Reduced seed predation after invasion supports enemy release in a broad biogeographical survey
Castells, Eva (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Farmacologia, de Terapèutica i de Toxicologia)
Morante, Maria (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Farmacologia, de Terapèutica i de Toxicologia)
Blanco-Moreno, José Manuel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia)
Sans, F. Xavier (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia)
Vilatersana, Roser (Institut Botànic de Barcelona)
Blasco-Moreno, Anabel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Servei d'Estadística Aplicada)

Data:	2013
Resum:	The Enemy Release (ER) hypothesis predicts an increase in the plant invasive capacity after being released from their associated herbivores or pathogens in their area of origin. Despite the large number of studies on biological invasions addressing this hypothesis, tests evaluating changes in herbivory on native and introduced populations and their effects on plant reproductive potential at a biogeographical level are relatively rare. Here, we tested the ER hypothesis on the South African species Senecio pterophorus (Asteraceae), which is native to the Eastern Cape, has expanded into the Western Cape, and was introduced into Australia (> 70-100 years ago) and Europe (> 30 years ago). Insect seed predation was evaluated to determine whether plants in the introduced areas were released from herbivores compared to plants from the native range. In South Africa, 25% of the seed heads of sampled plants were damaged. Plants from the introduced populations suffered lower seed predation compared to those from the native populations, as expected under the ER hypothesis, and this release was more pronounced in the region with the most recent introduction. The insect communities feeding on S. pterophorus in Australia and Europe differed from those found in South Africa, suggesting that the plants were released from their associated fauna after invasion and later established new associations with local herbivore communities in the novel habitats. Our study is the first to provide strong evidence of enemy release in a biogeographical survey across the entire known distribution of a species.
Ajuts:	Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CGL2008-02421/BOS Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CGL2011-29205
Drets:	Tots els drets reservats.
Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Matèria:	Enemy Release hypothesis ; Herbivory ; Insects ; Senecio ; Reproductive potential
Publicat a:	Oecologia, Vol. 173, Num. 4 (Dec 2013) , p. 1397-1409, ISSN 1432-1939

DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2718-4

34 p, 312.2 KB

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