Abstract Detail

Ecological Section

Davidson, Amy [1], Nicotra, Adrienne B. [2].

Invasive species demonstrate higher phenotypic plasticity but native species have greater resilience to worsening conditions.

Whether invasive species are more phenotypically plastic than non-invasive species and what role this plasticity plays in plant invasions are long standing questions. We conducted a meta-analysis including 85 invasive/non-invasive species pairs to answer these questions. Our analysis supports the hypothesis that weeds are more plastic than non-invasive plant species. We examine the adaptive benefit of this plasticity, using correlation analysis to explore whether greater plasticity is associated with improved overall fitness. The analyses find that although invasive species are nearly always more plastic in response to increases in resources this is only sometimes associated with higher fitness. Non-invasive species maintained greater fitness homeostasis in response to a reduction in resources and this was often associated with higher plasticity. This result, that invasive species generally do better when conditions improve but natives do just as well if not better when conditions get worse, has interesting implications for predicting responses to global change.

Broader Impacts:

1 - Australian National University / CSIRO, Research School of Biology / Entomology, Bldg 116 Daley Rd Australian National University, Acton, Act, 2607, Australia
2 - Australian National University , Research School of Biology , Bldg 116 Daley Rd Australian National University, Acton, Act, 2607, Australia

Keywords:
alien plant species
introduced plant species
phenotypic plasticity
resource availability
reaction norm
climate change
adaptation
Environment gradient
indigenous.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 24
Location: 555B/Convention Center
Date: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
Time: 8:15 AM
Number: 24002
Abstract ID:34