The role of plant species size in invasibility: a field experiment.

Oecologia
Brandon S Schamp, Lonnie W Aarssen

Abstract

Large plant species self-thin to disproportionately lower densities than smaller plant species, and therefore may leave more patches of unused space suitable for invasion. Using experimental monocultures of 11 old-field perennial plant species differing in maximum size, as well as mixtures composed of all monoculture species, we tested our primary hypothesis that monocultures of larger species will be more susceptible to natural invasion. After 3 years, monocultures of larger species were invaded by a significantly greater number of species, and more ramets, from the surrounding vegetation. Invading plant species were significantly smaller than the monoculture species being invaded, suggesting that smaller plant species may be better invaders. Thus, we quantified a trade-off between species size, which is frequently associated with increased competitive ability for light, and invasibility, suggesting one reason why large and small species coexist in virtually all plant communities. Although we expected that invasion would enhance biomass production by more fully capturing available resources, we found that the most highly invaded plots of each species produced significantly less biomass. This suggests that increased diversity r...Continue Reading

References

Apr 27, 2000·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·N Brokaw, R T Busing
Jun 5, 2003·Journal of Theoretical Biology·Laura G PerrySusan M Galatowitsch
Sep 11, 2004·Risk Analysis : an Official Publication of the Society for Risk Analysis·Michelle MarvierMichael G Neubert
May 17, 2006·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Julie L LockwoodTim Blackburn
Jul 29, 2006·The American Naturalist·Jos L HierroRagan M Callaway
Jul 29, 2006·The American Naturalist·Robert A Laird, Brandon S Schamp
Oct 27, 2006·Nature·Bradley J CardinaleClaire Jouseau
Jun 28, 2007·Ecology Letters·James B GraceMichael R Willig
Jan 1, 1982·Oecologia·B D Woodward

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