Dominance of an alien shrub Rhus typhina over a native shrub Vitex negundo var. heterophylla under variable water supply patterns.

ABSTRACT: Temporal heterogeneity of a resource supply can have a profound effect on the interactions between alien and native plant species and their potential invasiveness. Precipitation patterns may be variable and result in a higher heterogeneity of water supply with global climate change. In this study, an alien shrub species, Rhus typhina, introduced to China from North America and a native shrub species, Vitex negundo var. heterophylla, were grown in monoculture and mixed culture under different water supply regimes, with four levels of water supply frequencies but with a constant level of total supplied water. After 60 days of treatments, the alien species was found to be the superior competitor in the mixed culture and was unaffected by changes in the water supply pattern. The dominance of R

SUBMITTER: Du N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5406003 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature