Abstract
The factors governing invasiveness and invasibility are important for understanding invasions in plant communities, but most previous work does not incorporate network‐level interaction structure. We addressed this gap by simulating perennial plant communities at multiple life stages that varied in species richness and interaction network structures (transitive and intransitive), characteristics associated with species coexistence, using a stochastic lattice model that incorporated local competition, facilitation, and dispersal. Resident communities were invaded with alien species that varied in their fecundity, dispersal, and competitive abilities. We found that community structures that are known to promote coexistence also increased invasibility; communities with intransitive interaction networks on the whole were more invasible than transitive communities. However, the interaction between species richness and network structure was complex, as intransitive communities with few species were relatively resistant and transitive communities with many species were relatively invasible. Thus, simple rules linking intransitivity and diversity may not reflect the complex relationships between community structure and dynamics that occur in more realistic spatial systems. Spatial patterns of clustering and segregation were associated with higher invasibility and successful invaders intensified these patterns in communities, particularly at large spatial scales. Invasiveness and alien species abundance were associated with species‐level characteristics (fecundity and dispersal), but community‐level characteristics were also important, particularly competitive tolerance to the resident community. These results emphasize the importance of a community‐level approach, involving network‐level structure and spatial patterns, in adding nuance to our understanding of invasions in plant communities.
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record, shown for indexing and research. Copyright remains with the authors or the publisher. Read at the source ↗
The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.
Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
In simulated plant communities, community structures known to promote coexistence also increased invasibility.
Verbatim
e0“community structures that are known to promote coexistence also increased invasibility”
t0“plant communities”
Claim · model-written summary
In simulated plant communities, communities with intransitive interaction networks were on the whole more invasible than transitive communities.
Verbatim
e0“communities with intransitive interaction networks on the whole were more invasible than transitive communities”
t0“plant communities”
Claim · model-written summary
In simulations, intransitive communities with few species were relatively resistant to invasion.
Verbatim
e0“intransitive communities with few species were relatively resistant and transitive communities with many species were relatively invasible”
t0“plant communities”
Claim · model-written summary
In simulations, transitive communities with many species were relatively invasible.
Verbatim
e0“intransitive communities with few species were relatively resistant and transitive communities with many species were relatively invasible”
t0“plant communities”
Claim · model-written summary
In simulated plant communities, spatial patterns of clustering and segregation were associated with higher invasibility.
Verbatim
e0“Spatial patterns of clustering and segregation were associated with higher invasibility”
t0“plant communities”
Claim · model-written summary
In simulations, successful invaders intensified the clustering and segregation patterns in communities, particularly at large spatial scales.
Verbatim
e0“successful invaders intensified these patterns in communities, particularly at large spatial scales”
t0“plant communities”
Claim · model-written summary
In simulations, invasiveness and alien species abundance were associated with species-level fecundity and dispersal.
- Taxon
- plant communitiest0
- Treatment
- fecundity and dispersale1
- Outcome
- Invasiveness and alien species abundancee0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Invasiveness and alien species abundance were associated with species”
t0“plant communities”
e1“fecundity and dispersal”
Claim · model-written summary
In simulations, community-level characteristics, particularly competitive tolerance to the resident community, were also important for invasiveness and alien species abundance.
- Taxon
- plant communitiest0
- Treatment
- competitive tolerance to the resident communitye1
- Outcome
- Invasiveness and alien species abundancee0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Invasiveness and alien species abundance”
t0“plant communities”
e1“particularly competitive tolerance to the resident community”