Making a Bad Situation Worse: An Invasive Species Altering the Balance of Interactions between Local Species.

ABSTRACT: Biological invasions pose a significant threat to biodiversity, especially on oceanic islands. One of the primary explanations for the success of plant invaders is direct suppression of competitors. However, indirect interactions can also be important, although they are often overlooked in studies on biological invasion. The shrub Leucaena leucocephala is a widespread island invader with putative allelopathic effects on the germination and growth of other species. We quantified the impact of Leucaena on plant communities richness on an oceanic Brazilian island and, through nursery experiments, investigated the potential for allelopathic effects on the germination of Erythrina velutina, a native species that is often absent from stands of Leucaena. Additionally, in a manipulative field expe

SUBMITTER: Mello TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4807039 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature