喜旱莲子草茎叶解剖结构从原产地到入侵地的变异式样

长期以来人们一直认为,外来种入侵及其危害是由于一个物种从原产地到入侵地其环境因子改变(如天敌压力的减弱等)而导致的。近年来,越来越多的研究者开始认识到,生物入侵过程实际上是一个现代人类活动影响下的物种的快速进化过程,生物入侵的进化遗传学已成为入侵生物学研究中最活跃的分支之一。作者比较了来自原产地(阿根廷)和入侵地(中国和美国)的喜旱莲子草(Alternantheraphiloxeroides)的11个种群在茎、叶解剖结构方面的变异式样,发现所研究的19个性状在原产地(阿根廷)和入侵地(中国和美国)的变异情况明显不同:在原产地种群中,共有9个性状指标存在显著差异,遗传率在49–89%之间,这9个性状是气孔密度、气孔指数、茎直径、髓腔直径、维管柱直径、皮层厚度、维管柱面积比、髓腔面积比和叶形指数;而在入侵地种群间,19个性状指标均无明显差异。这表明喜旱莲子草从原产地到入侵地其遗传多样性降低;入侵地喜旱莲子草种群间的形态变异主要为表型可塑性。根据19个形态指标对喜旱莲子草11个种群进行主成分分析和聚类,结果显示:所有入侵地种群和原产地的Ar1种群(SantaFé,59°49′W,29°16′S)聚为一类,原产地的Ar4(Tandil,59°03′W,37°11′S)单独聚为一类,原产地的其他4个种群聚为一类。表明Ar1种群可能与入侵中国的喜旱莲子草在基因型上更为接近。这一结果为进一步揭示喜旱莲子草入侵机理(如杂交适应性)和在原产地寻求对应天敌的生物防治工作提供了基础数据。     

入侵植物黄顶菊与本地植物的竞争

温室和田间试验条件下,对黄顶菊与4种本地植物(马唐、牛筋、反枝苋和苘麻)在3种混生比例下的竞争效应进行了研究.温室试验结果表明:黄顶菊与马唐或牛筋混生所占比例低时,其株高受到明显抑制,在混生比例相同或黄顶菊所占比例高时,其株高未受到抑制;与反枝苋或苘麻混生时,黄顶菊的株高受到明显抑制,而反枝苋和苘麻的株高未受到抑制;黄顶菊与这4种本地植物混生,相对产量总和接近1;与马唐混生时,黄顶菊在高比例下的相对产量与1接近,而在其他比例下的相对产量均<1;与牛筋、反枝苋和苘麻混生时,黄顶菊的相对产量均显著<1;与4种本地植物混生,黄顶菊的竞争攻击力系数均<0.田间试验和温室试验结果一致.研究表明,黄顶菊与马唐、牛筋、反枝苋和苘麻利用相同的营养资源,其竞争力比供试的本地植物弱.     

Phenotypic variation and water selection potential in the stem structure of invasive alligator weed

The morphological and anatomical characteristics of stems have been found to be related to drought resistance in plants. Testing the phenotypic selection of water availability on stem anatomical traits would be useful for exploring the evolutionary potential of the stem in response to water availability. To test the phenotypic variation of the stem anatomical traits of an invasive plant in response to water availability, we collected a total of 320 individuals of Alternanthera philoxeroides from 16 populations from terrestrial and aquatic habitats in 8 plots in China and then analyzed the variation, differentiation, plasticity and selection potential of water availability on the stem anatomical traits. We found that except for the thickness of the cortex, all of the examined phenotypic parameters of the A. philoxeroides stem were significantly and positively correlated with soil water availability. The phenotypic differentiation coefficient for all of the anatomical structural parameters indicated that most of the variation existed between habitats within the same plot, whereas there was little variation among plots or among individuals within the same habitat except for variation in the thickness of the cortex. A significant phenotypic plasticity response to water availability was found for all of the anatomical traits of A. philoxeroides stem except for the thickness of the cortex. The associations between fitness and some of the anatomical traits, such as the stem diameter, the cortex area-to-stem area ratio, the pith cavity area-to-stem area ratio and the density of vascular bundles, differed with heterogeneous water availability. In both the aquatic and terrestrial habitats, no significant directional selection gradient was found for the stem diameter, the cortex area-to-stem area ratio or the density of vascular bundles. These results indicated that the anatomical structure of the A. philoxeroides stem may play an important role in the adaptation to changes in water availability.     

