Island invasion by a threatened tree species: evidence for natural enemy release of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) on Dominica, Lesser Antilles.

ABSTRACT: Despite its appeal to explain plant invasions, the enemy release hypothesis (ERH) remains largely unexplored for tropical forest trees. Even scarcer are ERH studies conducted on the same host species at both the community and biogeographical scale, irrespective of the system or plant life form. In Cabrits National Park, Dominica, we observed patterns consistent with enemy release of two introduced, congeneric mahogany species, Swietenia macrophylla and S. mahagoni, planted almost 50 years ago. Swietenia populations at Cabrits have reproduced, with S. macrophylla juveniles established in and out of plantation areas at densities much higher than observed in its native range. Swietenia macrophylla juveniles also experienced significantly lower leaf-level herbivory (∼3.0%) than nine co-occurri

SUBMITTER: Norghauer JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3076449 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature