Biotic resistance and vegetative propagule pressure co-regulate the invasion success of a marine clonal macrophyte

An important step in invasive biology is to assess biological variables that could be used to predict invasion success. The study of genetics, evolution, and interactions of invasive and native species in invaded ranges provides a unique opportunity to study processes in population genetics and the capability of a species' range expansion. Here, we used information from microsatellite DNA markers to test if genetic variation relates to propagule pressure in the successful invasion of an apex predator (the Amazonian cichlid Cichla) into Southeastern Brazilian River systems. Invasive populations of Cichla have negatively impacted many freshwater communities in Southeastern Brazil since the 1960s. Reduction of genetic variation was observed in all invasive populations for both Cichla kelberi (CK) and Cichla piquiti(CP). For instance, heterozygosity was lower in the invasive range when compared to native populations from the Amazon basin (CP HE= 0.179/0.44; CK HE= 0.258/0.536 respectively). Therefore, despite the successful invasion of Cichla in southeast Brazil, low genetic diversity was observed in the introduced populations. We suggest that a combination of factors, such as Cichla's reproductive and feeding strategies, the "evolutionary trap" effect and the biotic resistance hypothesis, overcome their depauperete genetic diversity, being key aspects in this apex predator invasion.

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Relative roles of climatic suitability and anthropogenic influence in determining the pattern of spread in a global invader

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1011723108 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 108 (1) ◽

pp. 220-225 ◽

Cited By ~ 90

Author(s):

Núria Roura-Pascual ◽

Cang Hui ◽

Takayoshi Ikeda ◽

Gwénaël Leday ◽

David M. Richardson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Global Scale ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Climatic Suitability ◽

Natural Ecosystems ◽

Widespread Species ◽

Human Modification

Because invasive species threaten the integrity of natural ecosystems, a major goal in ecology is to develop predictive models to determine which species may become widespread and where they may invade. Indeed, considerable progress has been made in understanding the factors that influence the local pattern of spread for specific invaders and the factors that are correlated with the number of introduced species that have become established in a given region. However, few studies have examined the relative importance of multiple drivers of invasion success for widespread species at global scales. Here, we use a dataset of >5,000 presence/absence records to examine the interplay between climatic suitability, biotic resistance by native taxa, human-aided dispersal, and human modification of habitats, in shaping the distribution of one of the world's most notorious invasive species, the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile). Climatic suitability and the extent of human modification of habitats are primarily responsible for the distribution of this global invader. However, we also found some evidence for biotic resistance by native communities. Somewhat surprisingly, and despite the often cited importance of propagule pressure as a crucial driver of invasions, metrics of the magnitude of international traded commodities among countries were not related to global distribution patterns. Together, our analyses on the global-scale distribution of this invasive species provide strong evidence for the interplay of biotic and abiotic determinants of spread and also highlight the challenges of limiting the spread and subsequent impact of highly invasive species.

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Biotic Resistance of Native Communities and Alien Propagule Pressure are Consistent Predictors of Invasion Success During Grassland Establishment

10.21203/rs.3.rs-423074/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sandra Liliana Rojas-Botero ◽

Johannes Kollmann ◽

Leonardo H. Teixeira

Keyword(s):

Invasive Plants ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Native Community ◽

Environmental Fluctuation ◽

Native Communities ◽

Propagule Size ◽

Key Driver

Abstract Invasive alien plants challenge ecosystems restoration. Thus, understanding factors determining the establishment of invasive plants is crucial to improve restoration outcomes. Some key drivers of invasibility of plant communities have been studied, but results are inconsistent, and combined effects have not been addressed. We investigated the contribution of three drivers of invasion success during early phases of restoration, i.e., biotic resistance, invasive propagule pressure, and environmental fluctuations.We compared the contribution of these drivers in a series of mesocosms experiments using designed grasslands as a model system, and Solidago gigantea as invasive model species. Two grassland communities were designed according to competitive trait hierarchies with different sowing patterns, reflecting variation in biotic resistance. We then manipulated invader propagule pressure and applied different scenarios of environmental fluctuation, i.e., flood, heat, and N fertilization. Alien biomass was considered as proxy for invasion success, while native biomass represented restoration success.There were consistent effects of biotic resistance to S. gigantea invasion via competitive trait hierarchies in the three experiments. Communities dominated by species with high-competition traits were more resistant regardless of environmental fluctuation. Clumped seeding of the native community reduced invasibility, whereas larger invasive propagule size increased invasion. The effects of environmental fluctuation were less consistent and context-dependent, thus playing a secondary role when compared to biological drivers of invasion. Restoration initiatives on grasslands impacted by invasive plants should consider biotic resistance of the restored community as a key driver and the importance of controlling further arrivals of invasive species during community assembly.

