Invasive‐dominated grasslands in Hawaiʻi are resilient to disturbance
Abstract Non‐native‐dominated landscapes may arise from invasion by competitive plant species, disturbance and invasion of early‐colonizing species, or some combination of these. Without knowing site history, however, it is difficult to predict how native or non‐native communities will reassemble af...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10948 |
| _version_ | 1797244929173356544 |
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| author | Stephanie Yelenik Eli Rose Susan Cordell |
| author_facet | Stephanie Yelenik Eli Rose Susan Cordell |
| author_sort | Stephanie Yelenik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Non‐native‐dominated landscapes may arise from invasion by competitive plant species, disturbance and invasion of early‐colonizing species, or some combination of these. Without knowing site history, however, it is difficult to predict how native or non‐native communities will reassemble after disturbance events. Given increasing disturbance levels across anthropogenically impacted landscapes, predictive understanding of these patterns is important. We asked how disturbance affected community assembly in six invaded habitat types common in dryland, grazed landscapes on Island of Hawai‘i. We mechanically disturbed 100 m2 plots in six vegetation types dominated by one of four invasive perennial grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris, Cenchrus clandestinus, Cenchrus setaceus, or Melinis repens), a native shrub (Dodonaea viscosa), or a native perennial bunchgrass (Eragrostis atropioides). We censused vegetation before disturbance and monitored woody plant colonization and herbaceous cover for 21 months following the disturbance, categorizing species as competitors, colonizers, or a combination, based on recovery patterns. In addition, we planted individuals of the native shrub and bunchgrass and monitored survival to overcome dispersal limitation of native species when exploring these patterns. We found that the dominant vegetation types showed variation in post‐disturbance syndrome, and that the variation in colonizer versus competitor syndrome occurred both between species, but also within species among different vegetation types. Although there were flushes of native shrub seedlings, these did not survive to 21 months within invaded habitats, probably due to regrowth by competitive invasive grasses. Similarly, survival of planted native individuals was related to the rate of regrowth by dominant species. Regardless of colonization/competitor syndrome, however, all dominant vegetation types were relatively resilient to change. Our results highlight that the altered post‐agricultural, invaded grassland landscapes in Hawaiʻi are stable states. More generally, they point to the importance of resident communities and their effects on species interactions and seed availability in shaping plant community response to disturbance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:18:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e7c82e5c66140088aa8a49a3cc3b9b9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:18:49Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e7c82e5c66140088aa8a49a3cc3b9b92024-03-26T04:26:58ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582024-03-01143n/an/a10.1002/ece3.10948Invasive‐dominated grasslands in Hawaiʻi are resilient to disturbanceStephanie Yelenik0Eli Rose1Susan Cordell2U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystem Research Station Hawaiʻi National Park Hawaii USAU.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystem Research Station Hawaiʻi National Park Hawaii USAU.S. Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry Hilo Hawaii USAAbstract Non‐native‐dominated landscapes may arise from invasion by competitive plant species, disturbance and invasion of early‐colonizing species, or some combination of these. Without knowing site history, however, it is difficult to predict how native or non‐native communities will reassemble after disturbance events. Given increasing disturbance levels across anthropogenically impacted landscapes, predictive understanding of these patterns is important. We asked how disturbance affected community assembly in six invaded habitat types common in dryland, grazed landscapes on Island of Hawai‘i. We mechanically disturbed 100 m2 plots in six vegetation types dominated by one of four invasive perennial grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris, Cenchrus clandestinus, Cenchrus setaceus, or Melinis repens), a native shrub (Dodonaea viscosa), or a native perennial bunchgrass (Eragrostis atropioides). We censused vegetation before disturbance and monitored woody plant colonization and herbaceous cover for 21 months following the disturbance, categorizing species as competitors, colonizers, or a combination, based on recovery patterns. In addition, we planted individuals of the native shrub and bunchgrass and monitored survival to overcome dispersal limitation of native species when exploring these patterns. We found that the dominant vegetation types showed variation in post‐disturbance syndrome, and that the variation in colonizer versus competitor syndrome occurred both between species, but also within species among different vegetation types. Although there were flushes of native shrub seedlings, these did not survive to 21 months within invaded habitats, probably due to regrowth by competitive invasive grasses. Similarly, survival of planted native individuals was related to the rate of regrowth by dominant species. Regardless of colonization/competitor syndrome, however, all dominant vegetation types were relatively resilient to change. Our results highlight that the altered post‐agricultural, invaded grassland landscapes in Hawaiʻi are stable states. More generally, they point to the importance of resident communities and their effects on species interactions and seed availability in shaping plant community response to disturbance.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10948C4 grassescolonizationcommunity assemblydisturbanceHawai‘iinvasions biology |
| spellingShingle | Stephanie Yelenik Eli Rose Susan Cordell Invasive‐dominated grasslands in Hawaiʻi are resilient to disturbance Ecology and Evolution C4 grasses colonization community assembly disturbance Hawai‘i invasions biology |
| title | Invasive‐dominated grasslands in Hawaiʻi are resilient to disturbance |
| title_full | Invasive‐dominated grasslands in Hawaiʻi are resilient to disturbance |
| title_fullStr | Invasive‐dominated grasslands in Hawaiʻi are resilient to disturbance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Invasive‐dominated grasslands in Hawaiʻi are resilient to disturbance |
| title_short | Invasive‐dominated grasslands in Hawaiʻi are resilient to disturbance |
| title_sort | invasive dominated grasslands in hawai i are resilient to disturbance |
| topic | C4 grasses colonization community assembly disturbance Hawai‘i invasions biology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10948 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stephanieyelenik invasivedominatedgrasslandsinhawaiʻiareresilienttodisturbance AT elirose invasivedominatedgrasslandsinhawaiʻiareresilienttodisturbance AT susancordell invasivedominatedgrasslandsinhawaiʻiareresilienttodisturbance |