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Linking functional traits to impacts of invasive plant species: a case study

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Abstract

Our understanding of the link between plant functional traits and ecological impact of invasive alien plant species is fragmentary and the mechanisms leading to impacts are poorly understood. Moreover, current knowledge is heavily biased to the temperate regions of the world and we know much less about traits and impacts of invaders in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. We studied two leaf traits of the invasive alien shrub Chromolaena odorata and the impacts of its invasion on native vegetation in savannas. We compared specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf area index (LAI) between C. odorata and native species and assessed how C. odorata differentially affects canopy light interception, soil moisture, soil nutrients, and litter accumulation compared to native species. We found that C. odorata has higher SLA and LAI than native species, lower light and moisture levels below its canopy, but higher nutrient levels and a higher litter accumulation rate. Because of its higher SLA, C. odorata grows faster, resulting in more biomass, increased litter accumulation and higher nutrient availability. Due to its high SLA and LAI, C. odorata intercepts more light and reduces available moisture more than do native trees due to higher transpiration rates, reducing the biomass of native understory vegetation. This study provides empirical evidence for strong links between plant functional traits and ecological impact of invasive plant species, highlighting the importance of traits in predicting ecosystem-level impacts of invasive plant species.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife research and management staff of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park for providing support for the study, H. Olff for help in designing the individual studies, and R. Howison, O. Howison, J. Herder, M. van Hoppe, K. Boeke, N. Stevens, C. Gosling and the SABRE team for their help with the data collection. MtB acknowledges support from the Dutch Scientific Organization (NWO-Pionier to H. Olff), Stellenbosch University (Sub Committee B to KJE) and the Nordic Centre of Excellence TUNDRA, funded by the Norden Top-Level Research Initiative “Effect Studies and Adaptation to Climate Change”. KJE and DMR acknowledge support from the National Research Foundation (Grant 85417 to DMR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    Mariska te Beest

  2. Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa

    Mariska te Beest & Karen J. Esler

  3. Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa

    Mariska te Beest, Karen J. Esler & David M. Richardson

  4. Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa

    David M. Richardson

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  1. Mariska te Beest
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Correspondence to Mariska te Beest.

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Communicated by Kathryn Yurkonis.

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te Beest, M., Esler, K.J. & Richardson, D.M. Linking functional traits to impacts of invasive plant species: a case study. Plant Ecol 216, 293–305 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-014-0437-5

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