Preadaptation and post-introduction evolution facilitate the invasion of Phragmites australis in North America.

ABSTRACT: Compared with non-invasive species, invasive plant species may benefit from certain advantageous traits, for example, higher photosynthesis capacity and resource/energy-use efficiency. These traits can be preadapted prior to introduction, but can also be acquired through evolution following introduction to the new range. Disentangling the origins of these advantageous traits is a fundamental and emerging question in invasion ecology. We conducted a multiple comparative experiment under identical environmental condition with the invasive haplotype M lineage of the wetland grass Phragmites australis and compared the ecophysiological traits of this invasive haplotype M in North America with those of the European ancestor and the conspecific North American native haplotype E lineage, P. austra

SUBMITTER: Guo WY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4278810 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature