Success of germination and seedling emergence in new environments are crucial first steps in life history of global plant invaders and thus play a key role in processes of range expansion. Germination and seedling emergence are key traits in the life-history of plants contributing to the invasion success in new habitats. I would like to know which factors affect this early life stage in new environment?
here cross-continental includes several factors like climate, topography, winds......
A group of scientists: Krikor Andonian , José L. Hierro, Liana Khetsuriani, Pablo Becerra, Grigor Janoyan, Diego Villarreal, Lohengrin Cavieres, Laurel R. Fox, Ragan M. Callaway, Published: May 23, 2011, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0020117 have reported as follows: "Biological invasions are fundamentally bio-geographic processes that occur over large spatial scales. Interactions with soil microbes can have strong impacts on plant invasions, but how these interactions vary among areas where introduced species are highly invasive vs. naturalized is still unknown."
In their study, they examined biogeographic variation in plant-soil microbe interactions of a globally invasive weed, Centaurea solstitialis (yellow starthistle). They addressed the following questions: i) "Is Centaurea released from natural enemy pressure from soil microbes in introduced regions?" and ii) "Is variation in plant-soil feedbacks associated with variation in Centaurea's invasive success?"
Their conclusions are: "Recent studies have found reduced below-ground enemy attack and more positive plant-soil feedbacks in range-expanding plant populations", but they found "increased negative effects of soil microbes in range-expanding Centaurea populations. While such negative feedbacks may limit the long-term persistence of invasive plants, such feedbacks may also contribute to the success of invasions, either by having disproportionately negative impacts on competing species, or by yielding relatively better growth in uncolonized areas that would encourage lateral spread."
"Enemy release from soil-borne pathogens is not sufficient to explain the success of this weed in such different regions. The biogeographic variation in soil-microbe effects indicates that different mechanisms may operate on this species in different regions, thus establishing geographic mosaics of species interactions that contribute to variation in invasion success."
Our own observation is that bio-geographic variation occurs in degraded soil where invasive plant-soil microbes develop immunity to harsh environment. Transfer of the invasive plant-soil microbes that have developed immunity takes place during floods, over-flooding the fields, but particularly during the discharge and recycling of irrigation and industrial wastewater as well as sewage. Use of manure as organic fertilizer is yet another means for the transfer of invasive species and resistant plant-soil microbes.
Mirza Arshad Ali Beg
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