Invasion ecology of exotic knotweeds (Fallopia ssp.)

Invasive knotweed on the shore of lake Geneva

People

Madalin Parepa, Oliver Bossdorf, in collaboration with Markus Fischer (Switzerland), Urs Schaffner (Delémont), Ansgar Kahmen (Basel), Nina Buchmann (Zurich)

In a nutshell

Exotic plant invasions are amongst the important drivers of global change and remain disproportionally understood. In this project we study the ecology and evolution of invasive knotweeds, some of the most damaging invaders in temperate ecosystems. With a series of community experiments we explored several drivers of knotweed success: allelopathy and interactions with soil organisms, hybridisation, and the ability to profit from increased environmental variability.

Funding

Swiss National Science Foundation Project 31003A_122408

Duration

Since 2009

Publications

Parepa M, Fischer M, Krebs C, Bossdorf O (2014) Hybridisation increases invasive knotweed success, Evolutionary Applications 7(3): 413-420

Parepa M, Fischer M, Bossdorf O (2013) Environmental variability promotes plant invasion. Nature Communications 4:1604.

Parepa M, Schaffner U, Bossdorf O (2013) Help from under ground: soil biota facilitate knotweed invasion. Ecosphere 4(2): 31.

Parepa M, Schaffner U, Bossdorf O (2012) Sources and modes of action of invasive knotweed allelopathy: the effects of leaf litter and trained soil on the germination and growth of native plants. Neobiota 13: 15-30.

Murrell C, Gerber E, Krebs C, Parepa M, Schaffner U, Bossdorf O (2011) Invasive knotweed affects native plants through allelopathy. American Journal of Botany 98: 38-43.