Seed traits of reintroduced invasive populations of Triadica sebifera show few differences in comparison with those of native populations

• Published in: Plant ecology Vol. 224; no. 8; pp. 697 - 703
• Main Authors: Li, Yu-Lin, Xiong, Yun-Tao, Jin, Jie-Ren, Wang, Chao-Nan, Pan, Zhi-Li, Wang, Jie, Wang, Yan, Wang, Yi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.08.2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abscisic acid; Analysis; Applied Ecology; Biodiversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Chemical properties; Community & Population Ecology; Ecology; Evolution; Germination; Hormones; Invasive plants; Life Sciences; Phenotypic plasticity; Plant Ecology; Plants; Populations; Seeds; Terrestial Ecology; Triadica sebifera; Waxes; Reintroduction populations; Seed properties; Invasive plants; Native populations
• ISSN: 1385-0237; 1573-5052
• DOI: 10.1007/s11258-023-01335-z

Successful germination and establishment of invasive plants is a key early step during their invasion, which influences their invasive potential. Previous studies have focused on the differences in traits between native and invasive plants, but little is currently known regarding the evolutionary changes in seeds when invasive plants were reintroduced into their homeland. We planted the seeds (F1) of 13 Triadica sebifera populations invading the USA into their native habitat (31° 45′ N, 114° 39′ E, Dawu, China) in 2014. After F1 matured (2019), we collected their seeds (F2) and the seeds of 30 native populations to test the differences in physical and chemical properties, seed hormones, and germination traits between the seeds of reintroduced and native T. sebifera populations. We found that the seeds of reintroduced populations of T. sebifera have thinner wax coating and significantly higher ABA, GA19, GA24, and GA53 hormone contents than the native populations. In addition, the seeds of native populations of T. sebifera have thicker wax coating and significantly higher ACC and GA1 hormone contents and higher ratio of TGA:ABA than the reintroduced populations. However, we detected no significant differences in all other seed traits assessed, including physical and chemical properties as well as germination traits. In summary, these results indicate that most seed traits of these invasive plants either show phenotypic plasticity or simply did not change in their invasive range, which offers us with a new perspective to understand the invasion mechanisms of plants reproducing by seeds.