PARENT SESSION
Oral Session 1 / Sesion Orales 1: Invasive Species / Invasivas
Moderated by: Mooney, Hal,
Wednesday, January 11 / Miercoles, 11 de Enero, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm, Salon Kabah, Level 1, Holiday Inn
The enemy of my friend: An invasive plant disrupts mutualistic associations between native tree seedlings and mycorrhizal fungi.
Stinson, Kristina*,1, Callaway, Ray2, Wolfe, Ben3, John, Klironomos3, 1 Harvard University, Petersham, MA, USA2 University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA3 University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
ABSTRACT- The impact of exotic species on native organisms is widely acknowledged but poorly understood. Very few studies have empirically investigated how invading plants may alter delicate ecological interactions among resident species in the invaded range. We present novel evidence that Alliaria petiolata, a European invader of North American forests, suppresses native plant growth by disrupting below-ground mutualistic associations between key native canopy tree seedlings and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Our results elucidate a complex and indirect mechanism by which invasive plants disproportionately impact native flora, and may help explain how this plant successfully invades relatively undisturbed forest habitat.
SPANISH ABSTRACT- La especie exótica puede dañar potencialmente las agencias nativas. No obstante, estos impactos se entienden mal. Muy pocos estudios han probado cómo invadiendo plantas pueden alterar las interacciones ecológicas delicadas entre la especie residente en la gama invadida. Nosotros evidencia novedosa presente Alliaria petiolata, un invasor europeo de bosques en la norteamérica interrumpe las asociaciones entre árboles pequeños y hongos de mycorrhizal de arbuscular. Nuestros resultados clarifican un complejo y mecanismo indirecto por cuál plantas invasivas dañan cierta flora autóctona. Nuestros datos pueden ayudar a explicar cómo esta planta invade exitoso el hábitat relativamente intacto del bosque.