外来杂草加拿大一枝黄花对入侵地植物的化感效应

采用人工气候箱培养试验,初步研究了入侵杂草加拿大一枝黄花对本地植物的化感作用.测定了根系和根状茎的不同浓度浸提液对白三叶发芽率和幼苗生长的影响;不同播种密度下根系1:60提取浓度对白三叶种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响;根状茎1:60提取浓度对白三叶、红三叶、天蓝苜蓿、黑麦草、北美车前、鸡眼草、苇状羊茅、胜红蓟、马齿苋、碱蓬和刺苋的种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响.结果表明,加拿大一枝黄花根系和根状茎的化感抑制作用均随浓度的升高而增强,且根状茎提取物的抑制效应高于根系提取物的效应;在1:60低浓度根系浸提液作用下,不同密度的白三叶幼苗萌发率和幼根、幼芽长度差异不显著;1:60低浓度根状茎提取物对11个物种的种子萌发均有显著抑制作用,但对不同物种的抑制程度有差异,对禾本科植物的抑制作用大于非禾本科和豆科;1:60低浓度根状茎提取物对10个物种的幼根影响与对萌发率的影响相似,但在对幼芽的影响上,仅对鸡眼草、刺苋和苇状羊茅起抑制作用,而对其他植物无显著抑制(黑麦草、北美车前、胜红蓟、马齿苋和刺苋)或起促进作用(白三叶、红三叶、天蓝苜蓿).     

Phenotypic plasticity rather than locally adapted ecotypes allows the invasive alligator weed to colonize a wide range of habitats

Both phenotypic plasticity and locally adapted ecotypes may contribute to the success of invasive species in a wide range of habitats. Here, we conducted common garden experiments and molecular marker analysis to test the two alternative hypotheses in invasive alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), which colonizes both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Ninety individuals from three pairs of aquatic versus terrestrial populations across southern China were analyzed, using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) marker, to examine population differentiation in neutral loci. Two common gardens simulating aquatic and terrestrial habitats were set up to examine population differentiation in quantitative traits. We found no evidence of population differentiation in both neutral loci and quantitative traits. Most individuals shared the same ISSR genotype. Meanwhile, plants from different habitats showed similar reaction norms across the two common gardens. In particular, plants allocated much more biomass to the belowground roots in the terrestrial environment, where alligator weed may lose part or all of the aboveground shoots because of periodical or accidental disturbances, than those in the aquatic environment. The combined evidence from molecular marker analysis and common garden experiments support the plasticity hypothesis rather than the ecotype hypothesis in explaining the adaptation of alligator weed in a wide range of habitats.     

Impact of a native invasive weed (Microstegium ciliatum) on regeneration of a tropical forest

Plant Ecology - Infestations of invasive plants can hinder forest regeneration in biodiversity hotspots in tropical Asia. Microstegium ciliatum is a native grass in parts of tropical and...     

Specificity of herbivore‐induced responses in an invasive species,Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligator weed)

Herbivory‐induced responses in plants can both negatively affect subsequently colonizing herbivores and mitigate the effect of herbivory on the host. However, it is still less known whether plants exhibit specific responses to specialist and generalist herbivores in non‐secondary metabolite traits and how specificity to specialists and generalists differs between invasive and native plant populations. We exposed an invasive plant, Alternanthera philoxeroides, to Agasicles hygrophila (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae; specialist), Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae; generalist), manual clipping, or application of exogenous jasmonic acid and examined both the specificity of elicitation in traits of fitness (e.g., aboveground biomass), morphology (e.g., root:shoot ratio), and chemistry (e.g., C/N ratio and lignin), and specificity of effect on the subsequent performance of A. hygrophila and S. litura. Then, we assessed variation of the specificity between invasive and native populations (USA and Argentina, respectively). The results showed S. litura induced higher branching intensity and specific leaf area but lower C/N ratio than A. hygrophila, whereas A. hygrophila induced higher trichome density than S. litura. The negative effect of induction on subsequent larval growth was greater for S. litura than for A. hygrophila. Invasive populations had a weaker response to S. litura than to A. hygrophila in triterpenoid saponins and C/N ratio, while native populations responded similarly to these two herbivores. The specific effect on the two herbivores feeding on induced plants did not vary between invasive and native populations. Overall, we demonstrate specificity of elicitation to specialist and generalist herbivores in non‐secondary metabolite traits, and that the generalist is more susceptible to induction than the specialist. Furthermore, chemical responses specific to specialist and generalist herbivores only exist in the invasive populations, consistent with an evolutionary change in specificity in the invasive populations.     

