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. 2024 Oct 12;24(1):953.
doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05684-3.

The effect of phosphorus, irradiance and competitor identity on the relative performance of invasive Chromolaena odorata

Yu-Long Zheng  1   2
Affiliations

The effect of phosphorus, irradiance and competitor identity on the relative performance of invasive Chromolaena odorata

Yu-Long Zheng. BMC Plant Biol. .

Abstract

Background: Resource competition is an important factor affecting the invasion success of alien plants, and environmental factors influence the competition outcomes between invasive and native plants. In this study, we explore the competitive pattern between invasive Chromolaena odorata and two native plant species under different phosphorus and irradiance levels.

Results: The final biomass of each plant was regulated by both morphological and physiological traits. Invasive C. odorata did not always perform better than both native plants, and the competitive pattern between C. odorata and native plants was dependent on native competitor identity and environmental conditions. With competition, invasive C. odorata showed higher biomass (over 60%) than native Xanthium sibiricum under all treatments, but only showed higher biomass (about 20%) than native Eupatorium lindleyanum in normal irradiance treatments. The effect of phosphorus on competition depended on the irradiance level. Under normal irradiance, phosphorus addition increased (almost 10 times) the competitive index of invasive C. odorata; however, under shade irradiance, phosphorus addition decreased (40%) the competitive index of C. odorata.

Conclusion: These results suggest that phosphorus, irradiance and native plant competitor together influence the relative performance of invasive C. odorata. In shade environment, selecting E. lindleyanum as competitor and increasing phosphorus level is an effective method for controlling the invasion of C. odorata.

Keywords: Chromolaena odorata; Competitor identity; Invasive plants; Irradiance; Phosphorus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Phi2 of invasive Chromolaena odorata and natives Eupatorium lindleyanum and Xanthium sibiricum in each treatment when grown in monoculture. At each treatment, different letters indicated there were significant differences among species
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Phi2 of invasive Chromolaena odorata and natives Eupatorium lindleyanum and Xanthium sibiricum in each treatment when grown in competition. (Black and gray bars represent the C. odorata grew together with E. lindleyanum and the C. odorata grew together with X. sibiricum respectively. Asterisk indicates significant differences between two bars)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Pn of invasive Chromolaena odorata and natives Eupatorium lindleyanum and Xanthium sibiricum in each treatment when grown in monoculture. At each treatment, different letters indicated there were significant differences among species
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Pn of invasive Chromolaena odorata and natives Eupatorium lindleyanum and Xanthium sibiricum in each treatment when grown in competition. (Black and gray bars represent the C. odorata grew together with E. lindleyanum and the C. odorata grew together with X. sibiricum respectively. Asterisk indicates significant differences between two bars.)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Biomass of invasive Chromolaena odorata and natives Eupatorium lindleyanum and Xanthium sibiricum in each treatment when grown in monoculture. At each treatment, different letters indicated there were significant differences among species
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Biomass of invasive Chromolaena odorata and natives Eupatorium lindleyanum and Xanthium sibiricum in each treatment when grown in competition. (Black and gray bars represent the C. odorata grew together with E. lindleyanum and the C. odorata grew together with X. sibiricum respectively. Asterisk indicates significant differences between two bars.)
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
LAR of invasive Chromolaena odorata and natives Eupatorium lindleyanum and Xanthium sibiricum in each treatment when grown in monoculture. At each treatment, different letters indicated there were significant differences among species
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
LAR of invasive Chromolaena odorata and natives Eupatorium lindleyanum and Xanthium sibiricum in each treatment when grown in competition. (Black and gray bars represent the C. odorata grew together with E. lindleyanum and the C. odorata grew together with X. sibiricum respectively. Asterisk indicates significant differences between two bars.)
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Competitive index of invasive Chromolaena odorata in each treatment when it competed with natives Eupatorium lindleyanum and Xanthium sibiricum
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