Native insect herbivory limits population growth rate of a non-native thistle
| Autor: | James O. Eckberg, Svata M. Louda, Brigitte Tenhumberg |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2014 |
| Předmět: |
Insecta
food.ingredient Population Cirsium Invasive species Cirsium altissimum Cirsium vulgare food Botany Animals Herbivory Population Growth education Ecosystem Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Herbivore education.field_of_study biology fungi food and beverages Nebraska biology.organism_classification food.food Plant ecology Fertility Seedlings Thistle Introduced Species |
| Zdroj: | Oecologia. 175:129-138 |
| ISSN: | 1432-1939 0029-8549 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00442-013-2876-4 |
| Popis: | The influence of native fauna on non-native plant population growth, size, and distribution is not well documented. Previous studies have shown that native insects associated with tall thistle (Cirsium altissimum) also feed on the leaves, stems, and flower heads of the Eurasian congener C. vulgare, thus limiting individual plant performance. In this study, we tested the effects of insect herbivores on the population growth rate of C. vulgare. We experimentally initiated invasions by adding seeds at four unoccupied grassland sites in eastern Nebraska, USA, and recorded plant establishment, survival, and reproduction. Cumulative foliage and floral herbivory reduced C. vulgare seedling density, and prevented almost any reproduction by C. vulgare in half the sites. The matrix model we constructed showed that this herbivory resulted in a reduction of the asymptotic population growth rate (λ), from an 88% annual increase to a 54% annual decline. These results provide strong support for the hypothesis that indigenous herbivores limit population invasion of this non-native plant species into otherwise suitable grassland habitat. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
Full text from SpringerLink