322; p < 0.001). In the native communities, the species diversity was determined with soil chemical properties, the Patrick richness index, the Simpson dominance index, and the Shannon–Wiener diversity index, which all decreased with the increase in soil pH value, available potassium, organic matter, and ammonium nitrogen. However, in the invaded communities, the species diversity was determined by soil physical properties; the Pielou evenness index increased with increasing non-capillary porosity but decreased with increasing capillary porosity. The determinants of species distribution in the native communities were soil porosity and nitrate nitrogen, while the determinants in the invaded communities were soil bulk density and available potassium. In addition, compared with the native communities, the clustering degree of species distribution in the invaded communities intensified. Our study indicates that species diversity and distribution have significant heterogeneous responses to soil physicochemical properties between A. philoxeroides-invaded and native plant communities. Thus, we need to intensify the monitoring of soil properties in invaded habitats and conduct biotic replacement strategies based on the heterogeneous responses of native and invaded communities to effectively prevent the biotic homogenization that is caused by plant invasions under environmental changes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions within Invasive Ecosystems)
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Review

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20 pages, 6267 KiB  
Review
What’s Wrong with Gazanias? A Review of the Biology and Management of Weedy Gazania Species
by Babar Shahzad, Muhammad Adnan and Ali Ahsan Bajwa
Plants 2025, 14(6), 915; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14060915 - 14 Mar 2025
Viewed by 967
Abstract
Gazania is a genus of herbaceous plants from the Asteraceae (daisy) family. Native to southern Africa, several species of this genus have been introduced to different countries as ornamental garden plants due to their beautiful flowers. In the wild, Gazania species have been [...] Read more.
Gazania is a genus of herbaceous plants from the Asteraceae (daisy) family. Native to southern Africa, several species of this genus have been introduced to different countries as ornamental garden plants due to their beautiful flowers. In the wild, Gazania species have been observed with flowers of different shades of pink, red, yellow, orange and combination of these colours. Some species of Gazania have escaped the gardens and become highly invasive weeds in their introduced range. Invasive, drought-tolerant and prolific seed-producing Gazania plants are found in Australia, New Zealand, Algeria, Egypt, Europe and California. In particular, two perennial species, Gazania linearis and Gazania rigens, commonly known as gazania, have become a major problem in Australia. They have naturalized and are widespread in a range of environments, such as roadsides, pasture/grassland systems, coastal sand dunes, and natural and managed ecosystems. Their seeds and underground reproductive structures are carried along roadsides by slashers, machinery, wind and water, and spread into native vegetation, pastures, horticultural crops and broadacre agronomic crop production systems. Gazania causes significant environmental, production and economic losses in the infested ecosystems. While limited research has been conducted on their biology and invasion ecology, anecdotal evidence suggests that the ability of gazania plants to produce a large number of seeds form thick, dense populations, and tolerate harsh environments, including drought, heat and sub-optimal soil pH, making them persistent, problematic weed species. In addition, perennial growth habit, high genetic diversity and allelopathic potential have also been suggested to facilitate their invasion success, but no research has been conducted on these aspects. Gazania is very difficult to manage, and currently, there are no effective control options available, including chemical herbicides. The lack of knowledge on their biology, invasion pathways and management is hindering the effective management of gazanias. This review compiles and synthesizes currently available information on the distribution, biology, ecology and management of weedy gazania species, with a particular focus on Australia. We also highlight the key knowledge gaps for future research. We believe this information provides researchers and practitioners with an up-to-date account on the weedy aspects of these popular ornamental plants and will help improve management efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions within Invasive Ecosystems)
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