羽枝青藓和瘤柄匐灯藓对入侵植物种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

入侵植物会通过化感作用等手段抑制本地种的生存繁衍,但本土植物尤其是地被层的藓类植物对入侵植物有何影响尚不清楚。本文以本土羽枝青藓和瘤柄匐灯藓为供体材料,以恶性入侵杂草稗草和野胡萝卜为受试材料,从藓丛结构特征和化感作用角度探究藓类植物对入侵植物种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响。结果表明: 2种入侵植物种子落入藓丛后其发芽率、发芽势和发芽指数均受到显著抑制,抑制效果为藓丛上部>藓丛下部>无藓丛。稗草种子落入藓丛下部会显著影响其根长和根芽比。施加藓类浸提液均显著降低2种入侵植物的发芽率、发芽势及发芽指数,但呈现不同的浓度效应。施加浸提液在一定程度上增加了稗草幼苗芽长、根长和根芽比,但对野胡萝卜无明显的规律性影响。藓类植物对2种入侵植物种子萌发和幼苗生长的化感综合效应均表现为抑制作用,其中,野胡萝卜的敏感性大于稗草,且高浓度下更加明显。可见,藓类植物对入侵植物种子萌发和幼苗生长具有一定抑制作用。     

Timing is everything: does early and late germination favor invasions by herbaceous alien plants?

Aims Plant invasions represent a unique opportunity to study the mechanisms underlying community assembly rules and species distribution patterns. While a superior competitive ability has often been proposed as a major driver of successful plant invasions, its significance depends crucially on the timing of any competitive interaction. We assess whether a mismatch in germination phenology can favor the establishment of alien species, allowing them to exploit vacant niches where competition is low. As well as having important effects on the survival, growth and fitness of a species, asymmetric competition and potential soil legacies resulting from early or late germination can also impact on species recruitment. However, early or late germination comes at a cost, increases the risks of exposure to unfavorable conditions and requires an enhanced abiotic resistance if it is to lead to successful establishment.Important findings While there are several anecdotal accounts of early and late germination for invasive species, there are limited comparative data with resident species growing under natural conditions. Available evidence from grassland communities indicates that a short-term germination advantage or priority (few days/weeks) provides invasive species with a strong competitive advantage over native species and is a critical factor in many invasions. While the exploitation of periods of low competition is a plausible mechanism for the successful establishment of many invasive plants, direct evidence for this strategy is still scarce. This is particularly true with regard to the exploitation of late germination niches. Consequently, long-term comparative monitoring of the germination phenology of invasive and native plants in situ is needed to assess its significance in a range of ecosystems and its impact on community dynamics.     

Differences in seed properties and germination between native and introduced populations of Triadica sebifera

很多入侵植物的种子比原产地植物的种子萌发的更快,这可能有利于它们成功入侵。为了理解生物入侵过程,对入侵植物的入侵种群 和原产地种群的种子特性和萌发特征同时进行评估极为必要。本研究中,我们以乌桕(Triadica sebifera)为研究对象探究种子萌发和种子 特征的种内差异。 我们利用采于2017年的乌桕种子,来自中国的12个原产地种群和美国的12个引入地种群,测定种子的物理性状(体积、重量、种皮硬度和种皮厚度)和化学特性[种仁的粗脂肪、可溶性蛋白质、糖、赤霉素(GA)和脱落酸(ABA)],并在中国的温室中测定种子的发芽率和萌发时间。此外,我们在美国用采自2016年和2017年的种子开展了研究地点(中国和美国)和种子采集年份(2016年和2017年)对种子萌发影响的比较实验。 来自引入地的种子要比来自原产地的种子萌发更快。种子的物理和化学特性测定结果表明：与原产地种子相比,引入地种子更大、种仁内含有的赤霉素浓度以及GA:ABA比更高,但粗脂肪含量较低。种子重量、种皮硬度、种皮厚度、种仁脱落酸、可溶性蛋白质和糖含量在引入地和原产地之间没有显著差异。在中国和美国温室间的种子萌发率具有相关性,但种群的萌发率具有年际变化。我们的研究结果表明,体积较大和赤霉素含量较高的种子可能有助于快速萌发,这可能也有利于乌桕在引入地的入侵。     