Effects of soil nitrogen levels on growth and defense of the native and introduced genotypes of alligator weed

土壤氮水平对喜旱莲子草原产地和引入地基因型生长和防御的影响 同种植物生长在资源丰富生境中的个体,其防御水平被认为低于生长在资源匮乏生境中的个体。然而,生境的养分水平如何影响植物的诱导抗性和耐受性,以及这种影响在入侵植物的原产地和引入 地种群间是否存在差异,目前均知之甚少。本研究以入侵植物喜旱莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)的原产地阿根廷和引入地美国的基因型为研究对象设计同质园实验,以探究土壤氮水平对植物的生长、组成和诱导性[莲草直胸跳甲(Agasicles hygrophila)取食诱导]化学防御以及耐受性的影响。实验中,我们测定了植物总生物量、伸长速率(生长速率的表征)以及叶片和根系中总碳、总氮和三萜皂苷(化学防御物质)的含量。研究结果显示,植物在低土壤氮水平下表现出较高的组成抗性(植物在低土壤氮水平下的叶片三萜皂苷含量高于其在高土壤氮水平的33%)和耐受性[植物被取食后总生物量下降的程度更低(植物在高土壤氮水平和低土壤氮水平下被取食后总生物量分别下降了24%和15%)],而在高土壤氮水平下表现出较高的诱导抗性(在高土壤氮水平下的植物被取食后叶片三萜皂苷含量与空白对照的植物相比升高了24%)。植物的组成抗性和耐受性与生长速率存在权衡,但诱导抗性与生长速率存在显著的正相关性。此外,引入地基因型在低土壤氮水平下叶片碳含量显著低于原产地基因型(-6%),但这种差异在高土壤氮水平下消失。这些结果表明,土壤氮水平 影响植物对不同防御策略的选择偏好,并且在决定引入地基因型的表现时与植食作用存在交互作用。     

Genetic diversity of alligator weed in China by RAPD analysis

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was applied to analyze geneticdiversity of an invasive weedy species, alligator weed (Alternantheraphiloxeroides (Martius) Grisebach), collected from eight differentsites in southern China. Amplified by 108 RAPD primers, 391 bands wereidentified from samples collected from three of the eight sites withconsiderably large spatial intervals, but no genetic variation was detectedamong the samples. A total number of 196 RAPD fragments were amplified from allsamples collected in the eight sites by 31 primers that produced the mostconsistent results, but no genetic variation was detected within or betweenpopulations. The molecular data indicated extremely low genetic diversity in thealligator weed. Given the fact that the alligator weed is a serious invasiveweed, and widely found in China, we consider that the low genetic diversity ofthe alligator weed does not affect the success of its expansion in China, andlow genetic diversity does not necessarily lead to endangered status of a plantspecies. In addition, molecular evidence from this study suggests that thealligator weed in southern China might originate from a very few clones or evenonly from a single clone. Therefore, the rapid range expansion of the alligatorweed is most likely the result of a massive vegetative propagation since it wasintroduced in China.     

Flowering phenology of invasive alien plant species compared with native species in three Mediterranean-type ecosystems

Background and Aims

Flowering phenology is a potentially important component of success of alien species, since elevated fecundity may enhance invasiveness. The flowering patterns of invasive alien plant species and related natives were studied in three regions with Mediterranean-type climate: California, Spain and South Africa''s Cape region.

Methods

A total of 227 invasive–native pairs were compared for seven character types across the regions, with each pair selected on the basis that they shared the same habitat type within a region, had a common growth form and pollination type, and belonged to the same family or genus.

Key Results

Invasive alien plant species have different patterns of flowering phenology from native species in the three regions. Whether the alien species flower earlier, later or at the same time as natives depends on the climatic regime in the native range of the aliens and the proportion of species in the invasive floras originating from different regions. Species invading at least two of the regions displayed the same flowering pattern, showing that flowering phenology is a conservative trait. Invasive species with native ranges in temperate climates flower earlier than natives, those from Mediterranean-type climates at the same time, and species from tropical climates flower later. In California, where the proportion of invaders from the Mediterranean Basin is high, the flowering pattern did not differ between invasive and native species, whereas in Spain the high proportion of tropical species results in a later flowering than natives, and in the Cape region early flowering than natives was the result of a high proportion of temperate invaders.

