Species- and developmental stage-specific effects of allelopathy and competition of invasive Impatiens glandulifera on co-occurring plants.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Impacts of invasive species on native communities are often difficult to assess, because they depend on a range of factors, such as species identity and traits. Such context-dependencies are poorly understood yet, but knowledge is required to predict the impact of invasions.

Materials and methods

We assessed species- and developmental stage-specificity of competitive and allelopathic effects of the invasive plant Impatiens glandulifera on different developmental stages of four native plant species. While some studies have shown a reduction in plant growth caused by I. glandulifera, the magnitude of its impact is ambiguous. For our study we used seedlings and juveniles of I. glandulifera and the native target species Geum urbanum, Filipendula ulmaria, Urtica dioica

SUBMITTER: Bieberich J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6221290 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature