Reproductive characteristics of neophytes in the Czech Republic: traits of invasive and non-invasive species
Abstract
This paper describes the reproductive characteristics of 93 neophytes of the flora of the Czech Republic and compares trait values between naturalized invasive and naturalized non-invasive neophytes. Traits related to seed production, dispersal and establishment were measured in the field, common garden and laboratory.
Invasive species significantly differ from naturalized non-invasive species in propagule length/width ratio (by having lower ratio, i.e. more rounded propagules) and fecundity (invasive species are more fecund, both per individual plant and in terms of the population propagule production). Invasive species have proportionally fewer seedlings establishing in the autumn and better capacity for dispersal by wind than non-invasive species.
The results for several traits differ depending on whether or not the effect of phylogeny is included in analytical models.