Abstract:
Plant diversity may respond differently in terms of whether it can drive plant invasions in freshwater ecosystem. Linkages and interactions between diversity and invasibility have not been clearly resolved, and it is unclear how nutrient enrichment (e.g., eutrophication) will affect this relationship. As a key predictor of plant growth, the ability of functional traits to mediate trade-offs in the diversity-invasibility relationship is unknown. Here, we conducted a series of experiments to determine the role of exotic plant functional traits in the diversity-invasibility relationship of submerged macrophyte communities under eutrophication. We selected common native and exotic submerged macrophytes in the subtropics to construct different diverse submerged macrophyte communities to simulate invasion. Meanwhile, to test the adaptability and importance of functional traits, we experimentally verified the differences in functional traits between exotic and native species. Our results showed a positive correlation between native plant diversity and community invasibility. Moreover, the invader\'s performance was predominantly determined by functional traits of exotic species, such as plant biomass and tissue nutrients, which were significantly altered by species diversity. Furthermore, our results suggested that functional traits contribute significantly more to the invasiveness of exotic submerged macrophytes than the other factors to which they are subjected. Plant functional traits can mediate the diversity-invasibility relationship because of the higher intrinsic dominance of exotic submerged macrophyte species. In summary, our study revealed diversity-invasibility relationship in submerged macrophyte communities and highlighted functional traits as key drivers of invasion of high-risk exotic submerged macrophyte species. Although previous studies have elucidated the importance of functional trait studies for plant invasions, our study provides the only current evidence demonstrating the important role of invaders\' functional traits in mediating the diversity-invasibility relationship. This novel perspective offers valuable insights into the management and control of invasive aquatic plants.
摘要:
植物多样性在是否可以驱动植物入侵淡水生态系统方面可能会做出不同的反应。多样性和侵入性之间的联系和相互作用尚未得到明确解决,目前还不清楚营养如何富集(例如,富营养化)会影响这种关系。作为植物生长的关键预测指标,功能性状在多样性-侵入性关系中调解权衡的能力是未知的。这里,我们进行了一系列实验,以确定外来植物功能性状在富营养化条件下沉水植物群落多样性-入侵关系中的作用。我们选择了亚热带地区常见的本地和外来沉水植物,以构建不同的沉水植物群落来模拟入侵。同时,为了测试功能性状的适应性和重要性,我们通过实验验证了外来物种和本地物种之间功能性状的差异。我们的结果表明,本地植物多样性与群落入侵性之间存在正相关。此外,入侵者的表现主要由外来物种的功能特征决定,如植物生物量和组织养分,物种多样性显著改变。此外,我们的结果表明,与其他因素相比,功能特征对外来沉水植物的侵入性的贡献更大。由于外来沉水植物具有较高的内在优势,植物功能性状可以介导多样性-入侵关系。总之,我们的研究揭示了沉水植物群落中的多样性-入侵性关系,并强调了功能特征是入侵高风险外来沉水植物物种的关键驱动因素。尽管以前的研究已经阐明了功能性状研究对植物入侵的重要性,我们的研究提供了目前唯一的证据,证明入侵者的功能特征在介导多样性-入侵关系中的重要作用。这种新颖的观点为入侵水生植物的管理和控制提供了宝贵的见解。