Resource-use efficiency and plant invasion in low-resource systems

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Plant Biology
• Invasive Species Research

Background:

• Invasive species success is habitat-dependent, with nutrient-rich areas typically experiencing more invasions.
• Mechanisms of invasive species success in resource-poor environments are poorly understood.
• Resource-use efficiency (RUE) is a key trait for species in low-resource environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate resource-use efficiency (RUE) in invasive and native plant species across different limiting resource conditions in Hawaii.
• To challenge the assumption that native species outperform invasive species in resource-poor habitats.

Main Methods:

• Studied invasive and native plant species in three Hawaiian habitats with limiting light, water, or nutrients.
• Measured and compared resource-use efficiency (RUE) on short timescales and over leaf lifespans.

Main Results:

• Invasive species demonstrated higher RUE than native species on short timescales across diverse growth forms and taxa.
• Invasive and native species exhibited similar RUE when integrated over leaf lifespans.
• Invasive species are highly efficient at utilizing limiting resources.

Conclusions:

• Invasive species can possess superior resource-use efficiency (RUE) compared to native species, even in resource-limited environments.
• Managing resource levels may not be an effective strategy for controlling invasive species.
• Findings challenge traditional ecological assumptions about invasive species dynamics in low-resource settings.