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Increased Plasticity in Invasive Populations of a Globally Invasive Cactus.

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Invasive Opuntia ficus-indica shows greater water stress plasticity than native populations, enhancing its invasive success. This adaptability, particularly to wetter conditions, suggests increased invasion potential with climate change.

Keywords:
Opuntia ficus-indicabiological invasionsgreenhouse experimentnon-native populationsphenotypic plasticity

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Invasive Species Biology
  • Plant Physiology

Background:

  • Biological invasions threaten biodiversity and ecosystem functions globally.
  • Phenotypic plasticity is a key trait enabling invasive species adaptation.
  • Opuntia ficus-indica is a prevalent invasive species in arid and semi-arid regions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate phenotypic plasticity to water stress in native and invasive Opuntia ficus-indica populations.
  • To determine if enhanced plasticity contributes to the invasive success of Opuntia ficus-indica.

Main Methods:

  • Controlled greenhouse experiments were conducted.
  • Three native and nine invasive Opuntia ficus-indica populations were evaluated.
  • Plants were subjected to contrasting water availability treatments (dry and wet).

Main Results:

  • All populations survived the dry treatment, but invasives exhibited significantly higher plasticity.
  • Invasive populations showed a 94% increase in aboveground biomass with high water availability, compared to 36% in natives.
  • Invasive populations displayed a 75% increase in belowground biomass from dry to wet conditions, while natives showed no significant response.

Conclusions:

  • Enhanced phenotypic plasticity in invasive Opuntia ficus-indica populations is a significant driver of their ecological success.
  • The species' adaptability to varying water availability, especially increased supply, favors invasion in less arid conditions.
  • Climate change, leading to expanded arid areas and desertification, is predicted to further increase the invasion potential of Opuntia ficus-indica.