Non-redundancy in seed dispersal and germination by native and introduced frugivorous birds: implications of invasive bird impact on native plant communities

Seed dispersal by vertebrate animals is important for the establishment of many fleshy-fruited plant species. Different frugivorous species can provide different seed dispersal services according to their specific dietary preferences as well as behaviour and body traits (e.g. body size and beak size of birds). Our aim was to study redundancies and complementarities in seed dispersal and germination between the two main native seed disperser birds and the introduced silver pheasant Lophura nycthemera in the temperate Patagonian forests. For this, we collected fresh droppings from the studied species and analyzed seed content. We conducted germination trials for four plant species common in bird droppings; two native species (Aristotelia chilensis and Rhaphithamnus spinosus) and two invasive non-native species (Rubus ulmifolius and Rosa rubiginosa). Both native frugivorous birds and the silver pheasant dispersed fruits of non- native fleshy-fruited plants, but their roles were non-redundant in terms of species dispersed and effect on seed germination. The silver pheasant dispersed a proportionally high number of non-native seeds, while native birds dispersed a high number of native seeds. In addition, the effect of gut treatment in seed germination differed between seed dispersers. Native birds promoted the germination for the two native plant species studied, while the silver pheasant promoted the germination of one non-native plant. This suggests that seed dispersal by the silver pheasant may contribute to the spread of some invasive fleshy-fruited plants in the ecosystems that otherwise would not be dispersed by any other bird. The understanding of redundancies and complementarities on seed dispersal and germination between native and introduced birds will allow improving the management of fleshy-fruited non-native plants.     

入侵植物北美车前和野胡萝卜种内及种间的化感作用

当前入侵植物种类和入侵范围均日益扩大,而多种入侵植物共同入侵同一生境的概率也逐渐增加。为探讨这些入侵植物种内和种间的化感作用以及化感作用对其竞争能力的影响,本研究以北美车前(Plantago virgica)和野胡萝卜(Daucus carota)为例,采用室内生物学测定法,分析了2种植物不同器官(根、茎或花序轴、叶)、不同浓度(CK、0.005、0.01和0.05 g·mL^-1)的水浸提液培养对其自身和对方种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响。结果表明,浸提液浓度对2种入侵植物种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响最大,且浓度、器官及物种之间存在显著交互作用。2物种各器官各浓度浸提液对二者种子萌发总体表现为抑制;中低浓度浸提液对同种植物幼苗生长有一定促进作用;高浓度浸提液尤其是野胡萝卜叶浸提液对二者种子萌发与幼苗生长均有显著抑制作用。综合化感效应指数表明,浸提液浓度越高抑制作用越强,地上部分化感效应强于地下,且野胡萝卜对北美车前的种间化感作用最强。由此可见,种内和种间化感作用是入侵植物在相同入侵地相互竞争的重要方式。     

Effects of germination time on seed morph ratio in a seed-dimorphic species and possible ecological significance

Background and Aims Diaspores of heteromorphic species may germinate at different times due to distinct dormancy-breaking and germination requirements, and this difference can influence life history traits. The primary aim of this study was to determine the effect of germination time of the two seed morphs of Suaeda corniculata subsp. mongolica on life history traits of the offspring.Methods Germinated brown and black seeds were sown on the 20th of each month from April to September in a simulated but near-natural habitat of the species. Phenological and vegetative traits of the maternal plants, and number, size and germination percentage of the offspring were determined.Key Results Germinated seeds sown late in the year produced smaller plants that had a higher proportion of non-dormant brown than dormant black seeds, and these brown seeds were larger than those produced by germinated seeds sown early in the year. The length of the seedling stage for brown seeds was shorter than that for black seeds, and the root/shoot ratio and reproductive allocation of plants from brown seeds were more variable than they were for plants from black seeds. Late-germinating brown seeds produced larger plants than late-germinating black seeds.Conclusions Altering the proportion of the two seed types in response to germination timing can help alleviate the adverse effects of delayed germination. The flexible strategy of a species, such as S. corniculata, that produces different proportions of dimorphic seeds in response to variation in germination timing may favour the maintenance and regeneration of the population in its unpredictable environment.     

Early bird catches the worm: germination as a critical step in plant invasion

The germination behavior of a plant influences its fitness, persistence, and evolutionary potential, as well as its biotic environment. This can have major effects on the invasive potential of a species. We review the findings of four types of experimental studies comparing basic germination characteristics of invasive versus non-invasive congeners, in their non-native or native distribution range; invasive alien versus native species; and invasive species in their native versus non-native distribution range. Early and/or rapid germination is typical of invasive species rather than their non-invasive congeners, and represents a pre-adaptation from which many invasive and naturalized species benefit. It also occurs more often in invasive than native species, suggesting that competition mitigation or avoidance in the early stages of a plant’s life, via the exploitation of vacant germination niches, might be more useful than a superior competitive ability in novel environments. This is further supported by a tendency of invasive species to germinate earlier and/or faster and have broader germination cues in their non-native than in their native range. It is also supported by broader germination requirements being reported for invasive species than their non-invasive or native congeners. In contrast, high percentage germination is not a consistent predictor of invasiveness, suggesting that the incorporation of a larger fraction of seed production into the soil seed bank rather than high germination is a better (or safer) strategy in novel environments. These patterns indicate that differences in the germination behavior of alien and native species contribute to the invasiveness of many species, although evidence under natural conditions is needed. The role of such differences in the establishment and spread of invasive species in novel environments and their long-term impact on community dynamics requires further study.     

Variation in seed traits of Lobelia inflata (Campanulaceae): sources and fitness consequences

Seed germination constitutes an important event in the life cycle of plants. Two related seed traits affect fitness: seed size and the timing of seed germination. In three sets of experiments, we (1) partition the sources of seed-size variance in Lobelia inflata into components attributable to fruit size, relative fruit position, and parental identity; (2) examine the influence of pregermination conditions and seed size on time to germination; and (3) assess the fitness consequences of seed size and germination timing under seminatural, harsh conditions. Seed-size variance is attributable to both parental identity and fruit position within an individual. Distal fruits produce larger but fewer seeds. No significant correlation exists between fruit size and seed size, but a trade-off is found between the number and size of seeds contained in a fruit after correcting for fruit size. The timing of germination is influenced by seed size, light conditions before winter, and winter duration. Germination timing influences survival, and despite small seed size in this species (2 × 10 g/seed), seed size has a persistent and significant association with both final plant size and the probability of survival to autumn.     

Timing of disturbance alters competitive outcomes and mechanisms of coexistence in an annual plant model

Ecological disturbance is inherently a multi-faceted phenomenon; disturbance events can differ in distinct quantifiable aspects, such as intensity, duration, spatial extent, and time since last disturbance. Though effects of disturbance timing (specifically, time within a season) have been investigated empirically, theoretical work is lacking, in part because effects of disturbance may depend on the timing relative to the life cycle of the species in question. To demonstrate a theoretical basis for the effects of timing, we develop a model of annual plants subject to soil disturbance. We show that timing of disturbance can have significant effects on community composition. In addition, we quantify the mechanisms of coexistence acting under different timing regimes and show that differences in timing lead to different coexistence mechanisms. Specifically, we find that early disturbance (which enhances germination from the seed bank) generates the storage effect, whereas coexistence under late disturbance (which reduces adult fecundity and contributions to the soil seed bank) depends more on relative nonlinearity of competition. We discuss these two distinct mechanisms within the context of the underlying ecological processes, and we also briefly consider the broader implications of our analyses for disturbance timing in real communities. Our findings extend ecological disturbance theory by linking timing to specific competitive outcomes and can be applied to a wide range of disturbance-prone communities. Because we identify the underlying mechanisms resulting from different disturbance timings, our results can potentially inform theory for conservation and invasive species management practice.     

