Increased Plasticity in Invasive Populations of a Globally Invasive Cactus
Yohannes B. Tesfay,
Annika Blaschke,
Nathan Ashley
et al.
Abstract:Biological invasions pose global threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Invasive species often display a high degree of phenotypic plasticity, enabling them to adapt to new environments. This study examines plasticity to water stress in native and invasive Opuntia ficus-indica populations, a prevalent invader in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Through controlled greenhouse experiments, we evaluated three native and nine invasive populations. While all plants survived the dry treatment, natives exhibit… Show more
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