Conclusions

Observed patterns are due to the human-induced sympatry of species with different evolutionary histories whose flowering phenology evolved under different climatic regimes. The severity of the main abiotic filters imposed by the invaded regions (e.g. summer drought) has not been strong enough (yet) to shift the flowering pattern of invasive species to correspond with that of native relatives. It does, however, determine the length of the flowering season and the type of habitat invaded by summer-flowering aliens. Results suggest different implications for impacts at evolutionary time scales among the three regions.Key words: Biological invasions, flowering phenology, genetic inertia, Cape Floristic Region, California, Spain, Mediterranean-type ecosystems, water availability, climatic origin     

Impacts of a native parasitic plant on an introduced and a native host species: implications for the control of an invasive weed

Background and Aims: While invasive species may escape from natural enemies in thenew range, the establishment of novel biotic interactions withspecies native to the invaded range can determine their success.Biological control of plant populations can be achieved by manipulationof a species' enemies in the invaded range. Interactions weretherefore investigated between a native parasitic plant andan invasive legume in Mediterranean-type woodlands of SouthAustralia. Methods: The effects of the native stem parasite, Cassytha pubescens,on the introduced host, Cytisus scoparius, and a co-occurringnative host, Leptospermum myrsinoides, were compared. The hypothesisthat the parasitic plant would have a greater impact on theintroduced host than the native host was tested. In a fieldstudy, photosynthesis, growth and survival of hosts and parasitewere examined. Key Results: As predicted, Cassytha had greater impacts on the introducedhost than the native host. Dead Cytisus were associated withdense Cassytha infections but mortality of Leptospermum wasnot correlated with parasite infection. Cassytha infection reducedthe photosynthetic rates of both hosts. Infected Cytisus showedslower recovery of photosystem II efficiency, lower transpirationrates and reduced photosynthetic biomass in comparison withuninfected plants. Parasite photosynthetic rates and growthrates were higher when growing on the introduced host Cytisus,than on Leptospermum. Conclusions: Infection by a native parasitic plant had strong negative effectson the physiology and above-ground biomass allocation of anintroduced species and was correlated with increased plant mortality.The greater impact of the parasite on the introduced host maybe due to either the greater resources that this host providesor increased resistance to infection by the native host. Thisdisparity of effects between introduced host and native hostindicates the potential for Cassytha to be exploited as a controltool.     

The relative importance of allelopathy in interference: the effects of an invasive weed on a native bunchgrass

The relative importance of allelopathy and resource competition in plant-plant interactions has been vigorously debated but seldom tested. We used activated carbon to manipulate the effects of root exudates of Centaurea maculosa, a noxious weed in much of western North America, on root elongation rates and growth of the native bunchgrass Festuca idahoensis in order to investigate the relative importance of allelopathy in the total interference of Centaurea. In root observation chambers, Festuca root elongation rates decreased to ᅢ% of the control, beginning 4 days before contacting Centaurea roots in silica sand. However, when activated carbon, which has a high affinity for adsorbing to organic compounds, was added to the sand the effects of Centaurea roots on Festuca root elongation were reduced. In other experiments, Festuca plants were 50% smaller when grown with Centaurea than with conspecifics in pure silica sand. However, Festuca grown with Centaurea in mixtures of sand and activated carbon were 85% larger than Festuca grown with Centaurea in silica sand without carbon. These results suggest that allelopathy accounts for a substantial proportion of the total interference of Centaurea on Festuca, shifting the balance of competition in favor of Centaurea. However, Centaurea outperformed Festuca even in the presence of activated carbon, demonstrating the importance of the combined roles of resource competition and allelopathy.     

Long‐term impacts of invasive species on a native top predator in a large lake system

1. Declining abundances of forage fish and the introduction and establishment of non‐indigenous species have the potential to substantially alter resource and habitat exploitation by top predators in large lakes. 2. We measured stable isotopes of carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) in field‐collected and archived samples of Lake Ontario lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and five species of prey fish and compared current trophic relationships of this top predator with historical samples. 3. Relationships between δ¹⁵N and lake trout age were temporally consistent throughout Lake Ontario and confirmed the role of lake trout as a top predator in this food web. However, δ¹³C values for age classes of lake trout collected in 2008 ranged from 1.0 to 3.9‰ higher than those reported for the population sampled in 1992. 4. Isotope mixing models predicted that these changes in resource assimilation were owing to the replacement of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) by round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in lake trout diet and increased reliance on carbon resources derived from nearshore production. This contrasts with the historical situation in Lake Ontario where δ¹³C values of the lake trout population were dominated by a reliance on offshore carbon production. 5. These results indicate a reduced capacity of the Lake Ontario offshore food web to support the energetic requirements of lake trout and that this top predator has become increasingly reliant on prey resources that are derived from nearshore carbon pathways.     