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The interplay between propagule pressure, seed predation and ectomycorrhizal fungi in plant invasion

NeoBiota ◽

10.3897/neobiota.42.30978 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

pp. 45-58

Author(s):

Jaime Moyano ◽

Mariana C. Chiuffo ◽

Nahuel Policelli ◽

Martin A. Nuñez ◽

Mariano A. Rodriguez-Cabal

Keyword(s):

Ectomycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Seed Predation ◽

Root Colonization ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Soil Samples ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Interactive Effects ◽

Pine Plantation ◽

Study Region

There are many hypotheses aiming to explain invasion success, but evaluating individual hypotheses in isolation may hinder our ability to understand why some species invade and others fail. Here we evaluate the interaction between propagule pressure, seed predation and missed mutualism in the invasion success of the pine, Pinusponderosa. We evaluated the independent and interactive effects of propagule pressure and seed predation at increasing distances from a pine plantation. Additionally, because pines are obligate mutualists with ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) and pine invasions fail in the absence of their EMF symbionts, we evaluated EMF availability through a growth chamber bioassay. In this bioassay we measured root colonization by EMF with soil samples collected from the different distances from the plantation. We found that propagule pressure overwhelms seed predation only at the edge of the pine plantation, while seed predation overcomes propagule pressure at 25 m and further distances from the plantation. We also found that EMF root colonization decreases with distance from the plantation. However, pine roots were colonized up to 200 m from the plantation, suggesting that EMF may not be hindering invasion, at least not on the scale of this experiment. Taken together our results demonstrate that seed predation may be limiting the invasion of P.ponderosa in the study region as propagule pressure only overcomes seed predation at the plantation edge. Here we provide evidence of how strong biotic resistance can suppress an invasion, regardless of the variation in propagule pressure and the availability of mutualists.

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Dynamics of an experimental microbial invasion

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1505204112 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 112 (37) ◽

pp. 11594-11599 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Francisco Acosta ◽

Richard M. Zamor ◽

Fares Z. Najar ◽

Bruce A. Roe ◽

K. David Hambright

Keyword(s):

Microbial Community ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Microbial Community Composition ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Community Diversity ◽

Species Invasions ◽

Southern Us ◽

Microbial Invasion

The ecological dynamics underlying species invasions have been a major focus of research in macroorganisms for the last five decades. However, we still know little about the processes behind invasion by unicellular organisms. To expand our knowledge of microbial invasions, we studied the roles of propagule pressure, nutrient supply, and biotic resistance in the invasion success of a freshwater invasive alga, Prymnesium parvum, using microcosms containing natural freshwater microbial assemblages. Microcosms were subjected to a factorial design with two levels of nutrient-induced diversity and three levels of propagule pressure, and incubated for 7 d, during which P. parvum densities and microbial community composition were tracked. Successful invasion occurred in microcosms receiving high propagule pressure whereas nutrients or community diversity played no role in invasion success. Invaded communities experienced distinctive changes in composition compared with communities where the invasion was unsuccessful. Successfully invaded microbial communities had an increased abundance of fungi and ciliates, and decreased abundances of diatoms and cercozoans. Many of these changes mirrored the microbial community changes detected during a natural P. parvum bloom in the source system. This role of propagule pressure is particularly relevant for P. parvum in the reservoir-dominated southern United States because this species can form large, sustained blooms that can generate intense propagule pressures for downstream sites. Human impact and global climate change are currently causing widespread environmental changes in most southern US freshwater systems that may facilitate P. parvum establishment and, when coupled with strong propagule pressure, could put many more systems at risk for invasion.

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Competitive trait hierarchies of native communities and invasive propagule pressure consistently predict invasion success during grassland establishment

Biological Invasions ◽

10.1007/s10530-021-02630-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sandra Rojas-Botero ◽

Johannes Kollmann ◽

Leonardo H. Teixeira

Keyword(s):

Invasive Plants ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Native Community ◽