Cracking the case: Seed traits and phylogeny predict time to germination in prairie restoration species

Traits are important for understanding how plant communities assemble and function, providing a common currency for studying ecological processes across species, locations, and habitat types. However, the majority of studies relating species traits to community assembly rely upon vegetative traits of mature plants. Seed traits, which are understudied relative to whole‐plant traits, are key to understanding assembly of plant communities. This is particularly true for restored communities, which are typically started de novo from seed, making seed germination a critical first step in community assembly and an early filter for plant establishment. We experimentally tested the effects of seed traits (mass, shape, and embryo to seed size ratio) and phylogeny on germination response in 32 species commonly used in prairie grassland restoration in the Midwestern USA, analyzing data using time‐to‐event (survival) analysis. As germination is also influenced by seed dormancy, and dormancy break treatments are commonly employed in restoration, we also tested the effects of two pretreatments (cold stratification and gibberellic acid application) on time to germination. Seed traits, phylogeny, and seed pretreatments all affected time to germination. Of all traits tested, variables related to seed shape (height and shape variance) best predicted germination response, with high‐variance (i.e., pointier and narrower) seeds germinating faster. Phylogenetic position (the location of species on the phylogenetic tree relative to other tested species) was also an important predictor of germination response, that is, closely related species showed similar patterns in time to germination. This was true despite the fact that all measured seed traits showed phylogenetic signal, therefore phylogeny provided residual information that was not already captured by measured seed traits. Seed traits, phylogenetic position, and germination pretreatments were important predictors of germination response for a suite of species commonly used in grassland restoration. Shape traits were especially important, while mass, often the only seed trait used in studies of community assembly, was not a strong predictor of germination timing. These findings illustrate the ecological importance of seed traits that are rarely incorporated into functional studies of plant communities. This information can also be used to advance restoration practice by guiding restoration planning and seed mix design.     

Phytochrome regulation of seed germination

Seed germination of many plant species is influenced by light. Of the various photoreceptor systems, phytochrome plays an especially important role in seed germination. The existence of at least five phytochrome genes has led to the proposal that different members of the family have different roles in the photoregulation of seed germination. Physiological analysis of seed germination ofArabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. with phytochrome-deficient mutants showed for the first time that phytochrome A and phytochrome B modulate the timing of seed germination in distinct actions. Phytochrome A photo-irreversibly triggers the photoinduction of seed germination after irradiation with extremely low fluence light in a wide range of wavelengths, from UV-A, to visible, to far-red. In contrast, phytochrome B mediates the well-characterized photoreversible reaction, responding to red and far-red light of fluences four orders of magnitude higher than those to which PhyA responds. Wild plants, such asA. thaliana, survive under ground as dormant seeds for long periods, and the timing of seed germination is crucial for optimizing growth and reproduction. It therefore seems reasonable for plants to possess at least two different physiological systems for sensing the light environment over a wide spectral range with exquisite sensitivity of different phytochromes. This redundancy seems to enhance plant survival in a fluctuating environment.     

Effect of seed passage through vertebrate frugivores' guts on germination: a review

The capacity of seeds to germinate after ingestion by frugivores is important for the population dynamics of some plant species and significant for the evolution of plant-frugivore interactions. In this paper the effects of different vertebrates on seed germination of nearly 200 plant species are reviewed, searching for patterns that predict the circumstances in which germination of seeds is enhanced, inhibited, or unaffected by the passage through the digestive tract of a seed disperser. It was found that seed dispersers commonly have an effect on the germinability of seeds, or on the rate of germination, or both, in about 50% of the plants they consume, although the diversity of animal species tested so far is still rather low (42 bird species, 28 non-flying mammals, 10–15 bats, 12 reptiles, 2 fishes). Enhancement of germination occurred about twice as often as inhibition.

In spite of the morphological and physiological differences in their digestive tracts, the different animal groups tested have similar effects on seed germination, although non-flying mammals tend to influence germination slightly more often than the other groups. Data on fishes are still too scarce for any generalization. Seed retention time in the dispersers' digestive tract is one factor affecting germination, and helps to explain the variation in seed responses observed among plant species, and even within a species. However other factors are also important; for example, the type of food ingested along with the fruits may affect germination through its influence on chemical or mechanical abrasion of the seed coat. Seed traits such as coat structure or thickness may themselves be responsible for some of the variation in seed retention times. Seeds of different sizes, which usually have different transit times through frugivores, and seeds of either fleshy or dry fruits, show often similar germination response to gut passage.

Seeds of different plants species differ strongly in their germination response after ingestion, even by the same frugivore species. Congeneric plants often show little consistency in their response. Even within a species variation is found which can be related to factors such as the environmental conditions under which germination takes place, seed morphology, seed age, and the season when the seeds are produced.

The effect of gut passage on germination differs between tropical and temperate zones. Seed germination of both shrubs and trees (data on herbaceous species are still scarce) in the temperate zone is more frequently enhanced than in the tropics. This result supports the hypothesis that enhanced germination may be more advantageous in unpredictable or less constant environments. Significant differences in frugivore-mediated germination are also found among different life forms. In both tropical and temperate zones, trees appear to be consistently more affected than shrubs or herbs. This might be due to an overall higher thickness of the seed coats, or to a higher frequency of seed-coat dormancy in tree species.

The influence of frugivory upon the population dynamics of a species has to be evaluated relative to other factors that influence germination and seedling recruitment at a particular site. Whether seed ingestion by dispersers is really advantageous to a plant (as has commonly been assumed) can only be assessed if we also determine the fate of the ingested seeds under natural conditions, and compare it to the fate of seeds that have not been ingested.     

Have your cake and eat it too: greater dispersal ability and faster germination towards range edges of an invasive plant species in eastern Australia

The process of range expansion often selects for traits that maximize invasion success at range edges. For example, during range expansion, individuals with greater dispersal and colonization ability will be selected for towards range edges. For wind dispersed plants, however, there exists a fundamental trade-off between dispersal and colonization ability (germination success and growth) that is mediated by seed size; smaller seeds often have greater dispersal ability but poorer colonization ability. We investigated the nature of the dispersal/colonization trade-off by comparing dispersal ability (wing loading ratio: seed mass/wing area), germination success and growth related traits across multiple populations of a coastal exotic invasive plant species (Gladiolus gueinzii Kunze) along its entire introduced distribution in eastern Australia. We found that G. gueinzii had significantly greater dispersal ability towards its range edges which was mediated by a decrease in seed mass. However, this was not associated with a decrease in probability of germination or growth after 3 months. In fact, seeds from range edge populations had significantly faster germination times. Our results suggest that a shift towards greater dispersal ability does not have an associated negative effect on the colonization ability of G. gueinzii and may be a key factor in promoting further range expansion of this exotic invasive species.     

Do seeds sense each other? Testing for density‐dependent germination in desert perennial plants

The timing of seedling emergence may strongly affect fitness in competitive environments. Therefore, selection should favour mechanisms that allow sensing neighbours prior to emergence. We tested whether or not germination is affected by density and identity of neighbouring seeds or seedlings of desert perennial plants. Based on theory, we predicted that germination fractions are independent of neighbouring seeds, that germination is accelerated in dense interspecific neighbourhoods, and neighbour effects are caused by seedlings, not by seeds. We examined germination fraction and timing of four naturally coexisting sandy desert perennial species in low versus high seed densities in both intra- and interspecific neighbourhoods, and with and without removal of newly emerged seedlings. Neighbours accelerated germination independent of density and this pattern was apparently caused by the presence of early emerging seedlings. Germination fractions were lower in high seed densities even when neighbours did not germinate, indicating that seeds were able to sense each other prior to emergence. Early germination may be adaptive because fast emerging seedlings may gain a competitive edge over slow emerging ones. However, since seeds that did not germinate died, delayed germination may only be advantageous for mother plants when sib competition is intense. Another key finding was a competitive hierarchy with late successional species germinating faster and inhibiting germination of pioneer species. This indicates that successional processes may be directed as early as during germination.     

Effect of light on seed germination of eight wetland Carex species

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In wetland plant communities, species-specific responses to pulses of white light and to red : far-red light ratios can vary widely and influence plant emergence from the seed bank. Carex species are the characteristic plants of sedge meadows of natural prairie wetlands in mid-continental USA but are not returning to restored wetlands. Little is known about how light affects seed germination in these species-information which is necessary to predict seed bank emergence and to develop optimal revegetation practices. The effects of light on germination in eight Carex species from prairie wetlands were investigated. METHODS: Non-dormant seeds of eight Carex species were used to determine the influence of light on germination by examining: (a) the ability of Carex seeds to germinate in the dark; (b) the effect of different lengths of exposures to white light on germination; (c) whether the effect of white light can be replaced by red light; and (d) whether the germination response of Carex seeds to white or red light is photoreversible by far-red light. KEY RESULTS: Seeds of C. brevior and C. stipata germinated >25 % in continuous darkness. Germination responses after exposure to different lengths of white light varied widely across the eight species. Carex brevior required <15 min of white light for > or =50 % germination, while C. hystericina, C. comosa, C. granularis and C. vulpinoidea required > or =8 h. The effect of white light was replaced by red light in all species. The induction of germination after exposure to white or red light was reversed by far-red light in all species, except C. stipata. CONCLUSIONS: The species-specific responses to simulated field light conditions suggest that (a) the light requirements for germination contribute to the formation of persistent seed banks in these species and (b) in revegetation efforts, timing seed sowing to plant community development and avoiding cover crops will improve Carex seed germination.     

Seed aging,delayed germination and reduced competitive ability in Bromus tectorum

In annual plants, increased competitive advantage has often been attributed to rapid germination and early establishment. In contrast, many annual species exhibit some degree of delayed germination (i.e., seed dormancy) that results in the formation of age structure within the seed population. Delayed germination can be an effective bet-hedging strategy in variable or unpredictable environments as a seed bank can buffer against years with reproductive failures and reduce the probability of local extinction. However, there has been little consideration of the direct effects of aging within the seed pool although the potential demographic costs of such a strategy (e.g., mortality in the seed bank or delayed reproduction) are well known. We used aged (4 year-old) and freshly produced seed from meadow steppe and sagebrush steppe populations of an annual grass (Bromus tectorum)to investigate the importance of seed age on seedling vigor and competitive ability. Aged seed from the meadow steppe population exhibited delays in germination that reduced plant growth and final biomass when the plants were grown with competition. Aged seed from the sagebrush steppe population did not exhibit delays in germination. By including a treatment that experimentally delayed the germination of freshly produced meadow steppe seed, we also examined the effects of delayed germination alone. A comparison of results from this delay treatment with those from the aged seed treatment suggested that the reduced competitive ability of meadow steppe plants produced from aged seed, although largely a result of the temporal delay in germination, was partly due to reduced seed vigor. Together these results indicate that physiological costs associated with seed age may affect aboveground competitive interactions and, in turn, the relative fitness of older cohorts in the soil seed bank.     

Inoculation with native soil improves seedling survival and reduces non-native reinvasion in a grassland restoration

Losses of grasslands have been largely attributed to widespread land-use changes, such as conversion to row-crop agriculture. The remaining tallgrass prairie faces further losses due to biological invasions by non-native plant species, often with resultant ecosystem degradation. Of critical concern for conservation, restoration of native grasslands has been met with little success following eradication of non-native plants. In addition to the direct and indirect effects of non-native invasive plants on beneficial soil microbes, management practices targeting invasive species may also negatively affect subsequent restoration efforts. To assess mechanisms limiting germination and survival of native species and to improve native species establishment, we established six replicate plots of each of the following four treatments: (1) inoculated with freshly collected prairie soil with native seeds; (2) inoculated with steam-pasteurized soil with native seeds; (3) noninoculated with native seeds; or (4) noninoculated/nonseeded control. Inoculation with whole soil did not improve seed germination; however, addition of whole soil significantly improved native species survival, compared to pasteurized soil or noninoculated treatments. Inoculation with whole soil significantly decreased reestablishment of non-native invasive Bothriochloa bladhii (Caucasian bluestem); at the end of the growing season, plots receiving whole soil consisted of approximately 30% B. bladhii cover, compared to approximately 80% in plots receiving no soil inoculum. Our results suggest invasion and eradication efforts negatively affect arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphal and spore abundances and soil aggregate stability, and inoculation with locally adapted soil microbial communities can improve metrics of restoration success, including plant species richness and diversity, while decreasing reinvasion by non-native species.     

