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Lost in the weeds: Ligustrum sinense reduces native plant growth and survival

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Abstract

Plant invasions are often implicated in declines of native plant species. However, common experimental designs have received criticism questioning the assumption that invasive plants are the primary cause for ecosystem deterioration. We used a combination of field observations and a transplant experiment to investigate the influence of an exotic invasive shrub, Ligustrum sinense (Chinese Privet) on native plant species in Piedmont floodplain forests of South Carolina, USA. We conducted vegetation surveys of 12 floodplain forests documenting abundance and cover of all herbaceous and woody plant species. Additionally, we established an experimental garden to compare survival and growth of L. sinense and four common native species transplanted into a mature L. sinense stand and an adjacent uninvaded area over two growing seasons. The vegetation survey demonstrated a strong negative relationship between L. sinense presence and herbaceous vegetation. As L. sinense cover increased, herbaceous cover and height, plant abundance, and native species richness decreased. In our transplant experiment we found drastic effects of L. sinense on native plant seedling survival and growth. Survival for all native species was lower under the L. sinense canopy and native seedling growth was substantially reduced. Results from both the vegetation survey and transplant experiment show that invasion of L. sinense suppresses herbaceous understory and prevents regeneration of native species by reducing seedling survival and growth. With an approach that combines multiple field sites and local site-specific investigations our research provides strong evidence that L. sinense is an agent of change in floodplain forests.

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Acknowledgments

B.T.G conceived the idea and worked with B.B. to design the study. B.T.G conducted all fieldwork, analyzed the data, and co-wrote the manuscript. B.B. guided the intellectual content and co-wrote the manuscript. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding for this study was provided by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, the Cornell University Graduate School, Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Small Grant DGE 0221658, and the South Atlantic Chapter of Society of Wetland Scientists to B.T.G. and a Cornell University Hatch grant to B.B. The authors would like to thank A. Armstrong, K. Parks, and D. Rayner for their help and all landowners for access to their property. Statistical advice was provided by F. Vermeylen. This work and manuscript benefited from the comments of M. Bain, B. Bedford, and T. Walters, contributions from the Blossey lab group at Cornell, and two anonymous reviewers.

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  1. Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    Brian T. Greene & Bernd Blossey

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  1. Brian T. Greene
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Correspondence to Brian T. Greene.

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Greene, B.T., Blossey, B. Lost in the weeds: Ligustrum sinense reduces native plant growth and survival. Biol Invasions 14, 139–150 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-011-9990-1

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