Abstract
The ideal-weed hypothesis predicts that invasive plants should be less dependent on mutualisms. However, evidence in favor of or against this hypothesis comes mainly from observational studies. Here, we experimentally tested this hypothesis using a two-factor greenhouse experiment, comparing the seedling growth response of different Pinus species (varying in invasiveness) to ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculation. Most species showed no response until they were 6 mo old, at which point inoculation increased growth between 10 and 260% among the different species. This growth response was higher for species with lower seed mass, higher dispersal ability, higher Z score (a proxy for invasiveness) and higher number of naturalized regions, all of which correspond to higher invasiveness. Our results show that timing is a crucial factor when comparing mycorrhizal dependency of different species. Dependence on mutualistic microorganisms could be part of a strategy in which invasive species produce smaller seeds, in greater number, which can disperse further, but where seedlings are more reliant on mycorrhizas to improve access to water, nutrients, and protection from pathogens. Our results suggest that reliance on mutualisms may enhance, rather than limit, nonnative species in their ability to spread, establish, and colonize.
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Claims 4
Claim · model-written summary
Most Pinus species showed no seedling growth response to ectomycorrhizal inoculation until 6 months old.
- Treatment
- ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculatione1
- Interactor
- ectomycorrhizal fungale1symbiont
- Outcome
- seedling growth responsee1
- Direction
- no responsee2
- Qualifier
- until they were 6 mo olde2
PinusNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“comparing the seedling growth response of different Pinus species (varying in invasiveness) to ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculation”
e2“Most species showed no response until they were 6 mo old”
Claim · model-written summary
Ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculation increased Pinus seedling growth between 10 and 260% at 6 months old.
- Treatment
- ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculatione1
- Interactor
- ectomycorrhizal fungale1symbiont
- Outcome
- growthe3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Value
- between 10 and 260%e3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“comparing the seedling growth response of different Pinus species (varying in invasiveness) to ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculation”
e3“at which point inoculation increased growth between 10 and 260% among the different species”
Claim · model-written summary
The growth response to ectomycorrhizal inoculation was higher for Pinus species with lower seed mass.
- Treatment
- ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculatione1
- Interactor
- ectomycorrhizal fungale1symbiont
- Outcome
- growth responsee4
- Direction
- highere4
- Qualifier
- species with lower seed masse4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“comparing the seedling growth response of different Pinus species (varying in invasiveness) to ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculation”
e4“This growth response was higher for species with lower seed mass, higher dispersal ability, higher Z score (a proxy for invasiveness) and higher number of naturalized regions, all of which correspond to higher invasiveness”
Claim · model-written summary
The growth response to ectomycorrhizal inoculation was higher for Pinus species with higher dispersal ability, higher Z score and more naturalized regions.
- Treatment
- ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculatione1
- Interactor
- ectomycorrhizal fungale1symbiont
- Outcome
- growth responsee4
- Direction
- highere4
- Qualifier
- higher dispersal ability, higher Z score (a proxy for invasiveness) and higher number of naturalized regionse4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“comparing the seedling growth response of different Pinus species (varying in invasiveness) to ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculation”
e4“This growth response was higher for species with lower seed mass, higher dispersal ability, higher Z score (a proxy for invasiveness) and higher number of naturalized regions, all of which correspond to higher invasiveness”
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See all 17 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.