A new perspective on trait differences between native and invasive exotic plants: comment

Of the many exotic plants that have become naturalized in North America, only a small proportion are pests capable of invading and dominating intact natural communities. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the most invasive plants are phytochemically unique in their new habitats. A comparison of exotic plant species that are highly invasive in North America with exotics that are widespread, but non-invasive revealed that the invasive plants were more likely to have potent secondary compounds that have not been reported from North American native plants. On average, the compounds found in the invasive plants were reported from fewer species, fewer genera and fewer families than those from non-invasive plants. Many of the unique phytochemicals from invasive plants have been reported to have multiple activities, including antiherbivore, antifungal, antimicrobial and allelopathic (phytotoxic) effects, which may provide the plants with several advantages in their new environments.

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Herbivory on invasive exotic plants and their non-invasive relatives

Biological Invasions ◽

10.1007/s10530-008-9236-z ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 797-804 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Tania Jogesh ◽

David Carpenter ◽

Naomi Cappuccino

Keyword(s):

Exotic Plants ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Invasive Exotic

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Phytotoxicity of exotic plants on the physiological potential of seeds of native species of caatinga

Revista Agro mbiente On-line ◽

10.18227/1982-8470ragro.v12i2.4884 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 134 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Silvana Fraga Silva ◽

Halina Stéffany Lopes Costa ◽

Jesimiel Silva Viana ◽

Ana Maria Oliveira Ferreira ◽

Diego Sousa Pereira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seed Germination ◽

Native Species ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Exotic Plants ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Allelopathic Effect ◽

Native Forest ◽

Aqueous Extracts ◽

Physiological Quality ◽

Invasive Exotic

The introduction of species is one of the major causes of biodiversity loss. Invasive exotic plants adapt, propagate and dominate, damaging both natural processes and native species. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the allelopathic effect of three exotic species in the caatinga, on the physiological quality of native forest seeds. Aqueous extracts of leaves of Azadirachta indica, Prosopis juliflora and Cryptostegia madagascariensis were tested to evaluate their effect on the seed germination and seedling vigor of Piptadenia moniliformis, Mimosa tenuiflora and Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia. Seed germination of M. tenuiflora was inhibited by the aqueous extracts of P. juliflora and A. indica in 100% and 42%, respectively, with a reduced GVI with the extracts of P. juliflora and C. madagascariensis. Regarding AEI, P. juliflora extract had positive effect on P. moniliformis seeds and negative on M. tenuiflora seeds, close to -1. A reduction in height of P. moniliformis was observed when the seedlings were in contact with the extracts of the invasive plants studied. For M. tenuiflora, the extract of P. juliflora prevented the formation of seedlings, and M. caesalpiniaefolia presented higher inhibitory effect with extracts of P. juliflora and A. indica. Therefore, M. tenuiflora showed to be sensitive to P. juliflora phytotoxicity.

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Controlling Invasive Exotic Plants in North Florida Forests

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-fr133-2002 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 2002 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Chris Demers ◽

Alan Long

Keyword(s):

Cooperative Extension ◽

Exotic Plants ◽

Cooperative Extension Service ◽

Forest Resources ◽

Extension Service ◽

University Of Florida ◽

Agricultural Sciences ◽

Invasive Exotic

This document is SS-FOR-19, one of a series of the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. First published in June 2002. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr133

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Invasive exotic plants suffer less herbivory than non-invasive exotic plants

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2005.0341 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 1 (4) ◽

pp. 435-438 ◽

Cited By ~ 109

Author(s):

Naomi Cappuccino ◽

David Carpenter

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

Invasive Plants ◽

Exotic Plants ◽

Leaf Damage ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Native North American ◽

Microbial Characteristics ◽

The Family ◽

Invasive Exotic ◽

The Relationship

We surveyed naturally occurring leaf herbivory in nine invasive and nine non-invasive exotic plant species sampled in natural areas in Ontario, New York and Massachusetts, and found that invasive plants experienced, on average, 96% less leaf damage than non-invasive species. Invasive plants were also more taxonomically isolated than non-invasive plants, belonging to families with 75% fewer native North American genera. However, the relationship between taxonomic isolation at the family level and herbivory was weak. We suggest that invasive plants may possess novel phytochemicals with anti-herbivore properties in addition to allelopathic and anti-microbial characteristics. Herbivory could be employed as an easily measured predictor of the likelihood that recently introduced exotic plants may become invasive.

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