Facilitation, competition and parasitic facilitation amongst invasive and native liana seedlings and a native tree seedling

Abstract

Lianas are prevalent in gaps and edges of forests where they compete intensely with trees, reducing growth and recruitment. Invasive lianas have the potential to be particularly harmful as the competitive advantage of the liana life history may be coupled with the more competitive qualities of invasiveness. However, in early stages of growth of lianas and native tree seedlings, facilitatory interactions or competitive interactions associated with soil nutrients may be more prevalent. We investigated interactions at the early stages of growth between native and invasive lianas with a common rainforest tree of temperate Australian rainforests under different light conditions. Invasive lianas, as a group, were not more competitive than native lianas in reducing growth of a native rainforest seedling. At this stage in the life cycle most lianas were as competitive as a conspecific seedling. However, one invasive liana, Anredera cordifolia, was particularly competitive and reduced biomass of tree seedlings. Light had little effect on growth of lianas nor on the impact of competition, however, specific leaf area differed between low and medium light conditions. Moderate light did improve growth in the rainforest tree seedling. When lianas were grown with a rainforest tree, three liana species overyielded, while one species was unaffected by growing with the tree seedling. Overyielding suggests a strong positive interaction with the neighbouring plant, mediated through belowground processes. We discuss the potential for these interactions to be facilitative, parasitic or competitive. We therefore show that interactions early in the life of rainforest species can be complex mixtures of interactions which are likely to influence the ability of lianas to dominate rainforests.

Friends with benefits: The effects of vegetative shading on plant survival in a green roof environment

“…Xin -Hua He [55]investigated the movement of labelled nitrogen (N 15 ) between nurse plant and surrounding plants and found nutrient exchange between the nurse plants and the target plants using a common mycorrhizal network. Similar evidence of below ground facilitation was found in vines ([58]).…”

Why Does Phlebiopsis gigantea not Always Inhibit Root and Butt Rot in Conifers?

“…Studies of competitive exclusion using two similar species can give clear results, used by Rishbeth [39] to formulate a biological method of reducing root rot Fomes annosus (= H. annosum) by a competing fungus Peniophora = P. gigantea. However, French et al [40] argued that many common ecological interactions, particularly those involving competition and parasitism, can be easily confused and that there is often a lack of empirical evidence for reciprocal interactions among species. A similar opinion was expressed by Keddy [41] and Boddy [42].…”

Palmeiras limitam a proliferação de lianas em florestas do ecótono Amazônia-Cerrado-Pantanal

“…As lianas (trepadeiras lenhosas) são um abundante e dinâmico componente das florestas tropicais com importante participação na estruturação física do ambiente e na regeneração florestal (Putz, 1984;Van der Heijden et al, 2010;Laurance et al, 2014;French et al, 2017). O sucesso das trepadeiras no acesso a copa das árvores depende do suporte estrutural fornecido pela estratificação natural da vegetação (Putz, 1984;Phillips et al, 2005;Cox et al, 2019).…”