
Comparison of native and non-native Impatiens species across experimental light and nutrient gradients
Methods – Monocultures of the three species were grown in pots with nine combinations of light and nutrient availability (ambient, medium and high light plus N-limited, balanced and P-limited). We then measured species responses with respect to biomass allocation traits, growth rates and reproduction. We conducted multivariate analysis of trait responses via path analysis and structural equation modelling, and determined phenotypic plasticity indices (PIs) for plant traits across the nine treatments.
Key results – The performance of invasive Impatiens species is more prone to unfavourable nutrient conditions than to adverse light conditions. Following our initial model, we expected similar trait responses and trait-trait relationships for the three species, regardless of absolute biomass allocation patterns or whether they were native or non-native. Instead, we found that the three congeneric Impatiens species exhibited contrasting responses to light and nutrient treatments, leading to different trait-trait relationships. Specifically, I. noli-tangere and I. parviflora exhibited similar responses and trait-trait relationships, whereas those of I. glandulifera differed. Treatment effects on plant traits showed that the non-native I. parviflora was the most plastic species; however, this result was not consistent across all traits.
Conclusions – The success of invasive species over their native congeners is based on a combination of similar trait responses to environmental site conditions, but the invasive species exhibit higher trait plasticity, facilitating establishment.
Keywords: CONGENERS; N-LIMITATION; NON-NATIVE SPECIES; P-LIMITATION; PLASTICITY; STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING; TRAIT RESPONSES
Document Type: Regular Paper
Publication date: March 1, 2016
Plant Ecology and Evolution (a continuation of Belgian Journal of Botany, incorporating Systematics and Geography of Plants) is an international journal devoted to ecology, phylogenetics and systematics of all ‘plant' groups in the traditional sense (including algae, cyanobacteria, fungi, myxomycetes), also covering related fields such as comparative and developmental morphology, conservation biology, evolution, phytogeography, pollen and spores, population biology, and vegetation studies. It is published by Meise Botanic Garden and the Royal Botanical Society of Belgium and contains original research papers, review articles, checklists, short communications and book reviews.
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