Superior performance of invasive grasses over native counterparts will remain problematic under warmer and drier conditions

Elevated temperatures and drought may exacerbate invasion success of non-native grasses, as non-native species often possess traits favored by a warmer, drier world. In our study, we assessed plant traits potentially linked to invasion success under elevated temperature and drought, including biomas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant ecology 2021-09, Vol.222 (9), p.993-1006
Main Authors: Duell, Eric B., Londe, Dave W., Hickman, K. R., Greer, Mitchell J., Wilson, Gail W. T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied Ecology
Arbuscular mycorrhizas
Availability
Biodiversity
Biomass
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Colonization
Community & Population Ecology
Drought
Ecology
Fungi
Germination
Grasses
Herbivores
High temperature
Indigenous species
Introduced species
Invasive species
Life Sciences
Moisture content
Native species
Plant biomass
Plant Ecology
Reproductive effort
Seasons
Soil moisture
Soil temperature
Soil water
Temperature
Terrestial Ecology
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Summary:Elevated temperatures and drought may exacerbate invasion success of non-native grasses, as non-native species often possess traits favored by a warmer, drier world. In our study, we assessed plant traits potentially linked to invasion success under elevated temperature and drought, including biomass production, reproductive allocation, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal root colonization, and germination of native grasses and non-native invasive grasses. We selected two caespitose warm-season grasses [native ( Schizachyrium scoparium ) and non-native ( Bothriochloa ischaemum )] and two cool-season grasses [native ( Pascopyrum smithii ) and non-native ( Bromus inermis )]. Plant biomass, reproductive effort, and AM fungal colonization were assessed at two temperatures (ambient or elevated) and four levels of soil water-availability; germination was assessed at two temperatures and three levels of soil water-availability. Non-native warm- and cool-season grasses produced greater vegetative biomass, initiated seed production more frequently, and displayed greater germination when grown under elevated temperature and drought, compared to their paired native counterparts. Percent AM fungal root colonization of the non-native grasses was generally greater than native grasses regardless of soil moisture or elevated temperature. Our results suggest that under warmer and drier conditions non-native grasses will continue to outperform native species, due to greater biomass production, germination capabilities, and colonization by AM fungi.
ISSN:1385-0237
1573-5052
DOI:10.1007/s11258-021-01156-y