陆生生境中喜旱莲子草的生长模式

喜旱莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)原产南美洲, 后被引入到北美洲、大洋洲、东南亚和中国等地, 成为一个世界性的外来入侵种。对喜旱莲子草陆生种群的有效控制一直是一个难题。本文中通过种植实验建立了陆生生境中喜旱莲子草主枝长、生物量、叶面积和斑块面积等的生长模型。结果表明: (1)喜旱莲子草的主枝长、生物量、叶面积和斑块面积等均表现为指数式生长, 其日增长率(%)分别为4.28、11.27、11.59和8.67。(2)喜旱莲子草的地上重(x)－地下根茎重(y)的异速生长指数b约为3/4(01), 即总重和叶面积相对于主枝长呈二次幂增长, 由此可进一步推出总重和叶面积与斑块面积成正比; 生物量－叶面积的异速生长指数b约为1, 为等速生长(b＝1), 即单位生物量所支持的叶面积不随植株大小的变化而变化(冠层恒定性)。其叶面积比为88.24 cm²/g, 比叶面积为287.97 cm²/g。通过本研究期望对喜旱莲子草陆生局域斑块的生长进行预测, 同时为进一步建立其控制模型提供基础数据, 为制定经济有效的控制对策提供科学依据。     

Mycorrhizae transfer carbon from a native grass to an invasive weed: evidence from stable isotopes and physiology

Invasive exotic weeds pose one of the earth's most pressing environmental problems. Although many invaders completely eliminate native plant species from some communities, ecologists know little about the mechanisms by which these exotics competitively exclude other species. Mycorrhizal fungi radically alter competitive interactions between plants within natural communities, and a recent study has shown that arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi provide a substantial competitive advantage to spotted knapweed, Centaurea maculosa, a noxious perennial plant that has spread throughout much of the native prairie in the northwestern U.S. Here we present evidence that this advantage is potentially due to mycorrhizally mediated transfer of carbon from a native bunchgrass, Festuca idahoensis, to Centaurea. Centaurea maculosa, Festuca idahoensis (Idaho fescue, C₃), and Bouteloua gracilis (blue gramma, C₄) were grown in the greenhouse either alone or with Centaurea in an incomplete factorial design with and without AM fungi. Centaurea biomass was 87–168% greater in all treatments when mycorrhizae were present in the soil (P < 0.0001). However, Centaurea biomass was significantly higher in the treatment with both mycorrhizae and Festuca present together than in any other treatment combination (P < 0.0001). This high biomass was attained even though Centaurea photosynthetic rates were 14% lower when grown with Festuca and mycorrhizae together than when grown with Festuca without mycorrhizae. Neither biomass nor photosynthetic rates of Centaurea were affected by competition with the C₄ grass Bouteloua either with or without mycorrhizae. The stable isotope signature of Centaurea leaves grown with Festuca and mycorrhizae was more similar to that of Festuca, than when Centaurea was grown alone with mycorrhizae (P = 0.06), or with Festuca but without mycorrhizae (P = 0.09). This suggests that carbon was transferred from Festuca to the invasive weed. We estimated that carbon transferred from Festuca by mycorrhizae contributed up to 15% of the aboveground carbon in Centaurea plants. Our results indicate that carbon parasitism via AM soil fungi may be an important mechanism by which invasive plants out compete their neighbors, but that this interaction is highly species-specific.     

