Comparisons between invasive and native species may not characterize the traits of invasive species, as native species might be invasive elsewhere if they were introduced.
By comparing two invasive species, Oxalis corymbosa and Peperomia pellucida, with their noninvasive alien congeners, Prof. Feng Yulong’s research team hypothesized that he invasive species have higher specific leaf (SLA) than their respective noninvasive alien congeners, and analyzed the physiological and ecological consequences of the higher SLA. The observation was published in a recent issue of Planta (2008, 228:383-390), with the title “Specific leaf area relates to the differences in leaf construction cost, photosynthesis, nitrogen allocation, and use efficiencies between invasive and noninvasive alien congeners”.
Related research results by Prof. Feng’s research team were also published in other international peer-reviewed journals. The study “Nitrogen allocation, partitioning and use efficiency in three invasive plant species in comparison with their native congeners” was published in Biological Invasions, 10:891-902, 2008. Another research observation entitled “Photosynthesis, nitrogen allocation and specific leaf area in invasive Eupatorium adenophorum and native Eupatorium japonicum grown at different irradiances” was published in Physiologia Plantarum, 133 (2):318-326, 2008.
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