Environmental Fluctuation ◽

Native Communities ◽

Key Driver ◽

Early Phases

AbstractInvasive non-native plants challenge ecosystems restoration, and understanding the factors that determine the establishment of invasive plants is crucial to improve restoration outcomes. However, the drivers of invasibility of plant communities are not sufficiently clear, and combined effects are not understood. Therefore, we investigated the contribution of the main drivers of invasion success during early phases of restoration, i.e., biotic resistance, invasive propagule pressure, and environmental fluctuations. We compared the contribution of these drivers in a series of mesocosms experiments using designed grasslands as a model system, and Solidago gigantea as invasive model species. Two grassland communities were designed according to competitive trait hierarchies with different sowing patterns, reflecting variation in biotic resistance. We then manipulated invader propagule pressure and applied different scenarios of environmental fluctuation, i.e., flood, heat, and N fertilization. Invasive biomass was considered as proxy for invasion success, while native biomass represented restoration success. There were consistent effects of biotic resistance to S. gigantea invasion via competitive trait hierarchies in the three experiments. Communities dominated by species with high-competition traits were more resistant regardless of environmental fluctuation. Clumped seeding of the native community reduced invasibility, whereas high non-native propagule density increased invasion. The effects of environmental fluctuation were less consistent and context-dependent, thus playing a secondary role when compared to biotic drivers of invasion. Restoration initiatives on grasslands impacted by invasive plants should consider biotic resistance of the restored community as a key driver and the importance of controlling further arrivals of invasive species during community assembly.

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Competitive displacement or biotic resistance? Disentangling relationships between community diversity and invasion success of tall herbs and shrubs

Journal of Vegetation Science ◽

10.1111/j.1654-1103.2009.01139.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 213-220 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Jan Thiele ◽

Maike Isermann ◽

Annette Otte ◽

Johannes Kollmann

Keyword(s):

Biotic Resistance ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Community Diversity ◽

Competitive Displacement

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Plant invasions: merging the concepts of species invasiveness and community invasibility

Progress in Physical Geography Earth and Environment ◽

10.1191/0309133306pp490pr ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 409-431 ◽

Cited By ~ 624

Author(s):

David M. Richardson ◽

Petr Pyšek

Keyword(s):

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Plant Invasions ◽

Invasion Ecology ◽

Natural Ecosystems ◽

Long Distance ◽

Fluctuating Resources ◽

Species Invasiveness ◽

Tens Rule ◽

New Research

This paper considers key issues in plant invasion ecology, where findings published since 1990 have significantly improved our understanding of many aspects of invasions. The review focuses on vascular plants invading natural and semi-natural ecosystems, and on fundamental ecological issues relating to species invasiveness and community invasibility. Three big questions addressed by the SCOPE programme in the 1980s (which species invade; which habitats are invaded; and how can we manage invasions?) still underpin most work in invasion ecology. Some organizing and unifying themes in the field are organism-focused and relate to species invasiveness (the tens rule; the concept of residence time; taxonomic patterns and Darwin’s naturalization hypothesis; issues of phenotypic plasticity and rapid evolutionary change, including evolution of increased competitive ability hypothesis; the role of long-distance dispersal). Others are ecosystem-centred and deal with determinants of the invasibility of communities, habitats and regions (levels of invasion, invasibility and propagule pressure; the biotic resistance hypothesis and the links between diversity and invasibility; synergisms, mutualisms, and invasional meltdown). Some theories have taken an overarching approach to plant invasions by integrating the concepts of species invasiveness and community invasibility (a theory of seed plant invasiveness; fluctuating resources theory of invasibility). Concepts, hypotheses and theories reviewed here can be linked to the naturalization-invasion continuum concept, which relates invasion processes with a sequence of environmental and biotic barriers that an introduced species must negotiate to become casual, naturalized and invasive. New research tools and improved research links between invasion ecology and succession ecology, community ecology, conservation biology and weed science, respectively, have strengthened the conceptual pillars of invasion ecology.

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Biotic resistance to plant invasions.

Plant invasions: the role of biotic interactions ◽

10.1079/9781789242171.0009 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 177-191

Author(s):

John D. Parker ◽

◽

John L. Devaney ◽

Nathan P. Lemoine ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Empirical Support ◽

Plant Invasions ◽

Plant Invaders ◽

History Of Research ◽

History Of ◽

Direct And Indirect Impacts ◽

Indirect Impacts ◽

The Tropics

Biotic resistance to plant invasions takes many forms: consumption by native herbivores, competition with native plants and infection by native pathogens. But how often does biotic resistance prevent the damaging monocultures that typify the most problematic plant invaders, and how often is biotic resistance overwhelmed by the direct and indirect impacts of human activities? This chapter attempts to answer these questions, drawing on the long history of research into biotic resistance. We first briefly describe the major forms of biotic resistance to exotic plant invasions as an antecedent to other, more detailed chapters on competition, herbivory and pathogens. We then describe a new neutral model where variance in disturbance promotes invasions over the short term, but over longer timescales only propagule pressure drives invasions. These findings are a cautionary tale; pending increases in global trade and travel, particularly to the tropics, may provide the prerequisite disturbance and propagule pressure needed to ultimately stoke further invasions. Finally, we highlight case studies where invasions have been mitigated by restoration of biotic resistance from native herbivores and competitors. These studies provide strong empirical support that conservation of native biodiversity can be a nature-based solution to some invasions, although it remains to be seen if climate change will alter these effects over longer timescales.

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