The role of seed germination in the invasion process of Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos L., Fabaceae): comparison with a native confamilial

Identifying plant traits that promote invasiveness has been a major goal in invasion ecology. Germination plays a central role in the life cycle of plants and therefore could be a key trait in determining species invasiveness. In this study, seed germination of two confamilial, co‐occurring species that share ecological characteristics, the exotic invasive Gleditsia triacanthos L and the native Acacia aroma Gillies ex. Hook. & Arn., was compared. Seeds were obtained from individuals of three localities in the Chaco Serrano region of Córdoba, Argentina. Percent of seed germination and mean germination time were recorded in chemically and mechanically scarified seeds, and the former variable was also recorded in seeds subjected to: passage through the digestive tract of dispersers, fire simulations, fire simulation plus mechanical scarification, seed longevity, and dormancy break over time. In general, both species showed similar germination percentage. However, non‐scarified seeds of the exotic species lost physical dormancy when subjected to experiments of dormancy break over time, whereas, the native species had shorter mean germination time. The greater percentage of seed germination over time of the exotic species than of the native one might be triggering the spread of the former, whereas the shorter mean germination time might be hindering its expansion to more arid regions. The study of different mechanisms for achieving seed germination, particularly in hard seed species, could provide important information on the expansion of invasive species as well as useful knowledge for their management.     

Mutualism between co-introduced species facilitates invasion and alters plant community structure

Generalized mutualisms are often predicted to be resilient to changes in partner identity. Variation in mutualism-related traits between native and invasive species however, can exacerbate the spread of invasive species (‘invasional meltdown’) if invasive partners strongly interact. Here we show how invasion by a seed-dispersing ant (Myrmica rubra) promotes recruitment of a co-introduced invasive over native ant-dispersed (myrmecochorous) plants. We created experimental communities of invasive (M. rubra) or native ants (Aphaenogaster rudis) and invasive and native plants and measured seed dispersal and plant recruitment. In our mesocosms, and in laboratory and field trials, M. rubra acted as a superior seed disperser relative to the native ant. By contrast, previous studies have found that invasive ants are often poor seed dispersers compared with native ants. Despite belonging to the same behavioural guild, seed-dispersing ants were not functionally redundant. Instead, native and invasive ants had strongly divergent effects on plant communities: the invasive plant dominated in the presence of the invasive ant and the native plants dominated in the presence of the native ant. Community changes were not due to preferences for coevolved partners: variation in functional traits of linked partners drove differences. Here, we show that strongly interacting introduced mutualists can be major drivers of ecological change.     

紫茎泽兰化感作用对9种草本植物种子萌发的影响

【背景】紫茎泽兰是一种入侵我国的世界性恶性杂草,给当地的农、林、畜牧业生产造成严重的经济损失,使生态环境面临"绿色灾难"。紫茎泽兰的化感作用是其成功入侵的重要原因,其化感物质对当地植物的生长具有明显的抑制作用。【方法】利用培养皿滤纸法研究了紫茎泽兰叶片水提液对9种草本植物种子萌发的影响,这些植物包括紫茎泽兰入侵早期直接与之竞争的云南草本植物:鲁梅克斯、高丹红、鸭茅(安巴)、苕子、胡枝子,以及为替代控制紫茎泽兰而引进的外来优良牧草:紫花苜蓿(敖汉)、白三叶(海发)、红三叶、黑麦草(速达)。【结果】紫茎泽兰叶片提取液对9种受体植物种子萌发均具有化感作用。低浓度提取液对受体植物的化感作用较弱(对部分植物种子萌发有促进作用);高浓度提取液对受体植物的化感作用较强,且能降低种子发芽率及发芽速率,其中,发芽速率对化感作用更敏感。不同植物对紫茎泽兰化感作用的敏感程度不同,鲁梅克斯、鸭茅和苕子对紫茎泽兰的化感作用较敏感;黑麦草、胡枝子和高丹红最不敏感;紫花苜蓿、红三叶和白三叶对低浓度紫茎泽兰叶片水提液不敏感,对高浓度提取液较敏感。【结论与意义】不同植物种子对紫茎泽兰化感作用的敏感性存在差异,研究结果有利于了解紫茎泽兰成功入侵的机制,并可为筛选具有替代控制潜力的优良牧草奠定基础。