Effects of a nematode Meloidogyne incognita and its interaction with above‐ground herbivory on an invasive wetland plant,alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)

Invasive plants may be attacked both above ground and below ground. Few studies have, however, investigated the simultaneous effects of above‐ground and below‐ground herbivory. In the present study, we report the effects of beetle herbivory and nematode infection on alligator weed, Alternanthera philoxeroides, an invasive plant in China. We found that the root‐knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita widely occurred on the plant in south China. To examine its effect on the plant in conjunction with above‐ground herbivory, we conducted a field common garden experiment with a local insect defoliator, Cassida piperata. We also included the native congener Alternanthera sessilis in our experiments for a comparison of the response of invasive and native species. We found no significant effects on plant biomass of the nematode infection in conjunction with the above‐ground herbivory. Further chemical analysis, however, showed that the water‐soluble carbohydrate content in roots of A. philoxeroides was significantly increased in plants attacked by both the nematode and the herbivore compared with the water‐soluble carbohydrate content in plants attacked by only the nematode or herbivore alone. We found no such change in the native congener A. sessilis. Together these results may suggest that A. philoxeroides tolerates joint above‐ground and below‐ground damage by allocating more resources to below‐ground material.     

What makes a weed a weed: life history traits of native and exotic plants in the USA

I compared ten life history traits (vegetative reproduction, breeding system, compatibility, pollination system, shade tolerance, habitat, life span, life form, morphology, and toxicity) from two existing databases for the 19,960 plant species that occur in the USA. I used two-way tests of independence to determine if there were significant life history traits that distinguish weeds from non-weeds, exotic weeds from native weeds, and invasive exotic weeds from non-invasive exotic weeds. Life span was the most significant life history trait for weeds in general; weeds were more likely to be annuals and biennials and less likely to perennials than non-weeds. In addition, vegetative reproduction, breeding system, compatibility, shade tolerance, and life form were related to life span. Annual and biennial weeds (whether native, exotic, or exotic invasives) were more likely to be wetland adapted, armed, and toxic than annual or biennial non-weeds. Perennial weeds (whether native, exotic, or exotic invasives) were less likely to be forbs or subshrubs, and more likely to be wetland adapted, toxic, shade intolerant, grasses, vines and trees than perennial non-weeds. Exotic annual and perennial weeds were less likely to be wetland species than native weeds, but more likely to be wetland species than non-weeds. Invasive exotic weeds, in contrast, were less likely to be forbs and more likely to be perennial, monoecious, self-incompatible, and trees and than non-invasive exotics.     

Plant-induced changes in soil nutrient dynamics by native and invasive grass species

Alteration of soil nutrient dynamics has recently garnered more attention as both a cause and an effect of plant invasion. This project examines how nutrient dynamics are affected by native (Elymus elymoides, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Vulpia microstachys) and invasive (Aegilops triuncialis, Agropyron cristatum, Bromus tectorum, and Taeniatherum caput-medusae) grass species. This research questions whether natives and invasives differ in their effects on nutrient dynamics. A greenhouse study was conducted using two field-collected soils. Effects on nutrient dynamics were compared using an integrated index that evaluates the total nutrients in soil and in plant tissue compared to an unplanted control. With this index, we evaluated whether soil nutrients increased or decreased as a result of plant growth, controlling for plant uptake. We found no consistent support for our hypothesis that invasive grass species as a group influence nutrient dynamics differently than native grass species as a group. Our results indicate species-specific effects on nutrient dynamics. Alteration of nutrient dynamics is not a trait shared by all of the invasive grass species in our study. However, alteration of nutrient dynamics may be a mechanism by which some individual species increase their invasive potential.     

Decomposition of Phragmites australis rhizome in a shallow lake

Decomposition of Phragmites australis (Cav. Trin ex Steudel) rhizome was studied at Lake Fertő/Neusiedler See using the litter bag technique. Samples were analysed for rhizome dry mass, fibre (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin) and nutrient content (C, N, P and S), litter-associated fungal biomass, potential microbial respiration (electron transport activity: ETS) and cellulolitic bacteria. The mass loss of decomposing rhizome was rapid in the initial period and only 13.6% of the dry mass remained at the end of the experiment during 953 days. Substantial quantities of C, N, S and P were lost during 99 days; only 18% C, 19% N, 14% S and 6.4% of the P remained after 953 days. Hemicellulose degraded more rapidly than the other fibres whilst the lignin had the slowest rate of decomposition. Bacteria were found to be the primary colonizers of plant detritus, which was followed by fungal growth. An antagonistic relationship was observed between bacteria and fungi. Fungal biomass as determined by ergosterol concentrations ranged between 4.1 and 420 μg g⁻¹ and peaked every year in September. The number of cellulolitic bacteria varied from 0 to 22 MPN g⁻¹ with higher values in summer. The ETS-activity ranged between 0.1 and 1.6 mg O₂ g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The changes in ETS-activity varied almost in parallel with the in situ temperature of the lake water.