Growth Allocation Shifts in the Invasive Hydrilla verticillata Under Interspecific Competition with Native Submerged Macrophytes

• Published in: Plants (Basel) 2024-12, Vol.13 (24), p.3500
• Main Authors: da Costa, Letícia, Vieira, Luíz Alberto, Michelan, Thaísa Sala, Vale, Alvaro Herrera, Chiba de Castro, Wagner Antonio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic plants; Biodiversity; Biological diversity; Biomass; Competition; Competitiveness; Controlled conditions; Ecosystem management; Ecosystems; Environmental factors; Environmental management; Hydrilla verticillata; Indigenous species; Interspecific; Introduced species; invasive exotics; Invasive species; Invasiveness; Macrophytes; Native species; natives as barriers; Nonnative species; Phylogenetics; Resource allocation; Species diversity; submerged macrophytes; Underground structures
• ISSN: 2223-7747; 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants13243500

Communities with high native species diversity tend to be less susceptible to the establishment of invasive species, especially in studies that test their local impact. This study investigated the impact of competition between native submerged aquatic macrophytes (SAMs) ( and ) and the exotic , recognized for its invasive potential in aquatic ecosystems, through a mesocosm experiment conducted over six months. Two treatments were evaluated: the intraspecific competition of and an interspecific competition involving all three species. The plants were cultivated under controlled conditions, with the foliar and subterranean biomass being monitored to analyze resource allocation patterns. The results showed that, under interspecific competition, the mean foliar biomass of was significantly higher compared to the intraspecific treatment, while the subterranean biomass was reduced in the presence of native species. We conclude that native species alter the biomass allocation pattern of the invader, favoring foliar structures over subterranean ones. Among the mechanisms of invasiveness, differential resource allocation represents an important strategy for the adaptation and competitiveness of invasive species influenced by environmental factors and resource competition. These findings contribute to the understanding of competitive interactions in aquatic ecosystems and have implications for the management and control of invasive species, highlighting the importance of promoting native diversity to mitigate invasibility. Future studies should investigate the impacts of reduced subterranean structures on the persistence and spread of submerged invasive species.