Institute of Evolution and Ecology (EvE)

Exotic plant invasion under increased environmental variability

People

Madalin Parepa (PI), Oliver Bossdorf, Zhiyong Liao, Svenja Block

In a nutshell

Invasive species can profit from changing environments such as changes in mean temperatures, precipitation, nitrogen deposition or landuse. One dimension of global change, however, which remains understudied, is changes in environmental variability. This project aims to test whether positive effects of increased nutrient variability on competitive dominance are a general phenomenon across different invasive knotweed taxa and other highly invasive plant species and what are the underlying mechanisms. It will also examine whether genetic and species diversity of native communities can modulate the effects of variability on the success of invaders. Then it will test how relevant this phenomenon is under field conditions.

Funding

DFG grant DFG PA 2608/2-1

Duration

2016 - 2019