Comparisons On Performances Of Invasive Plants In Their Native And Invaded Zones

Biological invasions not only threaten the worldwide biodiversity but also disrupt ecosystem functions, which is becoming an important topic in ecology. Causes of invasiveness of plant species attracts many efforts from various ecologists. Invasive plant species in the introduced ranges often performed stronger biological characteristics than their con-specific native ranges, but the generality of this phenomenon in biogeographical scales remains debated and little is known about comparative studies in biological characteristics of native and introduced plant populations. Although more and more studies are about how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affected invasive plant species, little is known about invasive plants performance between native and introduced populations influenced by AMF. In this study, we combined meta-analysis and greenhouse experiments in the native and introduced ranges to investigate how biological characteristics of invasive plants changed when they were introduced into the invasive ranges from their native ranges. In greenhouse experiments, we used Solidago canadensis L. as target plants to investigate phenotypic differences between different populations in the native and introduced experiment sites and how AMF in invasive ranges affected growth of Solidago canadensis. Results obtained from the meta-analysis and experiments study are as follows:1A meta-analysis of biological traits between native and invasive plantsInvasive plants in the introduced ranges had significantly higher plant vigor than native conspecific plants, higher total biomass, shoot biomass and height etc. In the invasive experiment sites, invasive plants in the introduced ranges were larger than conspecifics in the home ranges. In the native experiment sites, there is no growth traits difference between them. For other categories, in the greenhouse experiments, invasive plants in the introduced ranges were larger than conspecifics in the home ranges. In field experiments, there is no growth traits difference between them. Data of different plant growth form categories indicated invasive plants in the introduced ranges belonged to herb had stronger traits than native plants.2Common garden experiments of S. canadensis in the introduced rangesIn greenhouse experiments of introduced habitats, Chinese Solidago performed higher height,shoot biomass, total biomass and AM fungal colonization rate than American Solidago.3Common garden experiments of S. canadensis responded to AMFIn experiments about how S. canadensis responded to AMF in the invaded ranges indicated Chinese Solidago had higher mycorrhizal dependency index. Under AMF and none AMF inoculated, Chinese Solidago had stronger growth traits than American Solidago. Inoculated plants had stronger growth traits adjusted to both American Solidago and Chinese Solidago, however, Chinese Solidago had higher traits under AMF inoculated.4Common garden experiments of S. canadensis in the native rangesWe obtained opposite study results in native greenhouse experiments compared to invasive ones. American Solidago performed significantly higher height, shoot biomass, total biomass than Chinese Solidago.