Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Invasive clonal plants have two reproduction patterns, namely sexual and vegetative propagation. However, seedling recruitment of invasive clonal plants can decline as the invasion process proceeds. For example, although the invasive clonal Wedelia trilobata (Asteraceae) produces numerous seeds, few seedlings emerge under its dense population canopy in the field. In this study it is hypothesized that light limitation and the presence of a thick layer of its own litter may be the primary factors causing the failure of seedling recruitment for this invasive weed in the field. METHODS: A field survey was conducted to determine the allocation of resources to sexual reproduction and seedling recruitment in W. trilobata. Seed germination was also determined in the field. Effects of light and W. trilobata leaf extracts on seed germination and seedling growth were tested in the laboratory. KEY RESULTS: Wedelia trilobata blooms profusely and produces copious viable seeds in the field. However, seedlings of W. trilobata were not detected under mother ramets and few emerged seedlings were found in the bare ground near to populations. In laboratory experiments, low light significantly inhibited seed germination. Leaf extracts also decreased seed germination and inhibited seedling growth, and significant interactions were found between low light and leaf extracts on seed germination. However, seeds were found to germinate in an invaded field after removal of the W. trilobata plant canopy. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that lack of light and the presence of its own litter might be two major factors responsible for the low numbers of W. trilobata seedlings found in the field. New populations will establish from seeds once the limiting factors are eliminated, and seeds can be the agents of long-distance dispersal; therefore, prevention of seed production remains an important component in controlling the spread of this invasive clonal plant.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Wedelia trilobata flowers profusely and produces many viable seeds in the field.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobata
.jpg?width=60)
Sphagneticola trilobatae0 - Outcome
- blooms profusely and produces copious viable seedse0
- Setting
- in the fielde0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Wedelia trilobata blooms profusely and produces copious viable seeds in the field”
Claim · model-written summary
No Wedelia seedlings were detected under mother ramets.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobataSphagneticola trilobatat0
- Outcome
- seedlings of W. trilobata were not detectede0
- Qualifier
- under mother rametse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Wedelia trilobata”
e0“seedlings of W. trilobata were not detected under mother ramets”
Claim · model-written summary
Few Wedelia seedlings emerged on nearby bare ground.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobataSphagneticola trilobatat0
- Outcome
- few emerged seedlingse0
- Setting
- bare ground near to populationse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Wedelia trilobata”
e0“few emerged seedlings were found in the bare ground near to populations”
Claim · model-written summary
Low light significantly inhibited seed germination.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobataSphagneticola trilobatat0
- Treatment
- low lighte0
- Outcome
- seed germinatione0
- Direction
- inhibitede0
- Setting
- laboratory experimentse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Wedelia trilobata”
e0“In laboratory experiments, low light significantly inhibited seed germination”
Claim · model-written summary
Wedelia leaf extracts decreased seed germination.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobataSphagneticola trilobatat0
- Treatment
- Leaf extractse0
- Outcome
- seed germinatione0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Wedelia trilobata”
e0“Leaf extracts also decreased seed germination and inhibited seedling growth”
Claim · model-written summary
Wedelia leaf extracts inhibited seedling growth.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobataSphagneticola trilobatat0
- Treatment
- Leaf extractse0
- Outcome
- seedling growthe0
- Direction
- inhibitede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Wedelia trilobata”
e0“Leaf extracts also decreased seed germination and inhibited seedling growth”
Claim · model-written summary
Low light and leaf extracts interacted significantly in their effect on seed germination.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobataSphagneticola trilobatat0
- Treatment
- low light and leaf extractse0
- Outcome
- seed germinatione0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Wedelia trilobata”
e0“significant interactions were found between low light and leaf extracts on seed germination”
Claim · model-written summary
Seeds germinated in the invaded field after canopy removal.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobataSphagneticola trilobatat0
- Treatment
- removal of the W. trilobata plant canopye0
- Outcome
- seeds were found to germinatee0
- Setting
- invaded fielde0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Wedelia trilobata”
e0“seeds were found to germinate in an invaded field after removal of the W. trilobata plant canopy”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors infer that lack of light and litter limit Wedelia seedling recruitment.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobataSphagneticola trilobatat0
- Outcome
- low numbers of W. trilobata seedlingse0
- Qualifier
- lack of light and the presence of its own littere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Wedelia trilobata”
e0“lack of light and the presence of its own litter might be two major factors responsible for the low numbers of W. trilobata seedlings found in the field”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors predict seed establishment and long-distance dispersal after limits are removed.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobataSphagneticola trilobatat0
- Outcome
- New populations will establish from seedse0
- Qualifier
- once the limiting factors are eliminatede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Wedelia trilobata”
e0“New populations will establish from seeds once the limiting factors are eliminated, and seeds can be the agents of long-distance dispersal”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend preventing seed production to control spread.
- Taxon
- Wedelia trilobataSphagneticola trilobatat0
- Outcome
- prevention of seed productione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Wedelia trilobata”
e0“prevention of seed production remains an important component in controlling the spread of this invasive clonal plant”
The same questions in other papers
botanical · growth · Sphagneticola trilobataPositive and negative results
4 in the opposite direction
- positive
- positive
- positive
1 paper more in this group
See all 5 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.