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Nature versus Nurture: The Influence of Phylogenetic Relatedness, Origin, and Environment on Native and Introduced Woody Shrubs in the Eastern United States

Pieterson, Elisabeth Corrie

Abstract Details

2018, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology.
Intentional and unintentional species introductions have led to biological invasions with impacts on native ecosystems worldwide. This problem has motivated decades of research on the species traits and environmental conditions that lead to biological invasions. Despite these efforts, consistently predictive principles to explain invasions remain elusive. In the following chapters, I report on research of native and invasive congener species which differ in their abundance but share a similar evolutionary history. Comparing native and invasive congeners with each other, and with a more phylogenetically distant invasive species, facilitates distinguishing traits associated with invasions from those associated with phylogenetic similarity. Specifically, I examined variation in native Lonicera candensis, invasive Lonicera maackii, and invasive Rosa multiflora relative to the processes of germination, competitive interactions, and species establishment. I found that phylogenetic similarity was a better predictor of species responses than native or introduced status. In a growth chamber experiment with controlled temperature and photoperiod regimes, native and introduced Lonicera both had higher germination rates than introduced R. multiflora, but the Lonicera congeners differed in their timing of germination response. In a greenhouse experiment, invasive L. maackii was not strongly affected by intraspecific or interspecific competition, and its response to competition with R. multiflora was similar to its response in the field. In the field experiment, establishment patterns of native and introduced Lonicera were more similar to each other than they were to R. multiflora establishment. These studies indicate that introduced L. maackii behaves more similarly to its native congener than a less closely related introduced species. These results provide insight into the factors that contribute to the invasiveness of L. maackii. In particular, the relatively rapid germination response to favorable conditions allows L. maackii to exploit resources early in the growing season when few competitors are present. Additionally, total germination varied considerably among seed sources representing different L. maackii individuals, suggesting that the presence of many reproductive individuals may be necessary before this species can become invasive at a given site. The similar establishment patterns of native and introduced Lonicera, which indicated slow growth in early stages compared to R. multiflora, suggest that site conditions and the presence of other invasive species may preclude subsequent invasions. Collectively, these studies demonstrate the utility of congeners to study biological invasions, and the importance of considering environmental context, including the presence of other invasive species.
Maria Miriti, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Karen Goodell, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Kristin Mercer, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
113 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Pieterson, E. C. (2018). Nature versus Nurture: The Influence of Phylogenetic Relatedness, Origin, and Environment on Native and Introduced Woody Shrubs in the Eastern United States [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1534521742118989

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Pieterson, Elisabeth. Nature versus Nurture: The Influence of Phylogenetic Relatedness, Origin, and Environment on Native and Introduced Woody Shrubs in the Eastern United States . 2018. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1534521742118989.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Pieterson, Elisabeth. "Nature versus Nurture: The Influence of Phylogenetic Relatedness, Origin, and Environment on Native and Introduced Woody Shrubs in the Eastern United States ." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1534521742118989

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)