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Traits of invasives reconsidered: phenotypic comparisons of introduced invasive and introduced noninvasive plant species within two closely related clades¹

State University of New York at Stony Brook, Department of Ecology and Evolution, 650 Life Sciences Bldg., SUNY–Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794 USA

ABSTRACT

In attempting to determine the traits associated with invasive plant species, ecologists have often used species native to the invaded range as "control species." Because many native species themselves are aggressive colonizers, comparisons using this type of control do not necessarily yield information relevant to distinctions between invasive and noninvasive species. Here we implement an alternative study design that compares phenological, architectural, size, and fitness traits of several introduced invasive species to introduced noninvasive species within two genera of Asteraceae (Crepis and Centaurea). While there were many significant differences between the genera, there were few shared attributes among invasive or noninvasive congeners, even for traits as seemingly important as the number of inflorescences produced and the size of seed heads. Instead, the results suggest that differences in invasiveness between closely related species is better explained as the result of complex trait interactions and specific introduction histories.

Key Words: Asteraceae • Centaurea • comparative method • Crepis • exotic species • invasion success • invasive species • nonindigenous species

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